Central Coast and Adelaide United were the big winners from Saturday night’s Isuzu UTE A-League action, with the Mariners moving into fifth and extending their breathing space to four points ahead of seventh placed Macarthur.
In the later time slot, a Craig Goodwin masterclass helped Adelaide United secure finals football and edge towards sealing a home semi, defeating Brisbane Roar 2-0, while Western Sydney couldn’t cash in on their dominance in a 1-1 draw with Perth Glory, which featured 45 minutes from Daniel Sturridge, who teed up Bruno Fornaroli for their opening goal.
Speaking after the game, Perth boss Ruben Zadkovich said: “He’s (Sturridge) not moving as free as he once was but you can see the quality he has on the ball, his mind ticking a few cogs ahead of the rest of the group and with some genuine A-League pace around (him and Bruno) … but we’re just lacking a bit of pace.”
What could have been?
“Correct, a lot of that stuff is a product of circumstance – it has not been an easy time for the club, squad and staff.
“It was nice to get Sturridge out there with Bruno and let the fans get behind them.”
Scroll down for the key moments, and reaction, from each game.
Saturday night’s Isuzu UTE A-League line-up:
- Central Coast Mariners 1 v Western United 0
MATCH REPORT: Mariners teen repeats brother’s super sub heroics v Western United
- Adelaide United 2 v Brisbane Roar 0
MATCH REPORT: Goodwin masterclass seals Adelaide’s finals spot
- Perth Glory 1 v Western Sydney Wanderers 1
MATCH REPORT: Sturridge shines as Perth hold Western Sydney
Perth Glory 1 v Western Sydney Wanderers 1
Despite dominating the contest, Western Sydney could only manage a 1-1 draw at Perth Glory.
The hosts took the lead via a Bruno Fornaroli goal, assisted by Daniel Sturridge, who played 45 minutes in, belatedly, his first start for the club.
Finally, Keijiro Ogawa levelled with 12 minutes to go.
“It is disappointing, we dominated the game, they made it difficult for us, but we had our chances,” James Troisi lamented, speaking on Paramount+.
“It sums up our season to be honest.”
80’ CLOSE PERTH! Fornaroli wriggles clear down the right of the box and squeezes a shot millimetres wide.
That was Bruno’s final involvement, and he hands the armband to Andy Keogh. The club’s leading A-League Men goal scorer comes on to a great ovation in the last game of his career.
78’ GOAL WESTERN SYDNEY! 1-1.
It had to come eventually, didn’t it? A very tidy finish under pressure from Keijiro Ogawa, after build-up down the right.
67’ SAVE MARGUSH. The game’s opening a little – maybe that will actually help Western Sydney, given how stubborn Perth have been. However, this was a decent foray forward by the hosts, although Tyler Vecchio’s shot, after being teed up by Bruno Fornaroli, was pretty tame.
HALF-TIME: Perth 1, Western Sydney 0. A moment of brilliance – and ‘what if’ – for Perth Glory, with Daniel Sturridge combining with Bruno Fornaroli separates both sides. But that has been the moment for Perth in a 45 minute period that was otherwise dominated by Western Sydney. But, they have nothing to show for it.
And, as the teams come out for the second term, there is no Daniel Sturridge. That might, you’d think, be it for the England international in the A-League.
44’ Perth are sitting deep, absorbing pressure, happy to make Wanderers make the play. So far, they’re holding out.
21‘ GOAL GIVEN! FORNAROLI. PERTH 1-0.
A taste of what could have been for Perth. Sturridge sets the goal up with a real dose of quality, jinking in from the right before dinking it to the Socceroos international. From there, it was trademark Bruno.
18’ DISALLOWED GOAL PERTH! And again. Two attacks, two disallowed goals. That type of season for the Glory. Bruno Fornaroli collects the ball on the left of the box and finishes with trademark aplomb. But he was off-side when Sturridge teed him up.
Wait a minute … is he?
12’ DISALLOWED GOAL PERTH: Glory thought they’d scored with their first foray forward. Sturridge peels off, feeds Antonee Burke-Gilroy, before Nick Fitzgerald taps home. It looks a really close call.
Adelaide United 2 v Brisbane Roar 0
FULL-TIME: Adelaide United did enough in the first stanza to see out Brisbane and continue their quest for a home final. Brisbane were much improved in the second term but goals from George Blackwood and Hiroshi Ibusuk were enough.
The difference maker, again, was Socceroos talisman Craig Goodwin, who brilliant left foot set up both goals.
“When you’ve got your captain and talisman putting in ball like that,” former Reds star Bruce Djite said on Paramount+
He continued: “It is all about Craig Goodwin tonight, isn’t it? All season, he has been their catalyst. I think since he’s got the captaincy, he’s really grown into it.”
Daniel McBreen added: “A strikers’ dream – he has done that on three or four occasions tonight … he always steps up in those vital moments.”
62’ DISALLOWED GOAL ADELAIDE! What does Lachie Brook have to do to score? A superb finish guiding home Ryan Kitto’s cross from the left byline – but – it was correctly adjudged to have gone completely over the line.
59’ CLOSE BRISBANE! Joe Gauci parries Henry Hore close range effort, but Cryus Dehmie can’t turn it home from close range.
48’ CLOSE ADELAIDE! Lachie Brook is in sparkling form – but a goal is still proving elusive, he has just one so far this term. Another lovely run down the right, dancing into the box, but he only finds side netting.
