Central Coast Mariners’ winless start to the 2024-25 AFC Asian Champions League Elite extended to six games after a heavy 4-0 defeat to Yokohama F.Marinos at Industree Group Stadium on Tuesday night.
Led by Central Coast legend John Hutchinson, last season’s Champions League runners-up Marinos put three goals past the reigning Isuzu UTE A-League champions in the first half.
Kenta Inoue scored an early brace and Anderson Lopes made it three before a dazzling free-kick from Jun Amano put an exclamation point on Marinos’ dominant performance in Gosford.
NEXT VIDUKA? Why a 19-year-old from Cairns is being spoken about in the same breath as Socceroos legend
Marinos arrived in Gosford with interim head coach Hutchinson in charge; the Isuzu UTE A-League club’s record appearance-maker captained the Mariners to the 2013 league Championship during his 12 years as a Mariner.
Following defeat to Yokohama, Central Coast have just one point from six games, and sit 11th on the ACL Elite Eastern League table with just two games to play.
It took Marinos just six minutes to claim the lead in Gosford when Kenta Inoue whipped his first goal of the half off the right-hand goalpost and over the line. The clinical finish from the edge of the box set the tone for a dominant first half by the visiting side.
Inoue doubled his tally on the half-hour mark when he sprung on a loose ball caused by a Mariners block on a goal-bound strike. Central Coast keeper Dylan Peraic-Cullen didn’t stand a chance as the shot nestled into the back of the net to give Marinos a two-goal lead.
R6 TALKING POINTS: ‘Key factor’ setting apart history-makers, ‘tactical’ sub explained
‘STILL HOME’: Icon’s beautiful press conference answer every Central Coast Mariners fan will love
The result was all but confirmed before the half-time break when Anderson Lopes fired a left-footed strike into the roof of the net.
With 36 minutes on the clock, Marinos had a three-goal lead and the half-time whistle provided the Mariners some much-needed respite from Yokohama’s barrage of attacking pressure.
Central Coast looked a far better side after the break but couldn’t find a way to reduce their three-goal deficit.
Mariners matchday captain Bryan Kaltak’s blushes were spared when his own goal was wiped off the scoresheet due to an offside call on Yokohama but before long, the away side had a fourth goal – and it came in the form of a stunning free-kick from Jun Amano in the 70th minute.
COACH OF THE MONTH: PICK YOUR WINNER TODAY!
