FTS A-League Preview Round 25: Central Coast Mariners vs Western Sydney Wanderers
Round 25 A-League actions sees the Central Coast Mariners welcome the Western Sydney Wanderers to Central Coast Stadium in a fixture with nothing more than pride at stake for either side. The home side will have some added incentive on the night however as club captain John Hutchinson will take the Gosford pitch for one last time. Will the Mariners take all three points in a fitting farewell? Or will the Wanderers mare the occasion with a party of their own? Tune in Saturday night (7:30 AEST) for what is sure to be an entertaining match of football.
The Central Coast are coming off the back of a heavy 6-1 defeat to the Brisbane Roar last week and will no doubt be desperate to bounce back. The 2012/13 champions have endured a difficult season with very little to cheer for and perhaps their performance last week encapsulated that. Nevertheless, the ‘yellow army’ sit in 8th position and appear to be going no higher even if they achieve all three points at the weekend. John Hutchinson, a great servant to the club over the last decade will be looking to bow out in style. The A-League’s most-capped player has won it all domestically with the Central Coast club and will love nothing more than to win just one last time.
The Wanderers make the trip to the Coast after a 1-1 draw at home to FC Seoul in the Asian Champions League midweek, and while fatigue may persist, the away side will be hoping to give their travelling contingent something to cheer about. On the A-League front, Western Sydney played out a 1-1 against Melbourne City last week and again appeared wasteful in front of goal. Should the ‘red-and-backs’ fail to hit the target against a Mariners side also low on confidence, consider Tony Popovic under further pressure to turn things around ahead of the crunch-clash continental fixtures looming near on the calendar.
The Wanderers have had some memorable moments in Gosford. The most significant one in their short history dates back to the 1-0 win of the 2012/13 season that allowed the Western Sydney side to capture pole position for the Premier’s Plate. However, the Mariners were not left to wonder what could have been that season either as they got revenge in the best way possible, winning the Grand Final fixture 2-0. With little doubts surrounding the way both teams feel toward one another, irrespective of the way the match pans out, it looks sure to be another end-to-end attacking display of football.
Head-to-Head:
Played: 10. Central Coast Mariners: 3. Western Sydney Wanderers: 3.
Last Meeting: 1/1/2015 at Pirtek Stadium. Western Sydney Wanderers 0-0 Central Coast Mariners
Form Guide:
Central Coast Mariners: WLDLL Western Sydney Wanderers: LLWLD
Absentee List:
Central Coast Mariners: Brent Griffiths (not selected), Travis Major (not selected), Jacob Poscoliero (hamstring – 1 week), Richard Vernes (shoulder – indefinite), Michael Neill (foot – indefinite)
Western Sydney Wanderers: Nikita Rukavytsya (hamstring), Jonathan Aspropotamitis (not selected), Shannon Cole (collarbone), Brendan Hamill (thigh),Brendon Santalab (shoulder), Nick Ward (knee – indefinite), Golgol Mebrahtu (knee – indefinite)
Possible XI:
Central Coast Mariners: Reddy; Rose; Bosnar; Anderson; Roux; Montgomery; Hutchinson; Caceres; Cernak; Fitzgerald; Ferreira
Western Sydney Wanderers: Covic; Gallaway; Topor-Stanley; Spiranovic; Tanaka; Poljak; La Rocca; Takahagi; Castelen; Bridge; Juric
Prediction: Central Coast Mariners 1-1 Western Sydney Wanderers
FTSAUS Facts:
Central Coast have not scored against the Wanderers in the last three occasions. The last time the Mariners breached the back of the Western Sydney net however resulted in the coastal club taking home all three points.
It has been 10 straight A-League games in which the Western Sydney Wanderers have not been able to keep a clean sheet. Expect the Mariners to score at some point during Saturday’s encounter.
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