After getting back on the board with a 2-1 win over the Roar on Saturday afternoon, Central Coast Mariners are back at home against Melbourne Victory this Wednesday evening.
The Yellow and Navy are coming off a 2-1 win at Central Coast Stadium courtesy of Béni Nkololo who scored his third goal in as many games paired with Nicolai Müller’s 54th minute free-kick, which resulted in a much needed win for the Mariners.
The Victory are currently sitting inside the Isuzu UTE A-League top four and have beaten the Yellow and Navy twice on previous occasions this season, but Nick Montgomery’s squad will be eager to keep picking up vital points.
However, the 2022 FFA Cup champions haven’t enjoyed a great run of form since lifting the now Australian Cup trophy in early February as they have only won two games since being crowned champions and have lost each of their last five matches in NSW, scoring in only one of those.
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Speaking to media post-match after picking up a vital win over Brisbane Roar, Montgomery wants his side to now push on for the rest of the season.
“It was great to get the three points for the first time this year, but I don’t think it was the best we’ve played, but in those instances when you get a Brisbane Roar team that sit 10 players behind the ball and try and frustrate us, I am delighted we could come away with the points.
“What we can’t control is the weather and the fact that we can actually train at all is good. It’s obviously small spaces but a lot of the game is played in small spaces so it is good. We can only control what we can control.”
Pushing on from such a crucial win over the Roar is exactly what the Mariners will aim to do this Wednesday evening as they look to exact revenge once again over the Melbourne Victory.
So, who are the key players to keep an eye on this coming Saturday?
Béni Nkololo, (Central Coast Mariners)
The 25-year-old Frenchman Nkololo has hit a terrifying patch of form of late as the powerful winger now has three goals in his last three games for the Yellow and Navy and will look to add his fourth of the season this Wednesday evening.
The winger first netted against Melbourne City in a heartbreaking 3-2 loss, with a spectacular long-range effort and since that goal, Nkololo has found the back of the net on two more occasions with a goal against Adelaide United and Brisbane Roar.
He has given the side an much needed boost in the final-third with the Yellow and Navy’s beginning to find form once again.
Nkololo has now found the net every 196 minutes and will be looking to add to the tally once again against the Victory while the winger has dished up 1 assist this season and boasts a pass success rate of 70%.
Nicholas D’Agostino (Melbourne Victory)
Heading into the match against the Yellow and Navy, Nicholas D’Agostino is currently the leading goal-scorer for the Melbourne based club with six goals so far this season with the 24-year-old averaging a goal every 92 minutes of football.
Despite being the current leading goal-scorer for the Victory, the Australian has missed three big chances so far this season and the 24-year-old will be eager to convert any chance that falls his way on Wednesday evening.
However, despite scoring six goals this season the prolific striker only has a shot to goal ratio of 27% and the Central Coast backline will be looking to keep the Victory striker extremely quite on Wednesday night.
Match Details
Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne Victory
Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s MW11
Wednesday 9th March 2022
Central Coast Stadium, Gosford, NSW
Kick Off: 5:05pm
Tickets: Here
