Wellington v CC Mariners
A-League leaders Central Coast Mariners down Wellington Phoenix
Goals either side of half-time ensured high-flying Central Coast Mariners eased to a 2-0 win against 10-man Wellington Phoenix in Wollongong.
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Veteran striker Matt Simon broke the deadlock five minutes before the break and captain Oliver Bozanic slotted home a penalty soon after the restart for a winning margin that could have been far greater.
The Phoenix were on the back foot from midway through the first half when forward David Ball was dismissed for a wild and unnecessary lunge on Simon.
The contest was effectively over with Bozanic's penalty conversion and only a string of second-half saves from Phoenix goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic kept the scoreline down.
The Mariners looked confident throughout the contest with central midfield pair Bozanic and Danny De Silva a constant threat with their movement and sharp passing.
The Mariners missed several clear second-half chances, most notably in the final minutes as substitute Alou Koul pushed a golden opportunity wide.
It was a sixth win from eight starts for the Mariners and a third in succession for last season's wooden-spooners.
Game Information
Australian A-League Men Standings
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle Jets | 22 | 14 | 1 | 7 | +13 | 43 |
| Auckland FC | 22 | 11 | 6 | 5 | +14 | 39 |
| Melbourne Victory | 22 | 10 | 5 | 7 | +10 | 35 |
| Adelaide United | 22 | 10 | 5 | 7 | +7 | 35 |
| Sydney FC | 22 | 10 | 3 | 9 | +6 | 33 |
| Macarthur FC | 22 | 7 | 7 | 8 | -8 | 28 |
| Central Coast Mariners | 21 | 7 | 6 | 8 | -3 | 27 |
| Wellington Phoenix FC | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | -8 | 27 |
| Melbourne City FC | 21 | 6 | 8 | 7 | -6 | 26 |
| Brisbane Roar | 22 | 6 | 6 | 10 | -7 | 24 |
| Perth Glory | 22 | 6 | 5 | 11 | -10 | 23 |
| Western Sydney Wanderers | 22 | 5 | 6 | 11 | -8 | 21 |
A-League Men News