Another strike from teen sensation Garang Kuol has helped secure Central Coast an A-League Men’s final berth with a 2-0 win over struggling Brisbane Roar.
Kuol came off the bench to score his fourth goal in seven ALM appearances after Lewis Miller opened the scoring for the visitors at Moreton Daily Stadium on Tuesday night.
REACTION: ‘Everyone wrote us off’: How Mariners fulfilled Monty’s pre-season prophecy
The win, Central Coast’s fourth in a row, locks in their finals spot ahead of this weekend’s final home-and-away fixture against local rivals Newcastle.
“We set ourselves a target at the start the year with the group and that was to get as far as we could in the FFA Cup and we made the final … but also to get in the top six,” Mariners coach Nick Montgomery said.
“Everybody wrote us off at the start of the year before we even kicked the ball.
“We lost Matty Simon, lost Alou Kuol, it was virtually a new team this year bar one or two.
“I had full belief in the young boys that I’ve coached for the last couple of years, they’ve been the nucleus of the squad with a couple of experienced boys around them.
“I knew that I’d spent a couple of years building a foundation in the academy to develop players and, for me, I don’t see them as young players – they’re A-League players.”
Defeat for second-last Brisbane extends their winless run to six matches ahead of their season finale against Sydney FC next Tuesday.
The Roar started the brighter of the teams but it wasn’t until the 33rd minute that the first shot on target was recorded, a curling effort from Alex Parsons forcing impressive Mariners’ goalkeeper Mark Birighitti into a diving save.
But just as the Roar were looking to make their dominance count they fell behind.
Cy Goddard’s turn and cross from the left found an unmarked Miller at the far post in the 40th minute and he headed past Jordan Holmes for his first ALM goal.
Brisbane turned to their bench at half-time, bringing on attacking duo Luke Ivanovic and Nikola Mileusnic.
The Roar nearly equalised in the 57th minute but Birighitti again denied the home team, saving sharply to deny Jesse Daley from close range before Ivanovic’s follow-up was blocked.
Introduced in the 59th minute, 17-year-old Kuol took just four minutes to make his mark and seal the points for the Mariners.
“We’ve had our arse kicked all season in the big moments,” Roar coach Warren Moon said of Miller’s goal just before the break.
“We were quite solid in the first half, I don’t know if they even had a chance up until that point.
“We had moments going the other way. We weren’t brave enough. We weren’t clinical or aggressive enough for the chances we had and again a lapse in concentration.
“We didn’t track a runner and they punished us … we’re lacking in the key moments right now.”
The visitors suffered a setback in the 78th minute when defender Dan Hall limped off with a knee injury, reducing the Mariners to 10 men given they had used all of their substitutes.
Brisbane, however, were also down to 10 players just eight minutes later when Scott Neville was shown red for a challenge on Nicolai Muller, referee Tim Danaskos upgrading his original yellow card decision after a VAR review.
RE-LIVE: BRISBANE ROAR 0-2 CENTRAL COAST, AS IT HAPPENED
By Matt Comito for KEEPUP
86′: RED CARD! Neville dismissed (0-2)
The Roar are down to 10 men after a challenge from Scott Neville on Nicolai Muller, leaping off the ground as he slid in to win the ball and catching the ankle of the Mariners’ German midfielder.
78′: Hall injury a concern for Mariners (0-2)
Mariners centre-back is helped from the pitch after a collision in the penalty area. It’s an unwanted sight for Mariners fans, who have revelled in Hall’s performances at the heart of defence alongside Rowles throughout the season.
The Mariners continue with 10 men after exhausting their substitute allocation earlier in the half.
63′: GOAL! Kuol can’t stop scoring (0-2)
He’s done it again! Garang Kuol, at 17 years of age, continues to flourish in his maiden A-League Men’s campaign.
The teenage sensation has his fourth goal of the season – combining with Storm Roux down the right flank to bury a strike low into the bottom-left corner, sending the Mariners cruising in the second half.
Brother Alou watched on from Germany with interest as his younger brother’s purple patch rolled on:
56′: Birighitti denies Parsons from point-blank range (0-1)
That was the best chance of the game for the Roar to date, with Mileusnic picking out Parsons inside the six-yard box to send an effort on goal.
If he picked either side of Birighitti it was a sure goal, but Parson’s close-range shot was fired straight at the Mariners gloveman who made a strong save to retain his clean sheet.
46′: Second half begins (0-1)
Luke Ivanovic and Nikola Mileusnic come on for the Roar at the break, with Hnery Hore and Cyrus Dehmie making way. Mileusnic comes on for his 100th A-League Men’s appearance.
For the visitors, Harrison Steele takes the place of Max Balard in midfield.
HALF-TIME: ROAR 0-1 MARINERS
The Roar had all the majority of the chances – but the Mariners had the cutting edge, with Miller’s goal the difference at the break.
40′: GOAL! Miller puts Mariners ahead (0-1)
Lewis Miller has his maiden Isuzu UTE A-League goal, heading the Mariners into the lead with a delightful Cy Goddard cross off the left flank finding the head of his right-back at the back post.
34′: CHANCE! Birighitti saves (0-0)
A botched clearance from Kye Rowles hit the back of teammate Josh Nisbet, falling to Roar forward Alex Parsons who turned outside the box and whipped a strike toward goal.
Parsons shot looked set to nestle into the back of the net, but Mariners keeper Mark Birighitti got across to make the save.
15′: Nothing to split the two sides (0-0)
The hosts enjoyed the best of possession in the opening stages of this Tuesday night clash, but neither side has fashioned a genuine chance on goal through the opening quarter hour.
1′: KICK-OFF (0-0)
We’re underway at Moreton Daily Stadium in this high stakes affair between the Roar and Mariners!