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  • Wanderers Lose Grand Final 2-0 to Mariners

    mack

    By mack

    The Central Coast Mariners have finally won an A-League Grand Final at their fourth attempt, in a game marked by several contentious refereeing decisions. Patrick Zwaanswijk scored on the stroke of half-time when the Wanderers marking at a corner fell apart, and Daniel McBreen scored the sealer with a 68th minute penalty when Jerome Polenz was adjudged to have deliberately played at the ball with his hand in the box.

     

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    Played at the Sydney Football Stadium, Western Sydney came into the Grand Final under injury and suspension clouds to several key players. Youssouf Hersi & Iacopo La Rocca were both rubbed out through suspension, Jerome Polenz & Aaron Mooy started without looking 100% fit. The key tactical choice by manager Tony Popovic was who to start in place of Hersi, and Kwabena Appiah-Kubi got the nod over the more experienced Labinot Haliti.

     

    Mile Stervjoski had the best chance of the opening quarter, a long ball from the Mariners defence beat the offside trap, with Ante Covic stranded on the edge of the penalty box Sterjovski lifted the ball over the head of the keeper but thankfully for those in Red & Black, the ball was a whisker high. Mark Bridge then turned on the afterburners once released by a brilliant lofted clearance that found the left winger in acres of space. Dino Kresinger stormed into the middle but the cross from Bridge was mere inches from the strikers head.

     

    Polenz's injury worry flared up when Daniel McBreen slammed into the defender. The Mariners were well on top and a 43rd minute corner proved to be the undoing of the Wanderers. After going through the regular season without conceding from a corner this was the worst possible time to have that run broken. Michael McGlinchey swung a corner with his right foot, arcing through the air. Michael Beauchamp was unable to stop the ball at the near post. Patrick Zwaanswijk had evaded his marker Kresinger and punished that failure in defence by slamming the ball home to open the scoring. In the final minute of the half, Pedj Bojic handled the ball but in full view of the referee, the Wanderers being robbed of a potential equaliser when the stonewall penalty was not given.

     

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    Overcoming the Western Sydney came out in the second half much better, turning momentum in their favour. Polenz delivered a cross to the far post that evaded Kresinger and Sainsbury, Ono volleying across the face of goal. Just as the Wanderers began to take control of the match, another controversial penalty decision was made, yet again going against Western Sydney. Polenz had chested down a ball inside the 6 yard area, only for the ball to deflect from his arm. The referee believed it was deliberate, and Daniel McBreen powered the penalty into the top left corner with Covic going the wrong way.

     

    The penalty call knocked the Wanderers out of stride and they were unable to recover with the Mariners stacking their defence. Labinot Haliti was clearly felled in the box before the 90 minute marker but once again the rub of the green went the way of the blue and yellow, with Haliti's cries dismissed. With that the hopes for the Wanderers faded, the match ending 2-0. On another night the calls that went against the Wanderers going the other way might have lead to a different result but it was not to be.

     

    For many however the loss did not detract from the sense of occasion, purpose of celebration, the Western Sydney Wanderers inaugural season brought to a close in the Grand Final after many predicted total failure and the picking up of the wooden spoon rather than the Premiership. As the 42,000 strong crowd filed out of the Sydney Football Stadium and from Central Station back to their homes across Sydney, I could sense a palpable anticipation at what the future will bring for the club, the players and the supporters.

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    Sovereign

    Really missed Hersi. Kubi tries hard, just think that he's wasteful in attack. 

     

    Oh well. Am not that down on the loss tbh, simply because how amazing the season has been. Plus it's against CCM, who seem to have decent fans and have had their share of Finals heartbreaks. 

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    JamCal

    Do you know that the Wanderers were 50 minutes away from going a whole season without conceding a goal to a free kick?

     

     

     

     

     

    **** life.  :smurfnono:

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    hawks2767

    Decent fans ?

     

    They couldn't even turn out for a semi final, now it's all aboard the bandwagon.

     

    They're embarrassing

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    smarty

    Am not that down on the loss tbh, simply because how amazing the season has been. Plus it's against CCM, who seem to have decent fans and have had their share of Finals heartbreaks. 

    Agreed with all of that, especially considering we were actually outplayed, not like the frustrating losses we had to endure at the beginning of the season where we outplayed them.

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    Sovereign

    Decent fans ?

     

    They couldn't even turn out for a semi final, now it's all aboard the bandwagon.

     

    They're embarrassing

    Wasn't talking in terms of numbers. Was speaking to a fair few of them after the game and they were all pretty friendly.

     

    There was actually one lady, CCM fan who I spoke to after the game, who was raving about the RBB and asking about how they executed co-ordinated chanting. 

