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Central Coast coach Lawrie McKinna is confident the Mariners can end a frustrating four month-long winless streak and rescue their Asian Champions League campaign against Pohang Steelers on Tuesday.
The Mariners head into the match at South Korea’s Pohang Steelyard knowing that only a win will keep alive their chances of progressing to the knockout stages of the tournament.
After a poor finish to the A-League season, the Mariners have shown patches of promise in the ACL but still have not registered a win in any competition since New Years Eve last year.
McKinna, though, feels there are signs that run is about to come to an end.
“It has been a long time since we’ve won as everyone keeps reminding us,” McKinna said.
“We’re due for some luck to go our way and I feel as though it will tomorrow.
“It can definitely happen and there have been signs suggesting that it can happen.”
The Mariners hit their lowest point in a stunning 5-0 thumping by Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale in Gosford last month, but were much-improved in losing 2-1 to the same opposition in Japan a week later.
Having previously drawn their opening two matches, McKinna is proud of their performance in the tournament but knows there is simply no room for further error.
The Mariners sit last in Group H on two points, four points behind second-placed Pohang but a win on Tuesday could set up an exciting final group match against China’s Tianjin Teda in Gosford on May 19.
“It’s make or break now,” McKinna said.
“We’ve had four Champions League games and we’ve had three good performances but one very bad one and everyone remembers the very bad one.
“If we win tomorrow night, a lot of the other stuff is forgot about and the stat is broken and we can move on.
“We need to get back to the do or die attitude.”
The Mariners are without injured duo Adrian Caceres and Nik Mrdja as well as the suspended Nigel Boogaard and Matthew Osman, prompting McKinna to promote youth players Matthew Lewis and Nathan Sherlock into the senior squad.
Tuesday’s match kicks off at 1400 AEST.
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