By Texi Smith 31/10/26
Above: Central Coast celebrates a goal. Photo: Jonah Halim for Impetus
Central Coast Mariners 2-0 Adelaide United
Another two goals for Talia Kapetanellis allowed Central Coast Mariners to edge Adelaide United in an entertaining contest in Gosford on Saturday evening.
The visitors gave as good as they got, giving the hosts plenty to do in a game that would look like a routine victory on paper, but was far from it. Goals at the beginning of both halves decided the result today, but this was more about the eye-catching displays of the
Mariners’ central midfielder Te Reremoana Walker and Adelaide’s defender Tianna Harris as both teams gave a good account of themselves in perfect footballing conditions.
The game could have been immediately thrown into chaos when Skye Halmarick was brought down in the opening moments, Claudia Cicco fortunate not to concede a penalty, and when goalkeeper Ilona dwelt too long on the ball a minute later, Halmarick almost capitalised. The first corner of the game from Peta Trimis saw Melegh flap at the ball, the rebound falling to Halmarick and the snapshot was blocked by the legs of Melegh, the offside flag already up.
It was no surprise then, after such a bright opening, that the home side struck on ten minutes, Eliza Familton bundling through a challenge on the right to reach the byline and her cross invited Kapetanellis to nip in front of her defender and the diving Melegh to steer the ball into the unguarded net for 1-0.
This had been an impressive opening from the Mariners and when Danika Matos miskicked her shot soon after, the ball fell into Familton’s path, but she couldn’t sort out her feet quickly enough to apply the finish. Morgan Aquino gave the home crowd a nervy moment, standing on the ball after a tricky back pass, but she managed to scoop the ball away under pressure.
The Mariners continued to probe, Halmarick sending Familton into the penalty area with a deft pass and she unselfishly squared to Kapetanellis, but the time it took her to control and tee up the shot, Holly Murray was there to block.
Adelaide then enjoyed a period of pressure, Chelsie Dawber blazing wildly over from a pull back from Emily Hodgson on the byline. Livewire Adriana Taranto threatened to run all the way to goal, her shot blocked by Taren King and the ball fortuitously falling into Aquino’s arms.
The rampant right side of the Mariners midfield saw Matos race away, her cross half cleared back to Matos in a shooting position, but it was on her usually unused left foot and the tame shot was cleared. Just prior to the MC revving up the crowd, Kiera Meyers delivered a low cross from the right.
Dawber seemed to hesitate Instead of committing, Matos a little lucky that the rebound didn’t end up in her own goal
It was almost a carbon copy a few minutes later, this time a beautiful ball out right by Adriana Taranto saw Lara Gooch bear down on goal, but Aquino made the save, defender Rebecca Lake almost turning the ball into her own goal.The game was finely poised at half time, the Mariners with the majority of possession, but when Adelaide broke, they did so with intent and they were definitely in this game.
A game-changing moment at the start of the second half could have altered the complexion of the game, a late stamp by King on Dawber going unpunished, and it was all Adelaide at the beginning of the second period.
However, when Matos fed Trimis on the right, she crossed perfectly for Kapetanellis to head home at the far post, the ball skipping just inside the post for an impressive second goal for the Mariners.
The game continued to be open and flowing, Hodgson drilling in a shot via a deflection that Aquino saved down low. Kapetanellis perhaps had her eye on a hat-trick soon after, electing to shoot when Trimis was completely free at the far post, and when Hamlarick slotted a through ball into Trimis, she never really had full control and the shot was blocked by Melegh and hacked clear by the outstanding Harris.
The MC pumped up the home fans once more, but it was Adelaide on the attack, Adriana Taranto racing up the middle to feed Tessa Salvestrin who fired in a low shot straight at Aquino.
The game was getting away from Adelaide by now, despite their endeavour and persistence, and when
Matos and Morgan Witz combined, Halmarick connected with a flying header that just went the wrong side of the post.
There was time for Salvestrin to bring a bouncing ball down, spin and shoot just wide from outside the box as Adelaide searched for a crumb of comfort, and when Halmarick won a header to send Witz scampering clear, it was only the assistant referee’s flag that prevented her rounding the keeper to finish off the contest.
Instead, a late corner from India Breier almost emulated her feat from round one against Sydney FC, an olimpico denied as the ball just cleared the crossbar.
Central Coast Mariners deserved winners today, but with Adriana Taranto the engine in midfield, they were never out of sight in this one and Adelaide United will take heart from a solid performance against their free-scoring opponents.
Teams: CENTRAL COAST MARINERS (4-2-3-1): Aquino, King, Matos, Buchanan, Lake,
Kraszula, Walker, Kapetanellis, Familton, Trimis, Hamlarick. Substitutes: Karrys-Stahl,
Witz, Fuller, Grove, Quilligan, De Domizio, Iaria.
Scorers: Kapetanellis 10’, 53’
ADELAIDE UNITED (4-3-3): Melegh, Harris, Hidgson, Murray, Cicco, M. Taranto, Zois, A.
Taranto, Dawber, Gooch, Meyers. Substitutes: Breier, Salvestrin, Rossi, Yakel, Dewey,
Millar, Drawwater
Scorers: None
Referee: Shab Roshan.
Attendance : TBC
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