Central Coast Mariners suffered a disappointing night at Gosford on Tuesday, slumping to a 2-1 defeat against Thailand’s Buriram United in the AFC Champions League Elite.
In front of the adoring home crowd, the Mariners struggled to find their rhythm, finishing the game with 10 men and leaving fans frustrated after a tough 90 minutes.
The visitors from Thailand were quick to stamp their authority on the game, with Buriram’s Brazilian striker Guilherme Bissoli breaking the deadlock in the 30th minute.
Bissoli latched on to Dion Cool’s cross from the right flank, poking the ball past the Mariners’ defence and giving Buriram the lead.
It was a blow to the Mariners, who struggled to regain momentum against the well-organised Thai outfit.
The situation took another turn for the worse just after half-time.
Former English Premier League player Curtis Good, now starring for Buriram, found himself unmarked in the 50th minute and calmly headed home Goran Causic’s pinpoint cross, doubling the visitors’ advantage.
The Central Coast defence, usually so reliable, seemed to be caught napping, leaving Good with an easy chance that he didn’t miss.
The Mariners’ night went from bad to worse when goalkeeper Adam Pavlesic was shown a straight red card just seven minutes later.
Pavlesic charged out of his box to stop the charging Bissoli, who had beaten the clever offside trap, but ended up taking him down in a desperate challenge.
It was a clear decision for the referee, and the Mariners were left to battle on with 10 men for the remainder of the match.
Despite the setback, the Mariners managed to find a glimmer of hope in the dying moments of the game.
In the fifth minute of injury time, Lucas Mauragis unleashed a stunning strike from outside the box, firing home a consolation goal that brought a momentary cheer from the loyal Mariners supporters. However, it was too little, too late, as the final whistle blew shortly after.
This result leaves the Central Coast Mariners rooted to the bottom of the 12-team East Zone league table, having also suffered a 3-1 defeat to China’s Shandong Taishan in their opening match.
Meanwhile, Buriram United remains unbeaten after two rounds, following up their goalless draw with Japan’s Vissel Kobe in week one.
Mariners’ manager Mark Jackson admitted the team missed the presence of star defender Trent Sainsbury, who is sidelined with an upper body muscle injury.
The Mariners will need to regroup quickly and find their form if they want to make an impact in this prestigious tournament.
Despite the setback, the Mariners faithful know there’s still a long way to go in this campaign, and they’ll be hoping for a turnaround in fortunes when the team returns to action in the AFC Champions League.