A-League grand final: Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne Victory
The magical sporting story that is the Central Coast Mariners has delivered the ultimate final chapter with back-to-back A-League championship wins and a history making treble.
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The magical sporting story that is the Central Coast Mariners has delivered the ultimate final chapter with back-to-back A-League championship wins and a history making treble of trophies in season 2023/24 following an epic 3-1 extra time win over the Melbourne Victory in Gosford.
Just when you thought the Central Coast fairytale had finally come to an end, English striker Ryan Edmonson delivered a superb normal time equaliser in the 91st minute to break Victory hearts, just minutes away from what would have been a record equalling fifth Australian football title for them.
His heroics were matched by that of Mariners youngster Miguel Di Pizio who struck early in the first half of extra-time, finishing off a move that he started himself.
The 18-year-old drove forward from midfield and got on the end of a Ronald Barcellos cross to become the youngest scorer in A-League Grand Final history.
As the Victory pushed forward in hope of an extra-time equaliser, Edmondson added his second to secure the Joe Marston Medal for best on ground and ultimately seal a treble winning feat that is simply hard to fathom for a club that was once the laughing stock of the competition.
The match-winning moments sent a record breaking, sell-out crowd of 21,379 in Gosford into utter delirium as they celebrate a club that is now the jewel of the region as it continued to defy every obstacle possible over the last two years to become arguably the best single season team in A-League history.
That emotion spilled over on the final whistle as the Mariners fans ran onto the field to celebrate with their heroes and manager Mark Jackson in spectacular scenes not seen before in an A-League Grand Final but one fitting of an Australian football feat that is simply unmatched.
Instrumental in both Mariners goals was Socceroo midfielder Josh Nisbet, who may be diminutive in stature but is simply massive in heart and talent.
Once the Mariners went behind, he drove his side on like no other to help set-up both goals and add a Championship Medal to his Johnny Warren Medal for best player of the season.
The defeat for the Victory continues one of the more stunning droughts in Australian sport, that of manager Tony Popovic and his now five Grand Final losses across spells with Western Sydney, Perth and now Melbourne.
His credentials as a manager are undoubted but it’s a heartbreaking hurdle that he simply cannot get past.
It is one he and the Victory faithful thought he had finally evaded though after Jason Geria’s second half strike to put the Victory 1-nil up.
The 31-year-old Socceroo was set-up nicely by some tricky interplay from Daniel Arzani and Jordi Valadon who teed Geria up on the edge of the area to side-foot a stunning strike home into the top left-hand corner to send the several thousand travelling Victory fans into ecstasy.
That only served to spark the Mariners out of their malaise and into history making action.
With Nisbet and his midfield compadrade Max Balard at the heart of every foray forward they finally broke a resolute Victory defence late in normal time and seemingly driven on by an entire city, went on with it to deliver a second successive championship for the Central Coast Mariners, third trophy for the season and third title in their now glittering history.
NISBET’S SEASON CRYSTALLISED
There are few better on-field stories in Australian football than Josh Nisbet.
The Mariners dynamo’s spectacular campaign was rewarded with a first Socceroos cap this year and now he has a Championship and Johnny Warren Medal – the highest individual honour in the domestic game – to go with it for the player of the season.
The award was presented at full-time with Nisbet finishing on 36 votes, seven clear of Victory striker Bruno Fornaroli with Wellington star Kosta Barbarouses in third.
VISCIOUS OPENING
Bar a couple of Daniel Arzani long range strikes, and a Ryan Teague header, there weren’t a plethora of chances in the first half but the game, that the Victory had the better of early, was played at a cracking place with plenty of physicality.
So much so, that a head clash between Victory defender Damien Da Silva and Mariners striker Alou Kuol left both players bloodied and needing head strapping.
With his bleached blonde hair, Kuol cut a true retro figure but the knock took enough out of him for him to be substituted at half-time.
GLORIOUS GOSFORD
The A-League may have its myriad of issues at present but the finals series yet again has shown the support is certainly there.
There were sold out finals the whole way through and the Grand Final arena, adjacent to the Gosford water, presented a stunning scene.
Three thousand travelling Victory fans added plenty to a sold out stadium while every surrounding pub and restaurant was adorned with Mariners colours and will now be in celebration mode for weeks and possibly months to come.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The stage is set for an unforgettable grand final, wiht a sold out crowd making their way to Gosford for the 2024 decider.
Alex King is the man with the whistle in the centre, the Isuzu mini D-Max has delivered the match ball, and it’s time to make history.
HISTORY MADE
Central Coast Mariners have done it, coming from nowhere to taste glory in an extraordinary A-League grand final to claim back-to-back championships.
The tense decider was scoreless at the main break, and when Jason Geria scored in the 50th minute, it set Melbourne Victory up for a run at the title.
But the Mariners never relented, never went away, but they had to wait until the first minute of added time to equalise via Ryan Edmondson.
The Mariners capitalised on the momentum, which they carried into extra tie, and took the lead for the first time in the 96th minute when Miguel Di Pizio scored.
Edmondson completed the fairytale at the end of extra time, drilling home his second to seal a 3-1 win and a historic treble.
FINAL FIVE MINUTES
The Victory are going all-out attack in the hope of plucking grand final glory in the final moments.
They led 1-0 in the 90th minute and could only watch in despair as Ryan Edmondson then Miguel Di Pizio gave Central Coast the lead deep into extra time.
Central Coast controlled the ball for the most part, until the last 10 minutes of extra time when the Victory put together some decent, desperate assaults to find a late equaliser.
EXTRA TIME HALF TIME
Central Coast Mariners are now 15 minutes from history Miguel Di Pizio extended their lead to 2-1.
