3 points for 2 different needs; Sydney FC vs Central Coast Mariners @ Allianz Stadium

3 points can be so valuable for a team, and more often than not, it is clear that one team needs them more than the other. Rarely do you get both teams eagerly needing the 3 points as much as each other. Yet Saturday’s all New South Wales tie between Sydney FC and the Central Coast Mariners is a tie of such importance.

Central Coast are coming off a 0-1 home loss to the Western Sydney Wanderers, knocking the Mariners off the top of the table, having occupied top spot for nearly half a season worth. The need for points has become as priority for any chance of the club recapturing their coveted spot. For two seasons running, the club have made the top spot theirs, and it looked like they were destined for a trifecta of Minor Premierships as the season started to get into full swing.

However recent form from the newest A-League club, Western Sydney, could put that record on hold if the Central Coast don’t start picking up maximum points, starting this weekend at Moore Park. A recent run of draws and losses saw the team only pick up 12 points from a possible 24 as disruptions have been ever present, with young, gifted stars such as Bernie Ibini and Maty Ryan trialling and being scouted by overseas teams. Whilst Wanderers would assume they have a slightly easier end to the year, Central Coast have no excuse not to pick up points against teams in the bottom half, and an Adelaide team in a terrible form slump.

Whilst the Mariners are still playing a decent brand of football, there seems to be a lack of fluidity seen at the start of the season when the team went 9 games unbeaten. That streak was snapped ironically by the club they come up against on Match Day 24, Sydney FC.

Sydney FC also find themselves in a spot of strife. The fluctuation of hopes and emotions for the Sky Blues have been unprecedented, as a season owing so much slowly sunk away. Although recent performances have been extremely lacklustre, mathematically the club still has a chance of squeezing into the Top 6 come April.

However, the cynics (or realists?) have said there is very little chance of the club reaching any heights of glory. It is of my opinion that Sydney FC passed up two crucial opportunities to get ahead of the tightly contested bottom half of the table in their last two games, and it will severely cost us.

The last two encounters have seen an equal share of the points on offer. The first round saw Central Coast Mariners humiliate Sydney FC 7-2 on that rainy night in Gosford; one of the largest victories in A-League history.

Central Coast went on a winning streak after that game, whilst Sydney FC played their worst football of the season. The two teams met just before the New Year, and the roles were reversed as Sydney went on to win 1-0 with a very late Emerton header. This prompted a surge in Sydney FC’s form, including going unbeaten at home since, while Central Coast had their record snapped.

Sydney FC find themselves also in a bit of a selection dilemma, with two of their starting defenders out of contention. Lucas Neill is out with a calf injury for a week, while Fabio serves his second suspension of the year. Sydney, however, welcome the return of Sebastian Ryall, who served his one game suspension after being sent off against Melbourne Heart. Central Coast Mariners, on the contrary, can afford the luxury of having their full squad to choose from. That is without Adam Kwasnik who will not feature again this season with knee injury.

The game means so much for each team, and neither can afford to slip up and lose points. It always seems to be a cracker when these two teams meet, and I’m sure Saturday will be no different.

Prediction:
As much as I’d love to see a much needed Sydney FC win, Central Coast are a class above, and I get a feeling the Mariners will be a lot more hungrier than the Sky Blues. We have won our last 5 at home however…

CCM 2-0 SFC

Google+