Round 11 was completed this weekend with the postponed Central Coast Mariners v Adelaide United match.
Results – Round 11
CENTRAL COAST MARINERS 3 beat Adelaide United 0
Previous Matches (Played last week)
Sydney FC 1 lost WELLINGTON PHOENIX 2
Queensland Roar 0 lost MELBOURNE VICTORY 1
Perth Glory 2 drew Newcastle Jets 2
Game Wraps
Central Coast Mariners made it a fairly miserable week for Adelaide United, winning their postponed Round 11 match 3-0 at Bluetongue Stadium. Adelaide started brightly enough, but once the Mariners clicked into stride there was no let up from the home side as they simply ran over Adelaide, who looked tired from their Asian adventure they finished on last Wednesday night. Adelaide were determined not to let the disappointment of the Asian Champions League loss get to them and Fabian Barbiero had the first real chance but sent his shot slicing wide. The Mariners though slowly, but surely got their way into the match and won a series of corners. It was from one of these corners after 18 minutes that Matt Simon poked home from close range to give the Mariners the lead and take him to the top of the goalscoring charts with eight goals next to his name. Cassio missed a golden opportunity to level it for Adelaide not long afterwards, but his downward header from close range, bounced over the bar. He was made to pay for that miss, just a minute from half time, when from yet another corner to the Mariners, the ball was flicked on at the near post and Sasho Petrovski was on hand to steer in from a metre out. Five minutes after the break it was 3-0 from yet another corner, the ball cleared out as far as Adrian Caceres, who somehow slalomed his low shot through a sea of legs and inside the post. Cassio missed another good chance for Adelaide, but in truth the Mariners could have extended the lead further, butchering several good chances on the break.
Weekend Goals Tally: 3 (Round 11 total = 11)
Card Count: 3 yellows – 0 reds
Attendance/Average: 7,865 (Round 11 total = 40,580 / 10,145)
Goal of the Week
With only three to choose from this week, not but competition, but the strike from Adrian Caceres would be a worthy winner on most weekend-s. Many times you see shots from cleared corners sail way over the bar, but Caceres showed how it should be done, keeping his head over the ball and keeping the shot low and hard. Luck would have it that it missed everyone in its past and Eugene Galekovic could only stand and watch as it nestled in the back of the net.
Player of the Week
Not for the first time, he has been the architect of a Mariners win and Mile Jedinak celebrated his late call up to the Socceroos squad with another superb display. He bossed the midfield both defensively and offensively, with his tackling and distribution. One piece of play late in the game spoke volumes of his stamina, when he raced some 70 metres down the right sideline, eluding three players and sending in a good cross which was just cut out by Adelaide.
One to Watch
Will take a different tact and look at someone who has the potential to be a Qantas Socceroo player of the future. Scott Jamieson has made every post a winner since returning to Australia and has already been on Pim Verbeek-s radar, especially as he plays in the left back position. He was once of Adelaide-s best throughout their ACL campaign and was again on Saturday night dangerous when going forward and tough in defence.
Leading Goalscorers
8 – Matt Simon (CCM)
7 – Shane Smeltz (WP),
6 – Danny Allsopp (MV), Charlie Miller (QR), Nikita Rukavytsya (PG),
5 – Cristiano (AU), Travis Dodd (AU), Joel Griffiths (NJ), Eugene Dadi (PG)
4 – Mile Jedinak (CCM), Archie Thompson (MV), Kevin Muscat (MV), Sasho Petrovski (CCM)
