The Central Coast Mariners were beaten 3 – 2 by Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium on Saturday evening in a quality game of ten-aside football after two red cards were dished out by the referee early in the first half.
Spirits were high among the crowd of 1000-odd colourful Mariners fans who gathered in the south-eastern corner of Sydney’s newest football stadium.
The stadium not only offers good weather protection and comfortable seating but also excellent acoustics, something the singing Yellow Army used to strong effect throughout the game.
There was a lot to sing about, particularly in the first half as the Central Coast team demonstrated a strong ability to feed up play and fire off attacking shots on goal on numerous occasions.
Though it was the Sydney outfit who dominated the possession game and eventually scored the first goal of the match with a long range deflection wrong footing star Mariners defender Brian Kaltak.
The Mariners kept their cool and started to ramp up their answer to the Sydney goal.
Marco Tulio and Jason Cummings forcing a foul from Rhyan Grant. The Coast based Brazilian played behind Sydney’s defensive line.
The striker was about to score until Grant clearly pushed him to the ground. The referee pointed to the spot and showed a yellow card.
The Mariners crowd clearly felt that a yellow was not sufficient and after a few minutes of delay, the VAR intervened, deeming that Grant’s challenge was worthy of a red card.
Cummings took the penalty and slotted it away with a high ball bouncing off the cross bar into the goal.
The Mariners’ one-man advantage was short lived after a controversial decision saw Brian Kaltak handed a red card and his marching orders.
The defender had tracked Burgess back to the edge of the penalty area, Kaltak collecting the ball first, before hitting the legs of the Sydney midfielder.
The VAR opting not to overturn the decision, turning the match into a 10-on-10 game for the remaining 65 minutes.
The action did not stop, with Cummings again being the hero as he fired us in front. Thomas Aquilina drove down the left-hand touchline, drilling a cross into the penalty spot.
The Mariners’ lead striker had enough time to take a touch before hitting a snap shot, finding the top left corner. The goal secured the striker’s reputation in only 33 minutes, giving the Mariners a deserved lead that lasted to half-time.
Sydney drew level in the 58th minute, with Joe Lolley calmly hitting the target from the six-yard box. Luke Brattan’s cross found the Englishman on the full, volleying it in to bring the score to two all.
The home side regained the lead in the 72nd minute through Adam Le Fondre, finding some free space in the box after a Paulo Retre cross.
The striker slid in to steer the ball goalward from close range, with Vukovic no chance to stop the shot. Le Fondre’s second of the afternoon gave Sydney FC the 3-2 advantage.
The Central Coast now turn its attention to our Friday night trip to Brisbane next week, with coach Montgomery hopeful that both Wenzel-Halls and Farrell will be declared ready to return for the clash.
Central Coast Mariners defender Brian Kaltak has been given a one match suspension by the Match Review Panel for his red card, the club later appealed the decision, and the suspension and card were upheld.
CCN & CCM Media