FOOTBALL –
A 1-0 loss and frustration met the Central Coast Mariners at Penrith Stadium on Sunday, December 5, against their undominant hosts, Macarthur FC.
The single goal was inadvertently scored by Mariners’ captain, Oliver Bozanic, wrongfooting debutant goalkeeper, Lawrence Caruso for a fatal own goal before half time.
In recognisable yellow, the away side played with high energy the whole game, yet their dominance in possession went unrewarded on the score board.
Mark Birighitti was suspended for one match after an FFA Cup red card on Wednesday against the Wollongong Wolves so Yaren Sözer stepped up for his debut in the A-League.
An upper leg injury flare up at the 20th minute mark forced the second-choice keeper from the field and brought Caruso into the goal.
Up the other end, the Mariners maintained their strength in passing play and found dangerous positions on goal thanks to the growing confidence of Joshua Nisbet, Harrison Steele and Matheus Moresche in taking on defenders, one on one.
A deadlocked half-time score was denied the Mariners in the final minute of regular time with a goal for Macarthur, scored via a cruel deflection against Oliver Bozanic’s side.
Ex-Mariner, Daniel De Silva, was crucial in the set-up, wrong-footing Ruon Tongyik to jet down the wing and find the pass in-field to Ulises Dávila.
The Macarthur captain shot the ball hard and fast, first into Bozanic before ricocheting into the far corner, giving his team the lead even though they hadn’t made a single shot on target all game.
Restarting play for the second half, the Mariners continued to push against their hosts to create a steady stream of chances.
Marcos Ureña kept Macarthur keeper, Filip Kurto, on his toes with two powerful shots in the first five minutes, the first blocked by a shoulder, the second skimming just wide of the side post.
The final third of play brought even higher stakes for the Mariners who were desperate to turn their midfield dominance into points.
A 74th minute low cross by Lewis Miller flitted tantalizingly in front of Kurto, drawing Ureña, Moresche and a line of Macarthur defenders into fierce contact with each other as they contested control of the ball.
At the other end, Caruso found his feet within the goal posts, making a number of vital saves from corners to prevent his team’s deficit from doubling.
Debutant, Harry McCarthy, had his first run in the A-League after scoring the winning goal mid-week against the Wolves, but he could not repeat the magic.
In the end, the necessary goal could not be found by the Mariners who remain challenged in unlocking the great potential of their multiple goal-scoring talents, both new and seasoned in yellow.
Although disappointing to have conceded two A-League losses on the road in a row, the team can look forward to this Sunday’s Match Week Four contest against rivals, Sydney FC, scheduled to be the first home game of the season at Central Coast Stadium.
CCN