Leichhardt Oval, Sunday 23rd November
A fiery contest unfolded at Leichhardt Oval as the Central Coast Mariners and Sydney FC battled through a tense Ninja A League clash. The opening half was scrappy and physical, with a handful of fouls from both sides disrupting any chance of rhythm.
Despite periods of pressure from both Sydney and the Mariners, genuine scoring chances were scarce, and the match remained locked at nil all heading into the break.
The second half began much like the first – intense, competitive, and closely contested. As the tempo lifted, both teams started to take more risks in search of an opener. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 76th minute when Sydney FC’s Madeline Caspers fired home a well struck shot from outside the box to give the home side the lead.
Despite the explosive opening period, the second half produced no further goals, with both sides battling but unable to break through.
Chasing the game late, the Mariners pushed higher and opened up their play, generating several promising moments as they searched for an equaliser. Despite their late surge, Sydney’s defence absorbed the pressure, and the match finished 1-0 in favour of the hosts.
Post match, Mariners captain Taren King reflected on the effort, saying: ‘It’s another tough loss. The girls are starting to gel quite well, we’re still a little behind the 8-ball, but I’m confident we will bounce back.’
The Mariners now enjoy a week off before turning their attention to a much anticipated F3 Derby against the Newcastle Jets at Polytec Stadium on December 6th.
