The Central Coast Mariners have recorded a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium on Friday night.
The Central Coast Mariners have recorded a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium on Friday night.
The Mariners were never threatened by the Reds as they cruised to a 3-0 lead at half-time courtesy of goals to Mustafa Amini, Bernie Ibini and a Patrick Zwaanswijk penalty before Roystn Griffiths completed the rout in the second-half.
The opening 15 minutes of the game saw both sides reluctant to press and attack one another as they preferred to remain patient and steady in their build-ups.
Adelaide created the first chance on 13 minutes when Ricardo was teed up by Iain Ramsay following Bruce Djite’s mistimed header at the near post from Zenon Caravella’s teasing cross.
The resulting deflection fell to Ramsay who tapped the ball down for Ricardo only for the 28-year-old to hit his shot straight at Mariners keeper Matt Ryan on his weaker left foot.
The Reds created another gilt-edged chance five minutes later but Djite fired his header straight at Ryan from close range.
Soon after the Mariners began to ramp up the pressure, with Borussia Dortmund loanee, Amini pivotal in attack.
The 18-year-old forced a great low-down diving save from Reds gloveman Eugene Galekovic in the 26th minute when he struck a thunderous effort from just outside the box.
Amini was rewarded for his attacking efforts on 29 minutes however, when after hovering in a pocket of space in behind Adelaide’s defence, he made an intelligent run that Pedj Bojic recognised with a neat through ball, allowing Amini to finish past Galekovic with ease.
Adelaide barely had time to regather themselves when Ibini made it 2-0 just three minutes later when he held back his run into the six-yard area, catching the Reds’ defence off-guard, before smashing Michael McGlinchey’s smart cut-back into the roof of the net.
It only got worse for the Reds five minutes later in unusual circumstances when Ibini was awarded a penalty after failing to take advantage.
United captain Jon McKain attempted to head the ball back to his keeper Galekovic when Ibini nipped in and wrestled the ball off the Reds defender only for his shot to strike the underside of the bar.
Play was called back however by referee Kris Griffiths who awarded a penalty to the Mariners after McKain was deemed to have tugged back Ibini, allowing Dutchman Zwaanswjik to step up and dispatch the penalty comfortably.
Central Coast again upped the tempo at the start of the second half, almost finding an early breakthrough when left-back Josh Rose raced down the wing and squared to Matt Simon.
Simon was denied however from six yards by a brilliant reaction save by Galekovic before hitting his follow-up effort into the bar.
The Mariners ensured they’d leave Adelaide with a strong goal difference when former Reds’ midfielder Griffiths nodded home a free header from McGlinchey’s long free-kick in the 66th minute.
Bojic almost capped off an industrious performance 15 minutes from time, but fired his effort just wide of the far post.
Central Coast striker Daniel McBreen had late chances to add to the drubbing but struck one effort over and another straight at Galekovic.
Adelaide United 0
Central Coast 4 (Amini 29, Ibini 32, Zwaanswijk 37, Griffiths 66)
Crowd: 8,437 at Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