    Edited by Sovereign
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    JamCal

    To be fair... Their bay LOOKED farking great... So many flags... So yellow...... Sounded like a choir of pubescent boys equipped with teste-pops and hormonal spirit. 

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    HungHuynh

    Their team deserved the win, played like a true deserving champions.

     

    Hope their fans support their remaining ACL campaign.

     

    Wanderful season for us. Injury making appearance in the last few weeks and crucial players suspended hurt the depth of our squad coming into the grand final.

     

    Already looking forward to preseason games now.

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    BruceL

    David Gallop sent me an email, which he won't mind me sharing with you.... Lol!

     

    Dear Bruce,

     

    The 2013 Hyundai A-League Grand Final was a classic finish to the best ever season of the competition.

     

    Thank you for your contribution. Whether you went to a match, watched the coverage on Fox Sports, kept up to date at footballaustralia.com.au or joined the conversation in social media channels, you were part of a record-breaking season.

     

    Season 8 of the Hyundai A-League will be remembered for one huge breakthrough. The A-League has made a huge impact in the mainstream of Australia and we’re here to stay.

     

    More Australians than ever before have watched the competition and that’s enormously satisfying; professional sport needs fans and we’re finding more all the time.

     

    A record 1.6 million aggregate attendance for the regular season, up by 250,000 on the old mark.

     

    Average crowds of 12,348, up 18% for this season and a massive 40% taken over the past two seasons.

     

    TV audiences jumped 18% to a record 80,000 per game... and our reach into Australian households will go to almost 100% when SBS comes on board for live Friday night coverage from next season.

     

    In digital, all our channels – from web, apps, m-sites and social media – have basically doubled.

     

    Add it all up and we have a great story to tell – the Hyundai A-League is booming. Some special thanks are in order.

     

    To the A-League club owners – thank you for staying the journey. We’ve set a target of building a stable and sustainable A-League and we took some major steps forward this season.

     

    To the clubs and Member Federations who back the W-League – you are pioneers in Australian sport for giving us a national showcase for elite women athletes and for creating role models for the 20% of participants who are female.

     

    To our sponsors – particularly Hyundai and Fox Sports. These companies have renewed agreements in the past season that give us the platform for further growth.

     

    To the players – male and female - my personal experience over the past four months in the job is that we have a remarkable group of intelligent, dedicated and hugely talented athletes, who have produced fabulous football all season.

     

    To the referees – you have the toughest job in the game and you need the thickest skin, well done. We don’t have a game without you.

     

    And, finally, to the people who make the Hyundai A-League what it is today – the fans.

     

    Without fans, we don’t have a competition. Without fans, we don’t have a reason for existing.

     

    I want to pay special tribute to the “active supporter groups†– let me name them, because they all deserve recognition.

     

    Adelaide’s – Red Army

    Brisbane’s – The Den

    The Central Coast’s – The Yellow Army

    The Heart’s – Yarra Side

    The Victory – Blue and White Brigade

    Newcastle’s – The Squadron

    The Glory’s – The Shed

    Sydney FC’s – The Cove

    Wellington’s – Yellow fever

    ... and the Wanderers – Red and Black Bloc

     

    My congratulations to the Central Coast Mariners coaches, players and staff. Their triumph has given us a new Champion.

     

    We’ll be back in October for what’s sure to be another amazing season of the Hyundai A-League.

     

    Regards,

     

    David Gallop

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    JamCal

    Dawg, Did the former head of the NRL just give out shout-outs to each active supporter group in the A-League... #rbbrevolution

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    wanderersfanatic

    In my opinion how we lost the game tonight.

     

    -CCM were too fast for us, they were out running us for the ball throughout the whole game.

     

    -Appiah-Kubi... I wish he didn't get the start, especially his lack of experience playing the starting role. I would've preferred Haliti to start, he has more experience and is the only player to score on CCM this season for us. Last game he started, I believe he scored 2 goals vs the Heart. AK's play in my opinion, it felt he got caught in the GF moment/spotlight and tried to do things on his own. Yes, he made nice moves, makes the meters but he tries too hard to do it all on his own instead of passing the ball. He got caught SOO many times going on his own. Especially that moment when he got the GK ryan out of the position in the 1st half, but elected to goal for goal himself instead of passing or crossing the ball.

     

    -Poljak and Cole had very bad games, they were too slow and made many poor decisions with the ball.

     

    -Referee, IMO, we should have got that penalty kick in the 45th min when the mariners player hand balled it. Also when Haliti got tackled/tripped around the 80th mark, I believe we should have got one of those calls to go our way. Also to add, Ibini should've gotten a yellow card at least for intentionally playing at the ball. All the 50/50 calls all went the Mariners way.

