In a dramatic encounter at Suncorp Stadium, Central Coast Mariners secured a thrilling victory by 3-1 against Brisbane Roar, thanks to two late goals sealing the deal for the visitors. The match saw the Roar, who are languishing at the bottom of the table, finish down to ten men as their woes continued with a historic record thirteenth consecutive match without a win in the A-League Men (ALM).
The defeat marks a new milestone for the Roar, equaling the A-League record for most consecutive home defeats, now set at seven, a sad milestone set by the New Zealand Knights in 2005.
Central Coast, the defending champions, got off to a dream start when Roar midfielder Walid Shour unintentionally scored an own goal in the eleventh minute. Despite this early advantage, the Mariners seemed content to maintain their lead, giving the Roar more of the ball without causing them too many problems in the first half.
Read more:
Mariners triumph over Roar with late goals in thrilling ALM clash
Brisbane showed intent and determination, finally getting their reward in the 71st minute when Ben Halloran found the back of the net with a well-placed volley at the far post, sending the home fans into a frenzy and setting up an end to the match tense.
-However, the Mariners hit back in stunning fashion ten minutes later. Harrison Steele burst forward to head a precise cross from Storm Roux, silencing the home crowd. Just when it looked like the Roar might come back, Arthur De Lima sealed the game with an injury-time goal, plunging the knife even deeper into the hearts of the Roar supporters.
Shour’s own goal highlights Brisbane’s frustrating season. In a bizarre moment, Mariners striker Mikael Doka delivered a dangerous free kick into the box, only for Shour to collect it awkwardly, letting the ball slip past a helpless Macklin Freke into the goal.
Although Brisbane controlled the attacking stats for much of the first half, their failure to convert chances proved costly. Young striker Thomas Waddingham, coveted by English clubs like Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday, was stopped many times by a resolute Mariners defense, despite some flashes of brilliance.
After half-time, 18-year-old Jacob Brazete injected new energy into the Roar’s attack, but it was not enough to change their fortunes. A moment of carelessness saw defender Bility receive a second yellow card at the 89th minute, compounding the disappointment for Brisbane.
When the final whistle blew, the Mariners celebrated a well-deserved victory, propelling them to eighth place in the table and leaving Brisbane to ponder another painful chapter in their tumultuous season.
