Wurigumula scored a Goal-of-the-Season contender in a memorable performance as Central Coast Mariners took down Canberra United 3-0 in the Liberty A-League.
The China international was the star of the show with two goals for the Mariners, who snapped their three-game winless drought on Saturday.
Wurigumula broke the deadlock with a long-range golazo in the 29th minute before bagging her second 21 minutes from the end at McKellar Park, where 17-year-old substitute Peta Trimis celebrated her maiden A-Leagues goal.
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The result left Canberra at the foot of the table as Central Coast climbed to seventh.
There was action throughout an evenly-contested matchup in the nation’s capital.
Canberra star Vesna Milivojevic entered the game having been directly involved in 13 goals across her last eight Liberty A-League fixtures (12 goals, one assist), while she had also scored six goals in her last three games at McKellar Park.
The Serbia international’s cross-cum-shot in the fourth minute hit the outside of the post, while Canberra captain Michelle Heyman put the ball in the back of the net but the flag immediately went up for offside two minutes later.
Bianca Galic went close to giving the Mariners a 19th-minute lead. Her long-range strike forced a fantastic save from Canberra goalkeeper Coco Majstorovic, who tipped the shot onto the crossbar.
After Milivojevic fired a shot over the crossbar, Central Coast went up the other end and hit the front in stunning fashion approaching the half-hour mark.
“Right where the spiders live,” is how Paramount+ commentator Taryn Heddo described Wurigumula’s goal after the China international produced a golazo to find the back of the net.
Wurigmula almost doubled the lead with another sensational strike six minutes later, however, her shot cannoned off the bar.
Canberra started to build momentum in the second half and Milivojevic’s goal-bound strike was cleared off the line on the hour after the home side’s appeals for a penalty were ignored.
“I would be feeling hard done by if I was Canberra United,” A-Leagues great and co-commentator Cannuli said on the broadcast.
With Canberra pushing numbers forward in search of an equaliser, Wurigumula and the Mariners exposed the hosts 21 minutes from the end.
Wurigumula ran onto a pass and played it through the legs of her opponent before charging through on goal and slotting home her second of the match.
The Mariners put the result beyond doubt with 16 minutes remaining when Young Matilda Trimis came off the bench and darted down the flank before slotting the ball past Majstorovic.
“What a fantastic finish,” Cannuli said. “The way she has just put that in the back of the net is world class.”
The Talking Point
Central Coast entered the game without a win in three matches.
The Mariners had lost to Melbourne Victory (2-1) and Western Sydney Wanderers (3-0), while they drew 1-1 with league-leading Melbourne City last time out.
Their last win had come over a month ago – 1-0 at home to Wellington Phoenix – but that drought ended on Saturday afternoon.
Following a 14-year hiatus from the Liberty A-League, it was Central Coast’s first victory over Canberra since a 2-1 victory in November 2008.
There was also a special moment for teenager Trimis, who scored the first Liberty A-League goal of her career.
Trimis joined the Mariners on a scholarship contract in August, having impressed in the Bulls FC Academy at NPLW NSW level.
“We have to talk about Peta Trimis and all the Young Matildas playing across the Liberty A-League,” Cannuli said. “How fantastic it is for our game.
“To see a lot of these young girls to be getting opportunities to be able to play decent minutes.
“It’s fantastic for their development.”
The Star
Who else but Wurigmula?
She took the game by the scruff of its neck to lead the Mariners past Canberra.
With one goal to her name for the season, though it came back in Round 2 against Adelaide, Wurigmula was on a mission in Canberra.
Her opening goal was one for the highlight reel, while she nearly added another outrageous strike to her name before half-time.
“Pick that out of the back of the net,” Cannuli said during the broadcast while Heddo labelled it “outrageous”.
She was a constant threat throughout the contest.
What it means
Back-to-back defeats leaves Canberra at the foot of the standings after nine rounds, though the capital club have two games in hand.
With just one win from seven fixtures, Canberra turn their attention to a December 30 date with last season’s runners-up Western United.
After celebrating a third win of the campaign, the Mariners are within three points of the top four.
Next up for Central Coast is the visit of Perth Glory on New Year’s Eve (December 31).
