Weekend Wrap
Central Coast Mariners did what most thought was impossible and qualified first for the Hyundai A-League 2007/08 Grand Final.
Results QUEENSLAND ROAR 2 beat Sydney FC 0 CENTRAL COAST MARINERS 3 beat Newcastle Jets 0
Game Wraps It was a night of drama in Brisbane, which saw the match delayed by 35 minutes, after a 10-minute rain-storm lashed Suncorp Stadium, leaving the pitch covered in puddles. With the water removed from the pitch, the match got underway and it was Queensland that started the brighter of the two sides. With games between these two sides traditionally low-scoring affairs, goals were always going to be at a premium, but in the 12th minute, Reinaldo produced a magic goal. Craig Moore-s clearing ball out towards Reinaldo and Ufuk Talay on the left, saw the Roar striker win out and race clear down the touchline. Cutting in towards the box, he was confronted by Mark Milligan, but with a jink one way and touch the other way, Milligan was left spread-eagled on the ground, as the Brazilian sized up his shot from a narrow angle. Getting the ball back onto his right foot, he smashed his shot past Clint Bolton and into the roof of the net, which set off the 36,000+ fans into a frenzy. Then came the biggest moment of the game, five minutes later, when Matt McKay was set free on the right 35 metres from goal. With only Bolton in front of him, he kicked the ball forward and was then taken out by Robbie Middleby, with Brendan Renaud the nearest Sydney player a good 20 metres away. Referee Mark Shield had no hesitation in sending off Middleby for his professional foul and the match was slowly slipping away from the inaugural Champions. It was Queensland who dominated from then on, as they caused the Sydney defence a few anxious moments, while never allowing the Sydney players time and space to create any meaningful attacks of their own. Reinaldo was forced early in the second half with a leg injury and his replacement Simon Lynch thought he had the sealing goal when he pushed home a cross from the left, but it was ruled out because he was inexplicably offside. With Sydney needing only a goal to advance, it was still nervous times for the Queensland fans, but in the 83rd minute the match was decided from the penalty spot. Tahj Minniecon-s brilliant turn on the halfway line, saw him race into the penalty box when he was confronted by Sydney captain Tony Popovic. As Minniecon tried to go around him, Popovic came in contact with the young Roar speed machine, sending him to the ground and Shield had no hesitation in awarding a spot kick. Sash Ognenovski stepped up and slammed home his shot straight down the middle and Roar were through to the Preliminary Final. Sydney-s consolation for losing is a trip to Hawaii to represent the Hyundai A-League in the inaugural Pan-Pacific Championship, which is being held on the same weekend as the Grand Final.
The F3 derby, as this clash is commonly referred to, has become one of the most anticipated matches of the year between these two teams and sets of fans, but with the added spice of a Grand Final at stake, the tension that gripped Bluetongue Stadium, could quite literally have been cut with a knife. It was a match only the true believers thought Central Coast Mariners could win and at the same time get the necessary goals to prevail over arch-rival Newcastle Jets. Down 2-0 after the first leg, the Mariners quest to be the first team into the grand final looked doomed. The Jets needed just a goal and it was over, while the Mariners needed to keep a clean sheet and score twice to keep the tie alive. But they were up for it and the early signs were good for the Mariners, as the Jets struggled to get any possession and when they did they usually turned it over cheaply. The Mariners had the early chances with John Aloisi heading wide and Saso Petrovski also going wide with a shot on the turn. The breakthrough came when nothing appeared on for Adam Kwasnik, when he was hedged to the sideline by two Jets defenders. However in an instant he cut in between them, took the ball into the penalty box and his shot, hit the top of Tarek Elrich-s lunging foot, the ball deflecting and lobbing into the top corner, with Ante Covic hapless to prevent the ball going into the back of the net. It was no more than the Mariners deserved, especially as they had already had to use two substitutes with Alvin Ceccoli and Tom Pondeljak were forced off with injuries. The second half resembled the first with the Mariners still dictating play in the middle of the park and the Jets relying in quick counter-attacks, which the Mariners defence was having little trouble in defusing. The Mariners continuous pressure always looked like producing a second goal and it duly arrived in the 74th minute, when a miscued Andre Gumprecht shot, found its was to Petrovski at the back post. Unlike in the first leg, when Aloisi saw his similar effort ruled away for offside, Petrovski was given the benefit of the doubt and his close range shot was also deflected, inside the near post, much to the delight of the near capacity crowd. The Mariners held their nerve and kept the Jets out and so the match went to extra time. The odds were still in the Jets favour, with a single goal, meaning the Mariners would need to score twice, but it was the Mariners who struck, five minutes into extra time. Capitalising on a turnover in their won half, the Mariners moved forward quickly through John Hutchinson. He laid off to Petrovski on the left of the penalty box and his instant cutback into the middle caught the Jets defence off balance and the former Sydney FC marksmen made no mistake with a blistering drive that gave Covic no chance. Danny Vukovic had to make one spectacular save to deny a Matt Thompson thunderbolt, but overall it was a well-deserved win for the Mariners and they now have the chance to do the Premiership-Championship double.
Goals Tally: 5
Card Count: 12 yellows - 1 red
Attendance/Average: 55,333 / 27,667
Goal of the Week Two crackers this week with Reinaldo and Sasho Petrovski-s strikes. However it-s hard to go past Reinaldo-s wonderful solo effort that was a terrific example of how to attack at pace in the penalty box. He first outsmarted Talay, by working him under the ball and then his pace took into the penalty box, where he made easy work of Milligan and his finish was cool and clinical.
Player of the Week In what was a magnificent team effort by the Mariners, coach Lawrie McKinna asked for a big performance from Saso Petrovski and he got it with his two goals, including the match winner, which McKinna described as a world class goal. Petrovski was up for this game and he was always a danger to the Jets defence. It was no surprise that he got his name on the scoresheet in the second half, but his second goal in extra time was a terrific goal and a worthy match winner.
One to Watch Newcastle unveiled new Korean signing Jin-Hyung Song against the Mariners. Didn-t endear himself to Mariners fans, with his challenge on Alvin Ceccoli earning him a yellow card and forcing the Mariners defenders off the park with what looks like a serious toe injury. Copped a knock himself in the first half, but showed some nice touches, although the occasion probably got the better of him, as it did with a few of the younger Jets players.
Leading Goalscorers (includes finals) 13 Joel Griffiths (NJ) 9 Shane Smeltz (WP) 8 Sasho Petrovski (CCM), Alex Brosque (SFC), Jamie Harnwell (PG) 7 Reinaldo (QR), Danny Allsopp (MV), John Aloisi (CCM) 6 Archie Thompson (MV), Nikita Rukavytsya (PG), Bruce Djite (AU), Lucas Pantelis (AU), Adam Kwasnik (CCM)