The last time the Central Coast Mariners visited Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Roar had just parted ways with Frank Farina, and Ange Postecoglou was yet to take the reins, the Yellow and Navy duly left the Queensland Capital with a comfortable 3-nil victory.
The last time the Central Coast Mariners visited Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Roar had just parted ways with Frank Farina, and Ange Postecoglou was yet to take the reins, the Yellow and Navy duly left the Queensland Capital with a comfortable 3-nil victory.
This Wednesday, The Mariners venture north to meet a side sitting in second spot on the Hyundai A-League ladder, and seemingly flying under new mentor Postecoglou.
While the Gosford based side can take heart from knowing they can do a job at arguably the league-s most impressive Stadium, Mariners midfielder Michael McGlinchey expects an altogether greater test this time around.
“I think it-s totally different,” said McGlinchey.
“There-s two new managers, and a lot of new players but it will give us confidence in the team that the boys that played up there last year (know) that we can go up there and get a win,. So I think that will stand us in good stead.”
The Mariners have the chance to leapfrog the Roar into second place, as they sit just a point back in third place, and crucially have a game in hand, two in hand of the league leader, Adelaide United.
“It-s still early days but you still want to get points on the board, we-ve done that so far and hopefully we can continue doing it so we can try to pull away from the middle of the pack,” McGlinchey said.
The likes of Matt McKay and Kosta Barbarouses have been in stellar form for the Brisbane outfit so far this season, and McGlinchey knows shutting down an electric midfield could be the difference between winning and losing.
“Everybody is talking about them being the form team and we-re doing pretty well ourselves, so I think it will be a pretty good game, but we know their strengths and weaknesses, and they are something we are going to have to exploit,” McGlinchey said.
The diminutive midfielder returns to the Mariners lineup this Wednesday night after returning from international duty with New Zealand, where he came on late in a 1-all draw with Honduras in Auckland, before starting in a 2-nil loss to Paraguay in Wellington.
The whirlwind trip across the Tasman came as the majority of his Mariners teammates enjoyed a week away from Football, but McGlinchey insists he was more than happy to keep going.
“The boys got a week off but it was good for me to continue training, keep my fitness up and play the teams that we did, it was obviously very beneficial. Paraguay were a fantastic team, we were unlucky in the first half, they gave us a bit of a runaround but in the second half we could have done much better,” McGlinchey said.
Brad Porter is the only player likely to be missing from the Mariners squad which did so well in a last-gasp 3-2 win over North Queensland, the Kanwal junior suffering a knee injury at training last week, with Matthew Lewis of Chris Doig likely to be added to the final 15.
Live and exclusive broadcast on FOX Sports 2, FS2 HD and Sky Sport 2 (NZ). Hyundai A-League club broadcast partner is 96.3 Coast FM (Gosford). To purchase tickets visit www.ticketek.com.au
Central Coast Mariners squad: 2 Daniel MCBREEN, 3. Joshua ROSE, 4. Pedj BOJIC, 6. Patrick ZWAANSWIJK, 7. John HUTCHINSON, 8. Rostyn GRIFFITHS, 10. Patricio PEREZ, 11. Oliver BOZANIC, 12. Matthew LEWIS, 14. Michael McGLINCHEY, 17. Chris DOIG, 18. Alex WILKINSON (c), 19. Matt SIMON, 20. Mathew RYAN (gk), 23. Adam KWASNIK, 30. Paul HENDERSON (gk).
*one to be omitted*
In: Matthew LEWIS (promoted), Chris DOIG (promoted)
Out: Brad PORTER (knee – indefinite)
Unavailable: Nik MRDJA (back – indefinite), Brad PORTER (knee – indefinite), Trent SAINSBURY (knee – 2 weeks), Jess VANSTRATTAN (knee – season)
Brisbane Roar squad: 1. Michael THEOKLITOS (gk), 2. Matt SMITH, 3. Luke DEVERE, 4. Shane STEFANUTTO, 5. Ivan FRANJIC, 6. Erik PAARTALU, 7. Kosta BARBAROUSES, 8. Massimo MURDOCCA, 9. Jean Carlos SOLORZANO, 11. REINALDO, 14. Rocky VISCONTE, 15. Matt McKAY (c), 17. Mitch NICHOLS, 20. Andrew REDMAYNE (gk), 21. James MEYER, 22. Thomas BROICH, 23. Milan SUSAK
*two to be omitted*
In: Jean Carlos SOLORZANO (returns from injury), James MEYER (promoted).
Out: Nil
Unavailable: HENRIQUE (broken arm – indefinite)
Referee: Chris BEATH
