Central Coast Mariners 3-0 Adelaide United
by Callum Logie (2/11/25)
Above: Peta Trimis celebrates opening the scoring against Adelaide United Photo: via Ninja A-Leagues
Central Coast Mariners began their defence of the A-League Women with a superb win over an Adelaide United side that many expect to challenge strongly this season.
An overcast afternoon at polytec Stadium in Gosford hosted the first intriguing matchup for the reigning title holders as they took on a determined Adelaide United side.
The question ahead of the game would be if the Adelaide United attack would be able to get through arguably the best keeper in the league, Sarah Langman, who boasted an excellent 78.9 save percentage last season. The Taranto twins would certainly be looking to link up and test the defence of Central Coast.
The teams started nervously in their opener, with some turnovers from each side starting off the game. Central Coast started with a high-energy, pressing attack while Adelaide were happy to sit back and play a bit more patiently, forward passes and creative energy initially being brought by Melissa Taranto.
The first meaningful attack was executed by Adelaide United, winning a corner after Matilda McNamara worked forward and tested the Mariners’ defence. Captain Taren King deflected away an Erin Healy header to prevent the scoring being opened for United.
Dylan Holmes won a corner for United at 15 minutes after some nice link-up play from Healy and Melissa Taranto. The Adelaide set pieces do look dangerous as a corner is almost taken directly into the goal by Emily Hodgson, but the following attempt saw Holmes direct a header wide.
Dylan Holmes found herself a chance on the edge of the box after a slick feed from Melissa Taranto, but directed her effort over the bar at 19 minutes. The balance of play certainly favoured Adelaide through the first ten minutes of the game, the midfield looking more positive and attacking. Dylan Holmes took a long-range shot at the 20-minute mark, which was again directed too high.
The Mariners responded in the 21st minute with some positive play, Jynaya Dos Santos setting up Peta Trimis, who managed to win a corner. Unfortunately for the Mariners, Avani Prakash’s corner was effectively cleared away, and the attack fizzled out.
At 24 minutes, Emilia Makris won a corner after running down wide. Erin Healy got a header to the Emily Hodgson corner, but it was deflected behind, and the subsequent flag kick amounted to nothing despite a promising cross from Dylan Holmes.
The Mariners were outplayed in the midfield in the first 30 minutes, with only Avani Prakash managing to get meaningful touches in the middle third for Central Coast. Prakash instigated an attack at 26 minutes with a pass to Peta Trimis, who sent an exciting ball across goal, which Coco-Di Sipio was just a boot away from finishing against the run of play.
The Mariners then began working through Trimis, with the pacey winger creating another half chance, once again looking for Coco-Di Sipio and winning a corner for the defending champions. The Prakash corner landed awkwardly, with Taren King appealing for a penalty. This was not granted, and Claudia Jenkins collected and cleared for United.
The Mariners created a promising chance at 32 minutes, with more great setup play from Peta Trimis leading to a pass cut back to Jynaya Dos Santos who’s shot was deflected and cleared away. Trimis again created a chance for Coco-Di Sipio a moment later, but her running header was directed wide.
At 38 minutes, a great run forward from Avani Prakash put the Mariners in a dangerous position. Prakash was composed with her pass to Isabella Coco-Di Sipio, who drove a cross low to the edge of the six-yard box. Deservedly so, given her influence on the game, Peta Trimis finished clinically in front of goal to give the Mariners the lead heading into half-time.
When it rains, it pours, and after an attack from Adelaide United, Peta Trimis was released for a breakaway, beating Erin Healy for pace and sending a sharp ball across to Jynaya dos Santos, who did well to finish, stretching to connect to score from five-yards.
On the other side, Erin Healy drove a cross to the six-yard box, but Elizabeth Barwick-Gray prevented Adriana Taranto from pulling one back for United with a strong clearance.
The scoreline at the half did not reflect how evenly balanced the game truly was, but the Mariners were certainly more clinical with their chances as they headed into the second half.
The Mariners created the first chance of the second half, with Barwick-Grey sending a half-volley at the edge of the box over the bar.
Balance of play then directed toward Adelaide United, who dominated possession through the first 15 minutes of the second half, but were unable to create any significant chances against the solid Mariners’ defence.
The Mariners closed up shop and kept playing defensively, holding onto the ball when in possession, and organised defending when Adelaide were on the ball. United were trying to create through the left side of the field, with Emily Hodgson in particular trying to create during the second half.
The Mariners created a chance at 73 minutes when Trimis crossed over to an Isabel Gome free header at goal. Adelaide were able to clear the ball away, and a couple of moments later, Gomez directed a volley high and wide from the edge of the box.
Gomez was a spark plug off the bench for the Mariners, as a run forward from her lead to a shot from outside the box, which was narrowly off target. This territory and possession held by the Mariners firmed their hold on the game, controlling the pace as the game moved to a close.
Consistency is the key to progress, and through consistency and determination, Isabel Gomez extended the host’s lead to 3-0 with an excellently placed strike from just outside the box after a quick feed from Annalise Rasmussen. Prakash was integral to the set-up play, and the goal sealed the deal for the clinical champions in this one.
There was a penalty shout, with Healy hitting the ground after a clumsy Barwick-Grey tackle. It looked like a penalty at the time, but the referee called play-on as United tried to push for a consolation goal. A call missed, but otherwise a fairly solid game from referee Abbie Hendry.
In added time, Paige Zois sent in a well-directed cross from a free kick, which Erin Healy headed back across goal. The ball deflected off of Blake Hughes, but Langman proved capable of keeping a clean sheet.
Adelaide started the game well, but once they fell behind by two goals, they did not manage to get back into it, with the Mariners expertly controlling the rest of the game through the second half. Central Coast looks very dangerous with a mix of new players and returning veterans looking to go back-to-back.
Teams: CENTRAL COAST MARINERS (5-4-1): Langman, Clough, King, Kraszula, Barwick-Grey, Buchanan, Coco-Di Sipio, Quilligan, Prakash, Trimis, dos Santos. Substitutes: Fuller, Gomez, Grove, Hughes, Rasmussen, Thew.
Scorers: Trimis 39′, dos Santos 31′, Gomez 79′.
ADELAIDE UNITED (4-3-3): Jenkins, E. Hodgson, Tonkin, McNamara, I. Hodgson, Taranto, Condon, Avery Holmes, Taranto, Healy, Makris. Substitutes: Melegh, Morgan, Murray, Rossi, Tolland, Zois.
Referee: Abbie Hendry.
Attendance: TBC.
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