League leaders Melbourne City missed two second-half penalties in a 0-0 draw with Central Coast Mariners at Industree Group Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
City came into the game with the chance to extend their lead at the top of the table to five points but couldn’t take advantage of a dominant second half, in which both Rhianna Pollicina and Mariana Speckmaier missed penalties as Mariners keeper Sarah Langman starred at Industree Group Stadium.
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Langman saved Pollicina’s penalty and Speckmaier missed the target altogether with her spot kick as the Mariners clung on to take a point from the entertaining goalless draw.
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The first half ended 0-0 although both sides did have chances to take a lead into the break.
Mariners midfielder Bianca Galic had an early header saved by Malena Mieres, and the City keeper was active once again to deny Brooke Nunn a wonder goal when her early cross from the right wing threatened to float over the head of Mieres and over the line from distance.
Lourdes Bosch had two chances in the first half; the first was saved by Langman, and the second flashed just wide of the target. Kathryn Harvey also put Langman to the test but City couldn’t find the breakthrough as the first half ended 0-0.
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City appealed for a penalty in the second half when Speckmaier went to ground in the box following contact from Mariners defender Annabel Martin but the hosts received a let-off when referee Georgia Ghirardello waved away the penalty claims.
But the visitors continued to press for an opener and almost found one when Pollicina stole possession off of Jessika Nash in the box. Pollicina shaped to shoot but Nash recovered and her perfectly-timed challenge sent the ball out for a corner.
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City midfielder Leticia McKenna was next to threaten Central Coast’s goal but her driven attempt from outside the box rattled the crossbar.
Holding all the momentum in Gosford, City turned to Holly McNamara for her third substitute appearance of the season, and with 15 minutes of regular time to play, the Matildas winger won a penalty for the visitors.
Sarah Rowe committed the foul on McNamara that led to the penalty call, although contact appeared to have occurred outside the box; the Mariners felt aggrieved to have been penalised for Rowe’s challenge but Langman saved Pollicina’s effort from the spot to deny City the opening goal.
There was to be more late drama in Gosford as McNamara drew another penalty for the league leaders, after a challenge from Bianca Galic in the box sent the City star tumbling in the box.
Following Pollicina’s substitution it was Speckmaier who took on the task of dispatching the spot kick but it was yet another opportunity wasted by City, fired wide of the target altogether.