“I just reckon if he can make a breakthrough, he could explode. Wonderful build-up play,” enthused Andy Harper in commentary on Paramount+.
HALF-TIME: Adelaide 2, Brisbane 0. No one has created more chances in the Isuzu UTE A-League than Craig Goodwin, and the Socceroo has been at it again in the first half in Adelaide. The Reds should probably be out of reach at the interval.
47′ CLOSE ADELAIDE AGAIN. George Blackwood blasts a strike at Jordan Holmes and the keeper makes a solid stop.
46’ CLOSE ADELAIDE. Should be three, Lachie Brook glides down the right, and rolls it on a tee for George Blackwood who is milliseconds away from tapping home a third.
28′ GOAL ADELAIDE! It didn’t take Hiroshi Ibusuki too long to make amends; he nets his sixth goal of the season.
24’ CLOSE. Adelaide are so dangerous from Goodwin’s set pieces; this time from the right, Hiroshi Ibusuki glances his header just wide.
15’ GOAL ADELAIDE! Craig Goodwin’s deadly delivery from the left is turned home by George Blackwood. Well worked. Well finished.
Central Coast Mariners 1, Western United 0
Is this the result that seals Central Coast’s spot in the top six?
Garangski Kuol’s impact off the bench puts Nick Montgomery’s side four points clear of seventh placed Macarthur.
It looked as though John Aloisi’s well organised Western United side would have the wherewithal to see off Jason Cummings and co. Despite the hosts having the best chances, Western even thought they would have the chance to go ahead from the spot, but their 66th minute penalty claim was correctly overruled by VAR.
Instead, it was the teenage sensation Kuol who was the match winner, as his reputation continues to rise.
“I am really happy we got the win, this is an important result,” he beamed, talking to Paramount+.
“I came on to win the game, like my brother did last year.”
He added: “(Monte, coach Nick Montgomery) He’s telling me: I told you to do it, and I did it!”
Happy days at Gosford, but a blow to Western United’s Premiers Plate pursuit.
And, an apt time to promote this, if you haven’t read it.
81’ GOAL CENTRAL COAST KUOL! 1-0.
The super sub makes his mark. Garangski Kuol has done it.
Moresche, from the left, to Urena, to Kuol – lovely build up – before Kuol gets it onto his left and curls it home.
That is his third A-League goal in his sixth appearance, he had hardly been on for five minutes.
A draw was looming as a bit of a nothing result for both. Now, as it stands, there is four points to seventh placed, chasing Macarthur, for Central Coast.
“Make no mistake we are seeing a star on the rise. A wonderful, wonderful goal scorers’ finish,” Paramount+ commentator Phil Moss enthused.
“Question will soon turn from how many minutes he will get in the A-League, to how long will he be in the A-League?”
77’ SAVE YOUNG! Cummings twists and turns in the box and shrugs off the defence, turning, twisting and forcing a solid stop from Jamie Young.
70′ VAR STEPS IN. PENALTY OVERTURNED. It is adjudged, correctly, outside the box.
68’ PENALTY WESTERN UNITED!
And there’s the sucker punch. Western surge downfield and Miller clips Pain. But is it inside or outside the box?
68’ DISALLOWED GOAL! Moresche thinks he’s broken the deadlock for Central Coast, but as N’Kololo cuts the ball back from the right byline, it is correctly adjudged to have just gone out before what would have been an excellent assist.
While the Mariners are doing most of the attacking, we know Western’s defensive qualities and they’re holding firm so far.
51’ CHANCE. Warning signs for Western United. N’Kololo + Cummings. The former crosses from the right, but the latter’s glancing header is straight at Jamie Young. Mariners are quickest out of the blocks so far.
HALF-TIME: 45 minutes easy enough on the eye, with two sides with excellent organisation, but a contest that definitely has another gear to go. The hosts carved out some decent openings.
Assessing the action at the break on Paramount+, former Central Coast boss Phil Moss assessed: “Both sides had their brightest moments in transition, Lewis Miller busy down the right hand side,
“But Cummings is starting to probe more and more as the game goes on.”
44’ CHANCE: Béni N’Kololo has been one of the bright sparks so far; he gets to the left byline this time, picks out Moresche, but the Brazilian is a little flat footed and blazes over the bar from close range. Decent opening.
31’ SHOT: Connor Pain’s effort from distance is deflected wide for a corner, after wriggly work from Lachie Wales to keep the attack alive in the lead up.
20′ WOODWORK & SAVE: The game needed a little livening, and who else but Jason Cummings comes to the party. A blistering long range blast strikes the post, before Béni N’Kololo forced a sharp stop from Jamie Young.
A nice, open, even start to the match, but will that moment spark it to life?
10’ SUB. Early change for Western United as Steven Lustica hobbles off, with Dylan Pierias replacing him. Lachie Wales shifts into the No.10 role.
The Mariners are running hot in the A-League Men’s, winning their last two games by a combined score of 8-2 to fly into the top six, bundling Macarthur FC out of the finals slots in the process.
On Saturday, Nick Montgomery’s Mariners will face their sternest test between now and the end of the season: second-placed Western United, who will move to the top of the table should they defeat the Mariners at Central Coast Stadium.
Jason Cummings is one of the in-form players in the competition, with 14 goal contributions (nine goals, five assists) in his 17 games at the Mariners since his mid-season arrival. The Central Coast spearhead will be looking to atone for his last-gasp penalty miss in his side’s 2-2 draw with Western in early April.
