Central Coast Mariners facing tough Champions League battle against Kevin Muscat-coached Shanghai Port

An A-League coaching great now working in China is hoping to continue Central Coast Mariners’ ordinary start to their AFC Champions League campaign.

Former Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat is hoping to guide Shanghai Port to a win over the Central Coast Mariners. Picture: Han Myung-Gu/Getty Images

Central Coast Mariners must overcome a familiar foe in Kevin Muscat if they are to kick-start their AFC Champions League Elite campaign in China on Tuesday night.

The Mariners meet Shanghai Port, the Chinese Super League club coached by former Melbourne Victory A-League championship-winning mentor Muscat, with both teams desperate for a win.

Central Coast has lost both of its Champions League games this season, while Port has only secured one point from a possible six.

“We’ve got to be positive,” Mariners coach Mark Jackson said after his side started the defence of its A-League crown with a 0-0 draw with Melbourne Victory in Gosford.

“We’ve got to take a lot from that performance. It sets ourselves up nicely to go over to China now and continue in the Champions League.

“We’ve got a good foundation.”

Mariners coach Mark Jackson (front) found positives in his team’s 0-0 draw with Melbourne Victory. Picture: Scott Gardiner/Getty Images

Port bring losing form into the match after suffering a 3-1 Chinese Super League defeat last Friday night against Chengdu Rongcheng.

It was costly defeat for Port, who have slipped to second spot on the ladder with only two weeks of the CSL season remaining.

Muscat’s men are now a point adrift of arch-rivals Shanghai Shenhua, who beat Henan 2-1 on Friday night.

The Mariners’ most recent Champions League match was a 2-1 home loss to Thai outfit Buriram United.

Central Coast finished the game with 10 men after goalkeeper Adam Pavlesic was sent off.

As a result, the 22-year-old gloveman is suspended for Tuesday night’s game.

Pavlesic was also overlooked for selection for the Mariners’ scoreless draw with the Victory last Friday, with 18-year-old Dylan Peraic-Cullen instead getting the nod and impressing in his A-League debut.

Peraic-Cullen and Jack Warshawsky, 20, are the two keepers that have travelled to China,

“We’ve got three young goalkeepers who are really performing and pushing each other in training,” Jackson said.

“That’s what we want, that’s healthy ... but there’s no number one just yet.

“There’s not much between them, but I just felt in the lead-up to the game (against the Victory), his (Peraic-Cullen’s) performances in training and certain (trial) games just gave him the edge on the other two.”