     

    What are your thoughts? Anything else to add?

     

     

     

    Nevertheless,

     

    Fantastic season, I'm so proud being a Western Sydney wanderers fan. Totally enjoyed the road trips to Gosford, Newcastle. GRAND.

    Can't wait for next season to start!

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    Araucano

    Outplayed indeed. Well we had a hell of a first season. Big and better to come.

     

    The worse thing about this is now we have to wait until October for the first official match.

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    Malone

    People need to stop trashing kubi yeah he's no Hersi but he looked like our only threat out there today where's the talk of guys like Ono and bridge not turning up?

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    Sovereign

    Wasn't impressesed with Kubi either, but tbf to him a lot of our players failed to step up on the night. CCM midfield beat ours comfortably.

    Edited by Sovereign
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    JamCal

    Must be said, despite him being one of my favourite players, Polenz was really bad today... Compounded by the penalty he gave away, but not confined to it. 

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    smarty

    Must be said, despite him being one of my favourite players, Polenz was really bad today... Compounded by the penalty he gave away, but not confined to it. 

    I could see him limping around a few times during the game

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    MP4Eedz

    Hard to admit but Mariners where better all round.

     

    In saying that, most our attack comes down that right side. REALLY MISSED HERSI

     

    We get a hand ball call go our way after the Mariners goal could be a different game. We don't get a BS penalty against us we push for an equaliser late... Again could be a different game

     

    It's all gravy in the end, we had a great year. Walked out heads held high. All good boys all good

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    GunnerWanderer

    All the players get nothing but love from me you can't win every game.

     

    Mariners good for the victory okay we were a little unlucky but they shut down shinji and without hersi we didn't have the constant pressure to hurt them.

     

    If we get the penalty @ 1-0 could change it but we didn't and were beaten by a better team.

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    mack

    Most of the players were poor, we missed Hersi, our marking failed at a corner, we gave away a very soft penalty that was arguably not a penalty along with every decision going against us (without knowing exactly how right or wrong the calls were, the decisions still 'went against us' in regards to us getting the decision our way even if it would've been wrong). The only way it could've got worse was if the ref found a way to red card one of our players.

     

    We could have had three penalties today. Instead we got zero, they got 1 at the worst possible time, when were were finally getting momentum, there weren't many options off the bench and as we knew would happen and I predicted in the preview, the moment the Mariners scored they parked the bus and kept everyone behind the ball for the rest of the match. Deserved loss on the way the team played, unlucky to not take the game further than 90 minutes based on what happened during the game itself.

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    bombagol

    If you play in a team yourself, you'd know that on some days your team clicks and you play well, and on some days it just doesn't gel.

    Unfortunately today was one of those days when the boys weren't as sharp as they usually are.

     

    The better team won on the day today, no harsh feelings.

    Just celebrate the fantastic achievements in our very first year: winning the Premiership Plate, qualifying for the ACL and making it to the GF. I'm sure we would have all been very happy to take that before Round 1 and I think we still are.

    Great stuff guys, on and off the field!!! Bring on next season!

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    weeMan

    Every team will have a bad day every now and then. Just so happen it had to be on grand final day.

    Having said that, take nothing away from the Mariners who were very effective on the day. Worthy winners.

     

    WSW as a club has exceeded expectations in every aspect, and everyone associated with the club can be very proud of how the season turned out. Looking forward to next season already and I won't be surprised if memberships sell out before the season starts!

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    Boban

    We were told to go to gate D and when we got to the gate, there was absolutely no waiting to get in.

     

    But you guys made me wait in traffic for about 20mins on account of the march.  I'm just glad I left early enough to actually see the whole of the match.

    Edited by Boban
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    THRILLHO

    Jihad on Gate C

    This was the worst... Waited an hour to get in after doing the march and the people we met up with had already been there for an hour!

     

    We were beaten today. Still smiling.

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    KOBBSNO10

    Mariners were better on the day, but we were better throughout the season. (PS, **** being at work this early....)

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    jetlee75

    what were the security thinking searching every single person x 10,000 active supporters. we still managed to get flares in. lol lol.......Gallop you have to sort some things next season. i saw security searching kids as young as 10 and women as old as 60. **** joke!

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    Wanderer747

    Mariners were better on the day - we needed luck to go our way and it didn't happen.

     

    But we looked rusty - yes we missed Hersi but players who were injured struggled, and generally we didn't look like we were on. The lack of game time in the last couple of weeks really seem to play a role.

     

    We will learn a lot from this - I would have been more annoyed if we played at our best and still couldn't score. We were just one step behind all game, the usual crispness and rythmn wasn't there.

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