Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Gosford: Central Coast Mariners boss Phil Moss was given plenty to think about ahead of next month’s AFC Champions League Playoff clash after seeing his side hammered 5-1 at home by Sydney FC as they resumed their 2014/15 Hyundai A-League campaign on Saturday.
The Mariners had snapped a 12-match winless streak with a 2-0 win over Melbourne City in early January in their last domestic fixture prior to the A-League’s brief hiatus for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup but their poor form returned with a vengeance as Sydney FC seemed to score at will in the Round 15 clash at Central Coast Stadium.
Marquee signing Marc Janko opened the scoring in the 18th minute before Young Socceroo Chris Naumoff doubled Sydney’s lead just two minutes later with his first goal for the Sky Blues.
Former Central Coast Mariner Bernie Ibini-Isei, who is on loan at Sydney from Chinese Super League side Shanghai SIPG , made it 3-0 in the final minute of the first half before Janko got his second and Sydney’s fourth three minutes after the restart.
Mariners substitute Travis Major struck in the 66th minute, just nine minutes after coming on to replace Anthony Caceres, only for Sydney skipper Alex Brosque, who is back in the A-League after a spell in the UAE with inaugural AFC Champions League winners Al Ain, to restore the four goal cushion in the 72nd minute with what transpired to be the winning goal.
The Mariners will be looking to take part in the AFC Champions League for the fifth time by qualifying via the February 17 Playoff, when they host the winner of the Preliminary Round 2 fixture between Guangzhou R&F and whoever emerges victorious in the Preliminary Round 1 encounter between Myanmar champions Yadanarbon and their Singaporean counterparts Warriors FC.