Central Coast Mariners secure AFC Cup zonal crown with last-gasp win over Macarthur FC

It seemed a penalty shootout would be needed to find a winner in the all-A-League AFC Cup zonal final until a smashing volley secured victory for the Central Coast Mariners.

Mariners right-back Mikael Doka was among the goalscorers in Central Coast’s 3-2 win over Macarthur FC. Picture: Scott Gardiner/Getty Images

Brazilian substitute Ronald Barcellos broke Macarthur hearts with a classy volley in the dying stages of extra-time to secure the Central Coast Mariners a 3-2 win in the AFC Cup ASEAN zonal final at Campbelltown Stadium on Thursday night.

Just when it seemed a penalty shootout would be needed to find a winner in the all-A-League affair, Barcellos took advantage of a clever build-up involving the mercurial Josh Nisbet and replacement Alou Kuol to score the winner in the final minute of the half-an-hour of extra time.

The victory not only pocketed Central Coast a more than handy $150,000, it also took the Mariners a step closer to overall Cup success.

Their next task is an inter-zonal, two-legged semi-final next month against Indian club Odisha.

The aggregate winners from that encounter will contest the inter-zonal play-off final against either Kyrgyzstan club Abdysh-Ata Kant or Taiwanese outfit Taichung Futuro.

The winner of that battle earns a berth in the AFC Cup final, from which the victorious team will secure $2.3 million and a place in next season’s AFC Champions League Elite competition.

Josh Nisbet was among the Mariners’ best players in Central Coast’s win over Macarthur FC. Picture: Will Russell/Getty Images

Tensions boiled over straight after the match, with a host of players from both teams becoming involved in a melee on the sidelines.

However, calmness was soon restored, with the Mariners celebrating their win and the Bulls left to ponder what might have been after they had gone ahead 2-1 in the second minute of extra-time through substitute Lachlan Rose.

Earlier, the Mariners seemed to grab a decisive advantage in the 81st minute when Colombian substitute Angel Torres made the most of a defence-splitting through ball from Nisbet to give his side the lead with a sublime finish.

However, the Bulls weren’t ready to surrender, with their Mexican talisman and captain Ulises Davila equalising seven minutes later when he headed home a cross from substitute Jed Drew to ensure the contest would go into extra-time.

With momentum on their side, the hosts then went ahead through Rose.

But the see-sawing affair took another twist in stoppage-time of the first half of extra-time when the Mariners’ Brazilian right-back Mikael Doka charged towards the edge of Macarthur’s penalty area before unleashing a brilliant curling strike that was too good for Bulls gloveman Filip Kurto.

It was then left to Doka’s countryman Barcellos to score the thrilling game’s deciding goal and keep the Mariners’ continental dreams alive.