The Mariners were gone for all money in the 90th minute but found an equaliser via Ryan Edmondson in the dying minutes.
Now, Central Coast have shown why they are premiership winners and AFC Cup holders, dominating possession and field position to strengthen their grip on this contest.
The Victory aren’t dead yet, but the clock is ticking.
96’ - GOAL
Central Coast Mariners are 25 minutes from history.
They were five minutes from a heartbreaking grand final loss on their home turf. Now, they are within reach of the historic and unlikely treble.
The Mariners have had the better of the ball and field position in the extra period, and they converted it to a grand final lead in the 96th minute when Miguel Di Pizio found the back of the net.
After knocking the ball around the foward third, Ronald Barcellos had open space on the left and, as it looked as if he’d unleash a shot of his own, he chose instead to centre it.
It fell perfectly in Di Pizio’s line, who made no mistake to make it 2-1 and put his side in the driver’s seat.
END OF REGULATION
We are off to extra time after Ryan Edmondson’s goal at the deah kept Central Coast Mariners’ dreams of a fairytale treble alive.
Edmondson drilled the ball into the back of the net one minute into added time, with the Mariners’ only shot on target for the night.
Melbourne Victory led 1-0 after Jason Geria’s 50th minute strike, and while the Mariners’ pressed they could’t break the defence - until the dying minutes.
We now buckle up for 30 minutes of extra time.
90’ - GOAL
We are all square after Ryan Edmondson drilled home an equaliser from the edge of the box.
Just 60 seconds into the six minutes of added time, the Mariners’ attacking pressure finally resulted in a goal.
Josh Nisbet set it up perfectly for Edmonson, who took the ball on the edge of the box and unleashed towards goal.
It smashed into the back of the net, triggering an explosion of sound from the home fans as their dream of a treble once again became possible.
75’
There’s just 15 minutes left in the grand final and Tony Popovic is within touching distance of a breakthrough first championship.
This is the fifth time Popovic has coached a team to the grand final, and with losses in his previous four appearances, is desperate to make the fifth time the charm.
Jason Geria’s 50th minute goal remains the difference, but Victory’s defence needs to stand tall as the Mariners unleash wave after wave of attack.
Victory fans are in full voice singing their side home, as the sold-out crowd counts down the final portion of the decider.
50’ - GOAL
The deadlock is broken, and Melbourne Victory hold the ascendency in the A-League grand final.
Jason Geria, the only Victory player in this squad to have previously played in a grand final, is the man to put the finishing touch on the first goal of this decider.
Geria made it look easy, as Jordi Valadon played the perfect ball to the corner of the box and Geria sweetly struck it past Mariners goalkeeper Danny Vukovic.
SECOND HALF
The Mariners have opted for fresh legs with the start of the second half, as Ryan Edmonson replaces Alou Kuol in the forward line.
Kuol wasn’t far from the action in the first half, but coach Mark Jackson has moved for an alternate approach to break the deadlock.
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HALFTIME
The first 45 minutes is in the books and the A-League Grand Final is anyone’s game.
Melbourne Victory have had the better of the chances so far, with four shots to the Mariners’ one, though only on Melbourne shot was on target.
Both teams’ defensive units have done their jobs, standing tall in the face of counterattack after counterattack.
The first half wasn’t without drama, with play stopped for about seven minutes after Victory defender Damien Da Silva and Mariners star Alou Kuol clashed heads during a contest.
For those keeping track, the Mariners have conceded more fouls (8-6), though Voctory’s Adama Traore is the only man booked.
35’
Melbourne Victory has had the better of recent field position but the deadlock remains unbroken just past the half hour mark.
Daniel Arzani has been a dangerous presence in Victory’s attacking third, but the Mariners’ defence has nullified his probing runs - until at least now.
Arzani opened up to Adam Peacock to talk his career, and why the move to the Victory has been such a good decision.
Click here to read the full story.
20’
Adama Traore has been handed the first caution of the grand final with Victory teammate Damien Da Silva left a bloody mess just seconds later.
The Victory defender had himself to blame after the blatant infringement, as Christian Theoharous made his way down the left side on a counterattack after the Mariners defence absorbed several minutes of pressure.
From the free kick, Alou Kuol and Da Silva clashed heads while competing for the ball, and it was the Victory man who came off well worse for wear.
Both men suffered cuts - Da Silva spilled more claret - as play stopped for six to seven minutes for treatment.
15’
The decider is delicately poised through the first third of the opening 45 minutes.
Central Coast have had a touch more ball, at 56 per cent, and both sides have recorded one shot each.
It’s not as if the ball’s been bogged in the midfield with plenty of attack by both sides, the defenders have just proved they’re up to the challenge.
FIRST FIVE
Both teams’ attack have shown flashes of what they can do, and while there hasn’t been a shot near goal just yet, both the Mariners and Victory have the sold-out crowd on edge.
It’s been counter after counter by these two teams, as they test each other early.
The fans are in full voice in Gosford and it’s made for an absolutely outstanding atmosphere.
HOW THE TEAMS LINE UP
More Coverage
An unchanged team for Grand Final night 📋#CCMFC#CCMvMVC#TakeUsToTheToppic.twitter.com/k0myPmhqoP
— Central Coast Mariners (@CCMariners) May 25, 2024
ð‘®ð’“ð’‚ð’ð’… ð‘ð’Šð’ð’‚ð’ ð‘ºð’•ð’‚ð’“ð’•ð’Šð’ð’ˆ ð‘¿ð‘° 🆠pic.twitter.com/KwotoTkYGn
— Melbourne Victory (@gomvfc) May 25, 2024
Originally published as A-League grand final: Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne Victory
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