Plenty of heart in draw
Mariners sink Sydney FC
d VETERAN striker Daniel McBreen rediscovered his goalscoring touch as the Central Coast Mariners snapped Sydney FC’s club record winning streak with a 1-0 A-League win at Bluetongue Stadium last night.
McBreen’s clever close- range backheel from a Josh Rose cross in the 26th minute settled the issue.
It was the first goal of the season for the 36-year-old forward, who won the Golden Boot last season as the A-League’s leading goal-scorer.
The victory moved the Mariners to fourth, one spot and two points behind Sydney, who had their fourmatch winning streak ended.
It was McBreen’s fourth appearance of the season and just his second start in Mariners colours since finishing a stint with Chinese club Shanghai SIPG.
Sydney looked sharp early but the Mariners midfield took control as the first half progressed, with John Hutchinson, Michael McGlinchey and Marcos Flores becoming more prominent.
The visitors had much more of the play in the second half, pushing the Mariners back deep into their own half.
Despite dominating possession against a Mariners side that seemed happy to drop deep, the Sky Blues created few chances after the break and it was Central Coast who missed at least three good opportunities in the final stages.
Former Mariner Pedj Bojic gave Sydney some thrust down the right-hand side, with the visitors creating a couple of decent early chances.
Sydney’s Ali Abbas hit the post from close range in the third minute and midfielder Nick Carle had a high shot tipped over the bar by exSydney goalkeeper Liam Reddy.
McBreen had a fourth-minute header saved comfortably by Vedran Janjetovic and Mitchell Duke had a goal rubbed out for offside.
After the goal, Bojic had a shot saved by Reddy, but the Mariners finished the half stronger, with Flores curling a shot wide and an unmarked McBreen missing the target with a close-range header which bounced over the bar. MELBOURNE Heart and their embattled coach John Aloisi defied the A-League form book to earn a 1-1 draw against second-placed Western Sydney yesterday at Pirtek Stadium.
Without a win outside Melbourne since October last year, the bottom- placed Heart went ahead through David Williams, with the Wanderers’ Aaron Mooy equalising just before halftime to ensure the spoils were shared.
Although the Wanderers finished strongly, they created only a handful of clearcut chances, slipping five points behind leaders Brisbane Roar.
‘‘The chances were there and we controlled the game,’’ said Wanderers coach Tony Popovic. ‘‘They had a game plan to slow the game down from the outset and it just wasn’t to be.
‘‘We have only lost one of nine games this season and playing some good football so we are pleased with the first third of the season.’’
The draw was a major positive for Aloisi with the Heart also buoyed by the longawaited return of Harry Kewell, who made a 20- minute second- half appearance following an eightweek absence.
Aloisi says Kewell’s entrance in the second half boosted the spirits of his struggling side.
‘‘ Harry lifts everyone around him, just by him walking onto the pitch lifts everyone,’’ he said.
The Heart took a shock lead as Williams’ cross from the right flank eluded defender Nikolai Topor-Stanley and goalkeeper Ante Covic to nestle inside the far post.
But the Wanderers drew level a minute before halftime when Mooy was, not for the first time, allowed too much latitude on the edge of the penalty area and the midfielder duly rifled home a low shot into the back of the Heart’s net.