A resurgent Central Coast staved off a late Sydney FC fightback to climb to second spot on the A-League ladder with a 3-2 upset win at the Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday night.
Last season’s grand finalists extended their unbeaten run to four matches but they faced some nervous late moments after Sydney’s star recruit Brett Emerton scored his first A-League goal in spectacular fashion.
Emerton curled in a brilliant free kick in the 88th minute and only a fine late save by Mariners ‘keeper Justin Pasfield denied Sydney what would have been their fourth come-from-behind result of the season.
The Mariners went 2-0 up thanks to goals from Patrick Zwaanswijk and Michael McGlinchey before Nick Carle pulled one back in the 77th minute.
Troy Hearfield looked to have put the result beyond doubt in the 82nd minute but Socceroos star Emerton gave 13,947 fans some late excitement.
The result took to the Mariners to 11 competition points, edging ahead of Sydney on goal difference and ending the Sky Blues’ four-game unbeaten streak.
Sydney should have had the opening goal of the match after striker Mark Bridge produced one of the misses of the season in the sixth minute.
Despite suggestions of offside, play was allowed to continue as Bridge collected a Scott Jamieson through ball and broke on goal.
However he made a meal of the attempt, scooping the ball over the crossbar from close range.
Sydney looked the more likely side for much of the first half until Dutch defender Zwaanswijk intervened against the run of play with a stunning free kick in the 41st minute.
Terry Antonis was adjudged to have brought Daniel McBreen down just outside the box and Zwaanswijk sent an unstoppable drive in to the top left corner from the resulting free kick.
Vitezslav Lavicka was forced into a change after halftime with captain Terry McFlynn succumbing to a shin knock and replaced by striker Bruno Cazarine.
But the frustrations continued for the home side, struggling to produce much on goal as the final ball often went begging.
The home side was made to pay with McGlinchey’s 66th minute strike doubling the advantage.
The goal came on the back of a a fine team move by the Mariners, with substitute Mustafa Amini finding Pedj Bojic on the right flank.
The right back then found McGlinchey, who finished brilliantly first time to beat Reddy.
Sydney, though, refused to give in though and clawed a goal back via the in-form Carle in the 77th minute.
Carle headed home after Pasfield blocked a one-on-one shot from Bridge.
But the Mariners struck again when Hearfield finished some brilliant lead-up work from Matt Simon in the 82nd minute.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Two non-penalties and a denied goal had Ufuk Talay furious as Sydney FC crashed out of the semi-finals.
So the Mariners enter the second leg of their A-League semi-final against the Sky Blues in the box seat and the Phoenix hold home-ground…
It will be a bumper occasion, there will not be a spare seat in the house and of course, Sydney FC could well produce a miracle with their backs against the wall.
The Sky Blues took the lead at home but couldn't hold on as the Mariners came back to claim a 2-1 win in the first leg of the semifinal.
Just four teams remain in the hunt for the 2023/24 A-League Championship and the action will be intense in the opening legs of the…
Cameron Burgess scored the winner to confirm Ipswich’s status as a Premier League club.
