Central Coast Mariners’ AFC Champions League Elite campaign came to an end on Tuesday evening, with a 2-0 defeat to Kawasaki Frontale in Japan.
It was a familiar story in the Champions League this season for the Mariners, as our young squad once again gave a fantastic account of themselves and the club, holding their own for long periods in the game but the opposition’s quality and experience shone through in the key moments.
Frontale’s Brazilians did the business in front of goal for Kawasaki, with Erison firing home a first half penalty before Marcinho’s clever finish sealed the game with the last kick in second half stoppage time.
The win sees Kawasaki go top of the group after a five game winning streak in the competition, but they must wait until Wednesday evening for the final standings as J1 League rivals Yokohama F. Marinos could yet steal back first place, which offers the highest seed.
The Mariners now turn their attention to the pointy end of the A-League season, with a Finals place still up for grabs and a potentially decisive match in that race coming up this Saturday against Western Sydney Wanderers.
A battle against the Wanderers awaits this Saturday in Gosford
— Central Coast Mariners (@CCMariners) February 18, 2025: https://t.co/D9W8JHseIo#CCMFC #RideTheWave
| @maccas pic.twitter.com/62Jz5uCl70
Line-Up
Mark Jackson was forced into a number of changes following last week’s chaotic match against Johor Darul Ta’zim.
Dylan Peraic-Cullen’s first half red card and Brian Kaltak’s third booking of the competition saw them both serve one match suspensions, whilst Trent Sainsbury (hamstring), Ryan Edmondson (shoulder) and Mikael Doka (concussion) all missed out.
Our Head Coach explained pre-match that Edmondson is set to miss the rest of the season after surgery, but expects Sainsbury and Doka to return in time for Saturday’s huge A-League match against the Wanderers.
Jacko named a full Australian starting eleven against Kawasaki, with an average age of just 21.7. Christian Theoharous was the oldest at 25 years of age and the only player born before 2000, to start the game.
10 Mariners Academy graduates were in the squad and one of those in Harry Steele, captained the side first time in his career.
When substituted on 72 minutes, Steele passed over the armband to 16-year-old Haine Eames who became the youngest captain in Mariners and AFC Champions League history, another iconic moment in the young career of one of Australia’s most talked about talents right now.
Starting XI: Pavlesic (GK), Theoharous, Kuol, Mauragis, Steele (C), Faisal, Di Pizio, Herrington, Kuzevski, Paull, Eames.
Substitutions:
62′ ON: De Lima, Brandtman OFF: Kuol, Di Pizio
72′ ON: McCalmont, Feijao OFF: Theoharous, Steele
90′ ON: Roux OFF: Faisal
Unused subs: Warshawsky (GK), Smith, Paragalli, Scicluna.
— Central Coast Mariners (@CCMariners) February 18, 2025
Average age of 𝟐𝟏.𝟕
Just 𝐎𝐍𝐄 player born before 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟎
𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 Academy graduates
Jacko’s Mariners taking on Asia's best#CCMFC #RideTheWave
First Half
Kawasaki dominated possession for the majority of the first half, but the Mariners looked comfortable on the ball when we had it.
A sweeping move on 10 minutes saw Lucas Mauragis cross towards Alou Kuol, but our number nine was unable to get enough on the ball to guide it on target. On 20 minutes, the Mariners put together another good attack but couldn’t break Kawasaki down before Steele shot wide from distance.
On 21 minutes, Kawasaki fired their first real warning sign as Ten Miyagi’s shot from the edge of the box whistled just over Adam Pavlesic’s crossbar.
Five minutes later, Pavlesic made his first save of the game, diving to his left to keep out a diving header, before Frontale’s lively striker Erison went close with a bicycle kick.
It was Erison who broke the deadlock on 35 minutes from the penalty spot, giving Pavlesic no chance with a powerful strike.
Hinata Yamauchi almost added a second for Kawasaki before half time as his curling shot came back off the post.
Second half
The Mariners gained more possession in the second half but were still unable to breakdown Frontale’s organised and disciplined defensive structure.
Marcinho was a bright introduction off the bench for the hosts, he forced Pavlesic into a good save on 73 minutes, before teeing up Erison on 79 minutes, but he fired just wide.
The Mariners kept pushing but were undone on the break deep into added time, Marcinho was played in on goal and delicately lofted the ball over Pavlesic and into the goal to seal the three points for Kawasaki.
February football at Our Paradise
Mark Jackson’s team now return their focus to a huge finals push in the Isuzu UTE A-League, with two crucial home matches coming up in the next ten days.
On Saturday, we host Western Sydney Wanderers and less than a week later, February 28th sees a huge Double Header at Our Paradise.
