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Kuol bags brace as Sydney sink in Gosford rain

Central Coast Mariners were 2-1 winners over Sydney FC thanks to a second half brace from Alou Kuol, on a rainy Sunday evening at Our Paradise.

A goalless first half was far from uneventful, with Sydney FC reduced to 10 men just before the break after Harrison Devenish-Meares was sent off after bringing down Kuol outside the box.

The Mariners made the man advantage count with a dominant second half display, making it back-to-back A-League wins and propelling us to seventh in the Isuzu UTE A-League.

Line-Up

After impressing off the bench in Tuesday’s Champions League Elite match, Christian Theoharous returned to the starting eleven for the first time in the Isuzu UTE A-League this season. Sasha Kuzevski also came into the starting eleven in the only other change.

Starting XI: Peraic-Cullen (GK), Kaltak (C), Theoharous, McCalmont, Kuol, Doka, Mauragis, Roux, Steele, Kuzevski, Paull.

Substitutions:
63′ ON: Feijao OFF: Theoharous
73′ ON: Eames OFF: Kuzevski
90′ ON: Ngor OFF: Kuol

Unused subs: Pavlesic (GK), Smith, Herrington, Wilson.

First Half

An entertaining first half started brightly, Douglas Costa’s free-kick in the third minute crashed against the post.

Relentless running from Kuzevski created a half chance out of nothing for Alou Kuol, but he couldn’t convert on the stretch before. Harry Steele then saw a shot flash wide of the goal on five minutes.

A fierce and physical battled continued as Sydney racked up the fouls in the first half but avoided any cautions, whilst Lucas Mauragis and Harry Steele went into the book for the Mariners.

There was a big chance for the Mariners on 23 minutes as Kuzevski picked out Mikael Doka with a ball over the top, he lofted the ball over Devenish-Meares but it bounced agonisingly wide of the post.

Costa was kept relatively quiet by the Mariners, he wasted his best chance of the game on the half hour mark as he blasted over the crossbar from Patryk Klimala’s cutback. Klimala then had a shot well saved by Dylan Peraic-Cullen on 35 minutes.

Just as Sydney were enjoying their best spell, a huge turning point in the game came on 42 minutes as Devenish-Meares’ A-League debut came to an early end as he was dismissed for taking down Kuol outside his box.

First choice goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne was subbed on, but the Mariners would have a man advantage for the second half.

Second half

Redmayne made an incredible save on 49 minutes, somehow keeping out Brian Kaltak’s close range header.

The Mariners broke the deadlock on 58 minutes, Kuol brilliantly heading past the dive of Redmayne to open his account for the season.

Sydney responded and equalised against the run of play on 65 minutes, Klimala benefitting from a ricochet in the box before clinically finishing into the bottom corner.

Mariners’ sub Vitor Feijao came close two minutes later, dancing between two challenges but firing just wide, but the Mariners wouldn’t have to wait too long to restore their lead.

Brilliant play from Mikael Doka saw him perfectly pick out Kuol in the box who planted another header past Redmayne.

As Sydney looked to level the scores again, Peraic-Cullen made a flying save to tip Adrian Segecic’s volley round the post.

At the other end, 16-year-old substitute Haine Eames had two opportunities to score his first professional goal, firstly denied by Redmayne on 77 minutes before seeing another shot blocked on 88 minutes.

Peraic-Cullen made one more fine save late on as the Mariners saw the game out for back-to-back Isuzu UTE A-League wins, diving to his left to push Jaiden Kucharski’s long-range effort away.

🌴 Next up at Our Paradise

A busy December A-League schedule continues on Friday evening as Adelaide United make the trip to Our Paradise.

Tickets for all matches are available via Ticketek, with our great value, flexible six-game memberships also available via the banner below for just $90.

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