90 +2 min: The result is very much sorted, but don’t tell City’s Bruce Kamau, who is everywhere trying to complete his hat-trick.

89 min: Brisbane make one last throw of the dice ... with a defensive substitution, Luke De Vere on for Avraam Papadopoulos.

Unless there is a dramatic turn-around in the final minutes, Melbourne City fans will be going home happy tonight.

83 min: Brisbane boss John Aloisi rolls the dice, bringing on youngster Rahmat Akbari for Nicholas D’Agostino. The Afghan-born attacker is immediately in the action, forcing the first save of the night for City keeper Eugene Galekovic.

82 min: Bruce Kamau with another nice run towards the Brisbane box, but the double goalscorer is brought down. Melbourne City make two substitutes: marquee Marcin Budzinski on for Ross McCormack; Nick Fitzgerald for Scott Jamieson.

More insight from the twittering class.

72 min: Bruce Kamau lobs in a ball to Ross McCormack, who plays it to Stefan Mauk to blaze over.

71 min: Bruce Kamau wins a corner for Melbourne. City fans - thoughts on your Kenyan-born winger? He has been single-handedly the most frustrating and most exciting player tonight. As is often the way, I guess.

69 min: Another opportunity for Brisbane, before City counter quickly through Bruce Kamau. Closed down by the Roar at the top of their box, but Melbourne regather. Dangerous stuff.

67 min: Brisbane’s Petros Skapetis takes the ball on the right-hand side, dances down the flank and along the byline, before hitting it straight at Melbourne custodian Eugene Galekovic.

The seagulls are everywhere tonight. Perhaps one of the Melbourne teams should hire a bird trainer and put them to use as a collective 12th man. Innovative.

65 min: City’s Nick Fitzgerald puts in a floating ball for Ross McCormack at the back post, but the Aston Villa loanee can’t control.

Indeed.

62 min: Brisbane marquee Massimo Maccarone dances through the Melbourne defensive line but ultimately comes unstuck. Maccarone has had a few dangerous moments, but generally been too anonymous for the Roar tonight.

59 min: Petros Skapetis with an incisive run down the right-hand flank for Brisbane, but his cross can’t find an orange-shirted colleague.

Brisbane gaffer John Aloisi, he of that famous 2005 penalty strike against Uruguay, has been touted as a possible replacement to current Socceroos manager Ange Postecoglou. Will Aloisi still be with the Roar come April?

55 min: Some nice build-up play from Melbourne City, with Bruce Kamau again involved. Nothing comes of it, but the pressure is increasing on Brisbane.

52 min: Brisbane are struggling to find the attacking chances they need to have any hope of drawing level with the home team. I wonder whether the Roar’s Afghanistan-born wonderkid, Rahmat Akbari, might be substituted on to add some flair.

47 min: Fahid Ben Khalfallah collects the match’s third yellow for a nasty tackle on Osama Malik.

Some statistics courtesy of the A-League. Second half about to get underway.

City’s Bruce Kamau unleashes his goal-scoring strike.

Highlights from Sokkah Twitter.

While you’re waiting for the second half, here’s some thought-provoking analysis from Ante Jukic of the Socceroos’ draw with Syria last night. And do write in to let me know your views on the first 45 minutes of the A-League season, via email or Twitter.

44 min: Bruce Kamau found himself alone in the Melbourne City box, with the offside flag down, but can’t make anything of it. A wasted opportunity there.

43 min: Nasty collision between Nicholas D’Agostino and Luke Brattan causes a stoppage. D’Agostino comes off second best.

41 min: More great defending from Jade North puts out a dangerous Melbourne City cross for the corner. Also, I keep almost typing Manchester City...

39 min: Manny Muscat finds Ross McCormack in the box, who miscontrols and fires wide. That could have been the opener for City...

37 min: Bruce Kamau creates a nice opportunity on the right-hand side for Melbourne City. The ball is then switched to the left before bobbling to Brisbane custodian Michael Theo. A very mixed night so far for Kamau - flashes of brilliance and flashes of ordinariness.

City’s last-minute loan signing Ross McCormack of Aston Villa has had some nice touches tonight, but failed to threaten Michael Theo in the Brisbane goal.

33 min: Petros Skapetis causing more grief for Melbourne City on the right-hand side of their box. Nothing coming of it, yet...

Some of the Twitterati are not inspired with the A-League’s choice of season opener.

Cam Melling has been in touch via Twitter. He wants to know whether Brisbane fans are happy with Massimo Maccarone as their marquee. “Surely too old now,” he offers. Thoughts, Roar supporters?

29 min: Petros Skapetis fizzes a ball across the goal mouth, but Nicholas D’Agostino cannot convert for Brisbane.

24 min: 22-year-old Bruce Kamau has been active for Melbourne City, but his first-touch is looking shaky. I’m told Kamau wants to be a rapper. Who would win a rap battle among the A-League clubs?

Ron Smith, a respected coach and technical analyst, doesn’t think much of the Brisbane strip.

21 min: City’s Manny Muscat collects the first yellow card of the A-League season with a reducer on Fahid Ben Khalfallah.

Brisbane’s bald-headed marquee Massimo Maccarone has had some nice early touches during his A-League debut.

18 min: Luke Brattan plays a nice slicing pass to Stefan Mauk on the right-hand flank, but Brisbane’s Jade North cuts it out. Moments later some nice build-up play unleashes Nicholas D’Agostino for the Roar, who comes close to an opening goal.

No prizes for guessing who Tim Cahill is cheering for, as he watches the game with his Socceroos team mates in Sydney.

14 min: Luke Brattan has been involved in plenty of the early action for Melbourne City. He’s also had a haircut.

12 min: Bruce Kamau goes on a marauding run through the Brisbane Road midfield, although it comes to nothing. Moments later Iacopo La Rocca lays off for Stefan Mauk on the edge of the box, but Mauk blazes wide.

9 min: Nothing too exciting to report - the ball gets bogged down on one flank and we have about five consecutive throw-ins. Meanwhile, AAMI Park’s seagulls are enjoying themselves in the City half.

5 min: End-to-end football so far, with Brisbane and City both creating some nice attacking movement. The Roar’s bright orange new playing strip is causing controversy on Twitter. Thoughts, fashion critics?

2 min: Brisbane’s new signing Maccarone already in the thick of the action, holding the ball up near the City box before picking out team-mate Caletti who shoots just wide.

Can someone take the memes away from the A-League? Okay, I’ll admit I am a little excited too.

What are your predictions tonight? I’m reliably informed that there has NEVER been a goalless encounter between these two teams, so a 0-0 tip would be brave. Let me know your thoughts via email or Twitter.

It will be interesting to see how many Melburnians turn out for the A-League season opener, after a sport-packed past month. Journalist Vince Rugari is in the stands:

While we’re waiting for kick-off (7.50pm AEDT), have a read of the best A-League pre-season analysis in town: Jonathan Howcroft’s three part preview. The contenders, the outside chances and the underdogs are all put under scrutiny by Jonathan. Recommended reading!

Kieran will be here shortly. In the meantime, have a read of Jonathan Howcroft’s season preview.