Central Coast Mariners 1-1 Brisbane Roar
By Ryan Miller-Woods (12/11/23)
Above: Tameka Yallop (R) sends Brisbane Roar into attack. Photo: Brisbane Roar.
In a highly entertaining encounter that included 31 total chances, Central Coast Mariners and Brisbane Roar shared the points come the final whistle with goals from Rola Badawiya and Ayesha Norrie in a match that could have gone either team’s way.
It was Brisbane early on who created the chances in attack and as well as that put the pressure on Central Coast. In saying that, the Mariners had the majority of possession in the first ten minutes.
In the 17th minute, Brisbane had a very good opportunity of scoring with a through ball by Mia Corbin that found Kijah Stephenson whose run into the box put her directly in front of the Mariners’ goalkeeper Courtney Newbon but wasn’t able to fully capitalise as the shot went away from the goal.
From a Central Coast corner in the 26th minute, the ball found Badawiya in the centre of the box whose header went over Holly McQueen and into the back of the net for the opening goal of the match. The delivery by Annabel Martin to Badawiya was integral towards the final product.
One minute later, a Leah Scarpelli through ball found Corbin in the box who chested the ball down which went into the path of Norrie who seized the opportunity as her first-time shot towards goal went into the bottom right corner as Brisbane equalised in quick succession.
In the 29th minute, a penalty was called in favour of the Mariners, after Brisbane’s Jenna McCormick who had made contact with the ball also brought down Wurigumula in the box. It was Isabel Gomez who took the penalty and while it was a decent penalty, Brisbane’s goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz anticipated it as she went the right way and made a very good save.
Gradually as the first half went on, the more Central Coast got themselves into the match with the chances made since having scored. Brisbane was still in control of the match in terms of created opportunities. Additionally, they also had the majority of possession where come the end of the half was 62.2%.
Seven minutes into the second half, Central Coast had a very good chance to have retaken the lead as Alexia Karrys-Stahl who intercepted a clearance by McQueen provided a great pass into the box for Badawiya whose shot was tipped over the bar by Silkowitz.
In the 75th minute, Central Coast once again had a very good opportunity to score a second as Wurigumula slotted a great pass to Peta Trimis who made a great run into the box that while it was comfortably saved by Silkowitz, the skill by Trimis in that sequence was really impressive to watch.
The further the second half progressed, the more that Central Coast were the most likely to score from their passages of play piled on the pressure toward Brisbane. Players such as Trimis and Gomez both played significant roles in the attack for the Mariners.
In the 89th minute, from a Central Coast free kick by Bianca Galic found Annalise Rasmussen in the box as her header was tipped onto the crossbar by Silkowitz. This save, in particular, summed up Silkowitz’s afternoon as she put on an outstanding display in between the sticks for Brisbane and was a real difference-maker for the Roar with her performance.
Teams: Central Coast Mariners (4-4-2): Newbon, Martin, Irwin, King, Wardlow, Hayward, Galic, Gomez, Karrys-Stahl, Badawiya, Wurigumula. Substitutes: Carmichael, Rasmussen, Trimis, Lobo.
Scorers: Badawiya 26’.
Brisbane Roar (4-3-3): Silkowitz, Scarpelli, McCormick, McQueen, Blissett, Palmer, Norrie, Yallop, Freier, Stephenson, Corbin. Substitutes: Richards, Holgerson, Brodigan, Thompson, O’Donoghue.
Scorers: Norrie 27’.
Referee: Bec Mackie.
Attendance: 3,281.
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