Japanese club Kawasaki Frontale has maintained its lead at the top of Group H after defeating the Central Coast Mariners 5-0 in a one-sided Asian Champions League match at Bluetongue Stadium.
The J-League outfit simply had too much class, pace and experience for their Australian rivals, scoring three goals in the first half and adding a further two after the break.
DPR Korean international Jong Tae-Se found the back of the net after eight minutes, Hiroyuki Taniguchi doubled the lead at the 22-minute mark and Juninho made it three after 37 minutes.
Skipper Nakamura Kengo blasted home a fourth goal early in the second half before substitute Renatinho added a fifth after 70 minutes.
Central Coast started the match in a positive frame of mind, fashioning two chances inside the first three minutes.
Shane Huke tried his luck from long range after just two minutes but his effort was easily handled by Kawasaki goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima.
A minute later Coast striker Nick Mrdja should have done better from the six-yard box, directing Brad Porter straight at the keeper.
The Mariners were soon to pay for their wastefulness, Kawasaki opening the scoring through Tae-Se.
The zippy Yusuke Mori worked himself into space down the right hand sideline before whipping it across for Tae-Se to head pass Mariners goalkeeper Danny Vukovic.
The visitors made it 2-0 midway through the half, the unmarked Tanaguchi heading home a corner in off the far post.
Brazilian Vito Junior almost had Kawasaki’s third on 32 minutes but his curling shot from the edge of the box grazed Vukovic’s right post.
But a third goal wasn’t long in coming.
Following some lovely lead-up on the edge of the box Juninho let fly with a shot which took a wicked deflection of Nigel Boogaard and passed a stranded Vukovic.
Mrdja went one on one with the keeper just before the interval but had his shot easily blocked, denying the Mariners the goal they so desperately craved.
Any faint hope of a Central Coast revival was buried within four minutes of the resumption.
Vito offered up a lovely ball for skipper Kengo to slam home a left-foot volley.
Renatinho completed the rout with the visitors’ fifth on 70 minutes.
Central Coast Mariners 0
Kawasaki Frontale 5 (Tae-Se 8, Taniguchi 22, Juninho 37, Kengo 49, Renatinho 70)
