A-League

Central Coast Mariners Fall Short Against Wellington Phoenix

Published

2 weeks ago

11/10/2024

Match Summary – Mariners Control Possession but Fail to Break Through

On a frustrating Sunday afternoon at their home ground, Central Coast Mariners were handed a 3-0 defeat by Wellington Phoenix. Despite dominating possession and launching 21 shots on goal—10 of which were on target—the Mariners couldn’t overcome Wellington’s resolute defense or their goalkeeper, Joshua Oluwayemi, who delivered an impressive performance between the sticks.

Wellington Phoenix took control early with a stunning free-kick from Hideki Ishige. Kosta Barbarouses doubled the lead before halftime, and Sam Sutton added a third in the second half, leaving Mariners struggling to find a way back.

Team Line-Up and Substitutions

Mariners’ head coach, Nick Montgomery, fielded an unchanged starting eleven from their midweek draw against Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua. Notably, Diesel Herrington made his first A-League start following his debut in Round Three against Perth, while Sasha Kuzevski maintained his spot after strong showings in recent matches.

Starting XI: Peraic-Cullen (GK), Kaltak (C), McCalmont, Doka, Feijao, Mauragis, Steele, Herrington, Kuzevski, Paull, Edmondson.

Substitutions:

46′ ON: Kuol, Ngor | OFF: Feijao, Herrington
65′ ON: Eames, Brandtman | OFF: Steele, Edmondson
82′ ON: Roux | OFF: Kuzevski

Unused Subs: Warshawsky (GK), N. Smith

irst Half – Ishige and Barbarouses Secure Early Lead for Phoenix

The Mariners initially looked poised to challenge Wellington Phoenix, with Kazuki Nagasawa testing Dylan Peraic-Cullen early on. However, Phoenix took the lead at the 15-minute mark. After a controversial handball call on Brian Kaltak, Ishige delivered a perfectly placed free-kick that left Peraic-Cullen with no chance.

Mariners fought back, generating promising chances through Kuzevski, Feijao, and Doka, but were unable to beat Oluwayemi. Wellington extended their lead to 2-0 on a swift counterattack, as Ishige broke away and assisted Barbarouses for a close-range finish. Although initially flagged for offside, the goal stood after a VAR review.

GOSFORD, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 10: Stefan Colakovski of the Phoenix competes for the ball with Lucas Mauragis and Nathan Paull of the Mariners during the round four A-League Men match between Central Coast Mariners and Wellington Phoenix at Industree Group Stadium, on November 10, 2024, in Gosford, Australia. (Photo by Scott Gardiner/Getty Images)

Second Half – Sutton Seals the Win as Mariners Struggle to Respond

In the second half, Mariners showed renewed energy. McCalmont’s effort curled over the bar, while substitute Sabit Ngor injected pace. However, Wellington Phoenix struck again on the break, with Sam Sutton’s goal on 52 minutes solidifying the Nix’s 3-0 lead.

The Mariners continued their offensive efforts, with substitute Bailey Brandtman coming close on multiple occasions. Oluwayemi remained vigilant, denying Mariners’ best chance in the 73rd minute with a spectacular close-range save. Despite Mariners’ persistence, Wellington Phoenix held on, clinching their first win at Central Coast Stadium since 2021.