Three goals in four minutes sees Wanderers defeat Mariners
Western Sydney Wanderers coach Andrew Christiansen returned to Pluim Park and put on a show, as the visitors defeated the Central Coast Mariners 3-1.
The match began frantically with both teams looking to play through the other, and the Mariners arguably had the better of the ball and chances.
However, it was the Wanderers who scored three goals in a four-minute rampage to put the visitors ahead.
Ariath Piol opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a stunning half-volley from just inside the penalty area.
Just a minute later the Wanderers forced Mariners goalkeeper Patrick Beach into action after Zac Zoricich gave the ball away cheaply. Alexander Bodolato fired a shot from distance, with Beach saving well down to his left.
The cheap giveaways weren’t limited to the one instance, as just one minute later Beach poorly cleared from within the penalty area under a Wanderers press. Beach gave the ball away on the edge of the box to former Mariner Teng Kuol, who came back to haunt Pluim Park by placing the ball into the bottom-right corner of the goal.
Kuol’s celebration wasn’t muted, running up to the home fans and placing his index finger over his lips to shoosh the crowd. Kuol joined the Wanderers after playing as both a defender and holding midfielder for the Mariners, but looked sharp up front for the Red and Black.
The final quick-fire blow for the Mariners came just a couple of minutes later in the 14th minute, with Marcus Younis displaying a stunning rainbow flick into the penalty area. He then controlled the ball and calmly placed the ball past Beach.
Due to the heat in Lisarow, a drinks break was called in the 24th minute of the match. This was a blessing for Luke Wilshire’s side as they came back refreshed and focused after a frantic beginning to the match.
The Mariners got a goal back in the 28th minute off a corner, with James Bayliss reacting the quickest to the ball falling in the box.
The Mariners, spurred on by the goal, created more chances towards the end of the half but ultimately couldn’t test Lawrence Caruso.
Refreshed from the break and likely with Luke Wilshire’s words ringing in their ears, the Mariners started the second half on the front foot. An early chance to half-time substitute Olayinka Sunmola set the tone for the beginning of the half, as further chances fell to former Wanderer George Daniel and Lachlan Bayliss.
The Wanderers were dealt a blow as George Antonis limped off injured after a professional foul from Jordan Segreto saw him land on the Wanderers captain.
The Wanderers thought they had scored their fourth of the afternoon in the 65th minute as Teng Kuol placed his shot into the bottom left corner, but the offside flag was raised.
Another drinks break was consumed in the 68th minute, and with it a flurry of substitutions to both sides.
The Mariners created the next big chance of the match in the 74th minute after winning the ball in midfield. Sunmola ran forward onto the ball and out-muscled the challenge of Edmond Lupancu. He then composed himself and delivered a cross to Lachlan Bayliss who connected with an audacious scorpion kick inside the box, which was met with a fairly tame connection and trickled away for a goal kick.
The match started to stretch with the Mariners chasing the game, resulting in the Wanderers building pressure and creating chances. Talented winger Marcus Younis missed a golden chance in the 80th minute of the game, before creating one for himself just minutes later. He received the ball on the halfway line and skilfully disposed George Daniel, before driving forward and firing his shot low and across the face of goal.
The Mariners threw caution to the wind in the search of a second goal, with defender Cameron Windust thrown forward and deployed as a second striker, and long balls were pinged forward towards Windust and Sunmola, the latter of which just missing a header wide in extra time.
Following the match Wanderers coach Andrew Christiansen said he had nothing but praise for his players for how they turned up today.
“I’m very happy with the performance and the boy’s efforts, I thought we deserved the win on the whole,” Christiansen said.
“The boys have been performing all pre-season and I asked the boys to make a statement and I absolutely felt they did from the start.
Christiansen returned to Pluim Park after a successful, but short spell in charge of the Mariners last season, and says that there’s nothing but respect.
“This is a nice place to come. I had a great year and I loved it,” he said.
“There’s no animosity. It’s worked out well for me and I have nothing but good things to say.
“It was nice obviously to get the result, but I wish the club all the best for the season.
Meanwhile, Mariners coach Luke Wilkshire was left ruing the four-minute blitz was the visitors.
“That’s where it was lost, the first 15/20 minutes,” he said.
“You can’t start a game and give goals away the way we did and expect to win. I’m very disappointed with that.”
“We’ll dust ourselves off and identify what areas we can improve and go again next week.”
Match Stats
Central Coast Mariners Academy 1 (J. Bayliss 28’)
Western Sydney Wanderers Academy 3 (Piol 10’, Kuol 12’, Younis 14’)
Sunday 5th February, 2023
Pluim Park, Lisarow
Referee: Danny Horstead
Assistant Referees: Kyle Hockings, Alexis Johnson
Fourth Official: Blake Sanchez-Cruz
Central Coast Mariners: 30. Patrick Beach (GK), 3. Cameron Windust, 4. Dean Larson, 6. James Bayliss (5. Joshua Hong 62’), 8. Lachlan Bayliss (c), 11. Bailey Brandtman (10. Nicholas Duarte 68’), 14. Marco Arambasic (12. Olayinka Sunmola 46’), 15. Jordan Segreto (7. Aidan Milicevic 83’), 17. George Daniel, 21. Maksim Kasalovic (9. William Arnold 83’), 24. Zac Zoricich
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Dylan Peraic-Cullen (GK)
Yellow Cards: Segreto 56’, Larson 77’, Duarte 81’
Red Cards: Nil
Western Sydney Wanderers: 1. Lawrence Caruso (GK), 2. Matthew O’Donoghue, 8. Alesandro Lopane, 10. Alexander Badolato, 12. Edmond Lupancu, 13. Marcus Younis, 14. George Antonis (c), 15. Luca Pecora, 24. Teng Kuol (27. Farah Koko 71’), 26. Yannis Frerck, 77. Ariath Piol (19. Max Hately 82’) (23. Mason Fernandez 37′)
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Jack Warshawsly (GK), 22. Jesse Cameron, 28. Luke Nieuwenhof
Yellow Cards: Younis 15’, O’Donoghue 46’, Caruso 90+3’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 – Marcus Younis (WSW)
2 – Alexander Badolato (WSW)
1 – George Antonis (WSW)
-By Cameron Smith
