Video - Highlights from Brisbane Roar vs Central Coast Mariners - Grand Final

It is probably the greatest Grand Final to have ever been played in the A-League, Brisbane after a stellar season capped it off with a win on penalties in the final, after almost giving it all away in the dying minutes. It was a match which saw four goals scored in extra time after no goals were scored in regulation. Brisbane were to eventually win on penalties. Relive the moment below:


            

A-League 2010/2011 Finals Series - Central Coast Mariners FC preview

Perhaps the darkhorses for the entire 2010/11 A-League season, Central Coast Mariners FC have been a revolution both on and off the field. Everyone has been talking about the coaching and player changes at the rampant Brisbane Roar FC, but it seems that the Mariners have flown under the radar (to their advantage it seems). The replacing of Lawrie McKinna with former Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has reaped dividends, as he has managed to transform a team who were playing ugly, dire football last season to this season’s runners up in the reason proper.

While getting off to a slow start at the beginning of the season with two draws and two losses in the opening four games, the boys from up the Coast managed to string in some great attacking performances, no less thanks to mini midfield Argentinean maestro Patricio Perez feeding the likes of hometown hero Matt Simon, Adam Kwasnik and Daniel McBreen to bag in a considerable amount of goals each. Brought in from Gold Coast United FC to replaced departed goalkeeper Danny Vukovic, Jess Vanstrattan suffered a season ending ACL injury. Taking a gamble, Arnold placed his faith in 18 year old Matthew Ryan who has shined this season while taking the A-League record of most clean sheets in a season with 12 (breaking Clint Bolton’s record while at Sydney FC).


Pipping out Adeliade United FC for second spot, Central Coast Mariners booked their double chance spot in the finals on the back of a wonderful season and if they can keep up their form, they may just meet Brisbane Roar FC in the Grand Final.

Defensive stalwart and captain Alex Wilkinson along with Dutch import Patrick Zwaanswijk will hold key to stop any form of attack on the Mariner’s goal, but it’s the midfield that holds the key for the Central Coast. Patricio Perez will be crucial but if along with young Mustafa Amini can fire up and deliver the supply to the attacking front, there may as well be no stopping the Coast on the march to the Grand Final.

It will be hard to see them loose in the finals series, so a Brisbane Roar FC and Central Coast Mariners FC final looks like it's on the cards.

By Marcel Abboud

Comeback Kids - Great Footballing Comebacks in Recent Times

Comebacks have been the talk of the footballing weekend, particularly as Newcastle United FC managed to claw their way back to draw 4 – 4 against an Arsenal side that managed to put three goals past them in under 10 minutes.

Here we look at just a few of thousands of remarkable comebacks in recent footballing memory:

1) Manchester United FC v Bayern Munich FC (2 – 1) 1999 UEFA Champions League Final

In what would go down as a memorable moment forever etched into any Manchester United fan’s memory, this enthralling final saw a resilient Manchester United trounce a rampant Bayern Munich. What made this result more remarkable was the fact that both of Manchester United’s goals came in stoppage time.

After Mario Basler put the Germans ahead in the 6^th minute of play, Bayern Munich looked almost definite to hold up the UEFA Champions League trophy that is until England striker Teddy Sherringham had his say. Coming off the bench in the 67^th minute, the English marksman levelled the game in the first minute stoppage time before another substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjær won the game for the Red Devils in the third minute of stoppage time, poking the ball in the top of the net.


By Manchester United winning, this cemented their place in footballing echelons by completing an unprecedented treble (EPL, FA Cup and Champions League) and the players of this legendary team (despite having lost their captain Roy Keane and Paul Scholes due to suspension) have forever etched their names in footballing history.

2) Central Coast Mariners FC V Sydney FC (5 – 2) 22nd Dec, 2007 (Round 15)

Labelled as the greatest game in the A-League’s short history, a rescheduled game at the Bluetounge Stadium saw these two teams contest the South NSW Derby but with entertaining results. In a very fluid and attacking game, Central Coast keeper Danny Vukovic was given his marching orders in the 16^rd minute as he was to have judged to handle the ball outside his box, but this didn’t stun the boys from the coast. The Mariners had taken the lead in the 3^rd and 15^th minute thanks to goals from Mile Jedinak and John Aloisi respectively.

The Sky Blues then bounced back thanks to goals from popular defender Ian Fyfe in the 33^rd minute before Northern Irishman Terry McFlynn levelled the scores at the 49^th minute. In what is possibly the most exciting second half in the A-League’s history, Greg Owens for the Mariners restored parity in the 63^rd minute (courtesy of a penalty). This did little to dampen the Sky Blues attacking prowress as youngster Adam Biddle nutmeged defender Dean Heffernen and put Sydney FC ahead in the 71^st minute. Before Sydney fans had a chance to catch their breathes back, they were treated to a moment of true class as Brendon Santalab stunned the masses with a fantastic spin-come-strike from just inside the box to thunder Sydney further into the lead. A terrific goal was made better by the fact that this was his first A-League goal for Sydney FC.


In a tense final ten minutes, Adam Kwasnik levelled the scores before, remarkably, Kwasnik handeled the ball in the penalty box. With Kwasnik sent off, Ufuk Talay slotted away the spot kick to send Sydney FC 5 -4 winners and put and end to was has been and since unmatched, the greatest game of the A-League so far.

