Brazilian striker Marco Tulio cast a spell on the Newcastle Jets, scoring a contender for goal of the season to help the Central Coast Mariners to a 3-0 win on Wednesday.
Tulio netted a 40-yard effort by chipping Newcastle keeper Jack Duncan in the first half before setting up Jason Cummings for the Mariners’ second after the half-time break.
The victory – the Mariners’ second on the spin – moves Nick Montgomery’s side up to third on the A-League Men table.
Frenchman Beni Nkololo grabbed the Mariners’ third with a well-taken penalty to round victory in the 86th minute in Gosford.Â
It was Tulio’s opener, though, which will be replayed over again after he caught Duncan off his line in the 22nd minute.
The 24-year-old picked up the ball just inside Newcastle’s half before unleashing an audacious long-range chip with his second touch to leave Duncan red-faced.
“I don’t think there are many players that can score that goal, I was never that sort of player” Montgomery said.
“Visa boys always take time to adapt, but he’s adapting quickly.
“He’s a world-class player who was at Sporting Lisbon in Portugal with a massive price tag on him and it didn’t quite work out for him.
“He gave up a lot to come here but I think people are starting to see the flashes of the player that he is.”
The Mariners were in charge from kick-off with Sam Silvera and Garang Kuol, who was making just his second ALM start and was taken off at half-time, causing Newcastle trouble on the flanks.
Tulio got the breakthrough with his breathtaking goal when Jets winger Trent Buhagiar lost the ball inside his own half.Â
The ball trickled into Tulio’s path and he unleashed from distance to send it sailing over Duncan’s head.
Newcastle came out with much better intent in the second half with Beka Mikeltadze prevented from equalising by a header off the line from Mariners defender Brian Kaltak.
But the half-time shake-up didn’t last and after testing the Jets on the break once more, Tulio found space.
He enjoyed a neat one-two with Cummings who was able to guide his 63rd-minute finish past Duncan for his fourth goal of the season.
Tulio went close to grabbing his side’s third, but that honour fell to Nkololo who calmly slotted a penalty after a handball from young Jets defender Mark Natta.
The loss leaves Arthur Papas’ side with just one win in their last six but the Jets boss is refusing to panic.
“After eight games and one point outside of six, I think we’d embrace that (at the start of the season),” he said.
“The reality of the league is that it’s very tight. We haven’t been at our best tonight but I’m still really optimistic about what we can do.”
