GET ready for #SuperheroSaturday at Bluetongue Stadium with these Central Coast Mariners vs. Melbourne Heart match facts!
SIMILAR to last week-s confrontation, the Mariners will know before they step onto the pitch this Saturday if they can still take out the Premier-s Plate at Bluetongue Stadium with a win against Melbourne Heart.
An undermanned Western Sydney Wanderers will face off against Newcastle Jets in Newcastle tomorrow night and if the Wanderers leave the Hunter with anything but a loss they will guarantee themselves first place. However, if they do taste defeat, Central Coast-s superior goal difference will allow them the chance to pick up the Premier-s Plate in a clash in front of their home crowd against Melbourne Heart.
The Mariners will consider themselves a big chance if given the opportunity, as the Heart have been the worst performers away from home in the Hyundai A-League this season with only one point taken from all away trips.
In their last meeting, Melbourne were left heart broken by two Pedj Bojic goals as the defender picked up a double last December. In round 4, Bojic struck the winner in a 1-0 win at AAMI Park.
Build your excitement for the match with a handful of facts before this Saturday-s game against our last nemesis of the regular season, Melbourne Heart (kick-off 5:30pm).
• Central Coast Mariners have an impressive history against Melbourne Heart having played eight competitive matches in history. Heart have only won once.
• Melbourne Heart have always struggled to break the defence of the Central Coast Mariners having only found the net once in the past five matches against them which was in February 2012 at AAMI Park.
• The Central Coast Mariners- defence will look to remain stringent. Arnold-s team are hoping to pick up a third successive clean sheet this weekend, something they have not done since November 2010.
• Melbourne Heart will look to take full points from the match as they face a possible fifth straight loss, which would equal their club record.
• Melbourne Heart-s shot stopper Clint Bolton is always a tough man to deceive and if he plays and picks up a clean sheet this week he will equal Michael Theo for the most shutouts in the history of the Hyundai A-League (56).
• Melbourne Heart have never won a match at Bluetongue Stadium and will be eager to break their Central Coast hoodoo.
• Should Joshua Rose play against Heart, he will make his 100th Hyundai A-League appearance. Rose has played 87 games for the Mariners since signing in 2010. He also played 12 games for New Zealand Knights in the inaugural A-League season before joining Romania-s Universitatea Craiova for three seasons.
Central Coast Mariners squad: 1. Mathew Ryan (Gk), 2. Daniel McBreen, 3. Joshua Rose, 4. Pedj Bojic, 5. Zachary Anderson, 6. Patrick Zwaanswijk, 7. John Hutchinson, 8. Adriano Pellegrino, 9. Bernie Ibini, 11. Oliver Bozanic, 13. Brent Griffiths, 14. Michael McGlinchey, 15. Brad McDonald, 16. Trent Sainsbury, 17. Anthony Caceres, 18. Nick Montgomery, 19. Mitchell Duke, 20. Justin Pasfield (Gk), 21. Mile Sterjovski, 29. Nick Fitzgerald (Five to be omitted)
Ins: 1. Matthew Ryan (Gk) (returns from international duty – Qantas Socceroos), 4. Pedj Bojic, 8. Adriano Pellegrino (both promoted), 14. Michael McGlinchey (returns from international duty – New Zealand All Whites), 15. Brad McDonald, 17. Anthony Caceres (both promoted)
Outs: 30. David Bradasevic (not selected)
Unavailable: 23. Adam Kwasnik (knee – season)
Melbourne Heart squad: 1. Clint Bolton, 4. Simon Colosimo, 6. Patrick Gerhardt, 8. Matt Thompson, 9. Dylan Macallister, 10. Josip Tadic, 11. Richard Garcia, 14. Golgol Mebrahtu, 15. David Williams, 16. Marcel Meeuwis, 17. Jason Hoffman, 18. David Vrankovic, 19. Ben Garuccio, 20. Andrew Redmayne, 21. Jamie Coyne, 22. Nick Kalmar, 24. Sam Mitchinson, 25. Jeremy Walker, 36. Eli Babalj (Four to be omitted)
Ins: 4. Simon Colosimo (returns from suspension), 6. Patrick Gerhardt (international duty), 19. Ben Garuccio, 22. Nick Kalmar
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 3. Cameron Edwards (ankle – season), 5. Fred (quad – season), 13. Jonatan Germano (hamstring – season), 23. Mate Dugandzic (broken foot – season)
Central Coast Mariners vs. Melbourne Heart – 2012/13 Hyundai A-League Round 27
Saturday 30 March, 2013
Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford
Kick-off: 5:30pm
Tickets: Please CLICK HERE to purchase tickets to the match.
Twitter: Join the match conversation on Twitter. The official hashtags are #CCMvMH & #SuperheroSaturday