3) Liverpool FC v West Ham United (3 – 3, 3 – 1 penalties) 2006 FA Cup Final

What is it about a cup final that produces some of the greatest comebacks?

Going down in the 21st minute thanks to a Jamie Carragher own goal, West Ham were sent further ahead when Dean Ashton in the 28nd minute tucked in a loose ball from a West Ham’s Matthew Etherington shot, which Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina failed to hold on to properly.

Liverpool managed to peg one back thanks to French international Djibril Cissé’s goal in the 32^nd minute. West Ham had the lead going into the second half before the Gerrard show kicked in. A Peter Crouch knock down is volleyed in by the Liverpool captain in the 54^th minute, levelling the scores at 2 – 2. Paul Konchesky’s goal in the 63^rd minute had the Hammers thinking they had done enough to win the FA Cup but a thunderous Steven Gerrard 30 yard strike into the back of the net levelled the score on the 90^th minute, leaving Hammers keeper Shaka Hislop doing nothing more than pick the ball out.


Extra-time passed without much incident which led the game into penalties. With three misses from Zamora, Konchesky and Ferdinand for the Hammers (only Sherrigham managed to put one in), Liverpool were handed the 2006 FA Cup when John Arne Riise stepped up and slotted the ball in the back of the net.

This game was truly one of the greatest FA Cup finals to be had and it was truly the Steven Gerrard show for all to see.

4) Arsenal FC V Tottenham Hotspurs FC (4 – 4) 28^th Oct, 2008 (English Premier League)

Tottenham scored twice in the dying minutes of the game to level with their London arch-rivals in an enthralling game of skill, entertainment and football.

After David Bently had put the Spurs ahead on the 13th minute, the Gunners fought back and scored and seemingly had the game wrapped up with thanks to goals from Mikael Silvestre (37), William Gallas (46), and Emmanuel Adebayor (64). Even though Spurs managed to get one back in the 67th minute with a Darren Bent goal, Arsenal responded immediately with a goal from Robin van Persie in the 68th minute of the game.

For any fan that left with five minutes to go, they sure are kicking themselves now. In a display of utter skill and scenes that you can only imagine, Tottenham managed to score when a Luka Modric rocket hit the woodwork with Jermaine Jenas there to put in the rebound in the 89^th minute, making the ledger at 4 – 3. With Arsenal shelshocked, the damage wasn’t over as Aaron Lennon sent the white half of the Emarites Stadium into raptures when in the 90^th minute managed to level the scores from just outside the box.


So the game ended 4 – 4, a highly attacking display from both sides that saw the Gunners capitulate their lead into a 4 – 4 draw. Scenes like this against Arsenal weren’t repeated until an understrength Newcastle United FC managed to come back from 4 – 0 down in the first half to draw 4 – 4 in the dying stages of the game in 2011.

By Marcel Abboud

A-League Round 22 - Central Coast Mariners vs Wellington Phoenix - Review

It could have gone either way, but ultimately it was the Central Coast Mariners that came out 1-0 victor’s over the Wellington Phoenix in a tiring encounter. Both sides were desperate for a win, with Central Coast looking to close the gap on second placed A Adelaide United, and Wellington hoping to help earn one of the two remaining spots in the top six playoffs.

Both sides were missing key players, with Adam Kwasnik suspended for the Mariners, following a red card in the previous game. The Phoenix are still missing key striker Paul Ifill, and goalkeeper Mark Paston, both suffering season ending injuries in earlier matchups. Jade North was also missing at the back for the Wellington side, due to Socceroo’s duties in Qatar for the Asian Cup.

The Phoenix started the game strongly, with two golden opportunities in the opening five minutes. Dylan Macallister couldn’t avoid the picking out the Mariners keeper, Matthew Ryan, as he latched onto a cross from Marco Rojas, and Ben Sigmund couldn’t put his header from the resulting corner on target. The Phoenix were on top for the first 15 minutes of the game, until they let the Mariners start dictating the flow and tempo of the game.

The balance of the game swung to both sides continuously, with both keepers made to work on several occasions. Referee Matt Breeze failed to spot Mariners defender Patrick Zwaanswijk grab the shirt of Rojas and pull him down inside the box, but the majority of the refereeing decisions in the match were correct.

The Mariners made better use of their chances, having more shots on goal than the Phoenix in the first half. The score remained deadlocked at 0-0 until the 40th minute of play, when Central Coast midfielder Michael McGlinchey put the ball onto the back of the Phoenix net from a cross by Joshua Rose following a run through the midfield by Argentine playmaker Patricio Perez.

The Mariners came out on top at the start of the second half, creating a number of shots to work the Phoenix defense, but could not find the back of the net. When Wellington manager Ricki Herbert injected Leo Bertos and Daniel into the game in the 55th minute, for Rojas and Nick Ward respectively, the Phoenix lifted their game and managed to create several more chances, but lacked the final few touches to score an equaliser.

The best of these chances was a powerful free kick for Macallister, only to be denied by the keeper.
Up and coming Mariners player Mustafa Amini was given a run 10 minutes from time by coach Mustafa Amini, but couldn't help his side add to the scoreline.


Final Score - CCM 1                  Wellington 0
                      McGlinchey 41


Man of the Match: Patricio Perez (CCM)
Crowd Attendance - 6844 (Bluetounge Stadium)


By Patrick Barnes (Twitter Follower http://twitter.com/#!/patrick478)