Asian Champions League
Soccer
Sainsbury's first goal keep Mariners' Asian Champions League dream alive
Stuart Condie Trent Sainsbury picked the perfect moment to score his first goal for Central Coast on Wednesday, heading in late to earn the Mariners a 2-1 win over Chinese side Guizhou Renhe that revives his...
Football
Blue Samurai cockiness could give Socceroos chance of upset
Sebastian Hassett TOKYO: The headline on this week's El Golazo, one of Japan's football-only newspapers, summed up the mood of an expectant people: "One Blue Month".
Brosque happy to make way for Kennedy in starting side
Sebastian Hassett While Alex Brosque claims he's recovered from a groin injury that threatens to limit his impact in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, the forward feels he will lose his place in the starting side...
Football
Arnold dares to dream in clash with Asian titans
Sebastian Hassett They might be the longest of long-shots to overhaul a 2-1 deficit against Guangzhou Evergrande in Wednesday night’s second leg but Central Coast Mariners coach Graham Arnold says his team can pull...
Mariners bow out of ACL with 3-0 defeat
The Central Coast Mariners had no answer to the talent assembled so expensively by Guangzhou Evergrande, tumbling out the Asian Champions League on Wednesday with a 3-0 defeat in China.
Football
A-League must look abroad for coaches, says Cannavaro
Dominic Bossi Former world player of the year Fabio Cannavaro says foreign coaches are essential for transforming the A-League into one of Asia's best competitions, and revealed he would be interested in beginning...
A-League
Bright lights will have to wait until after Mariners' Asian league campaign
Sebastian Hassett Three of Australian football's best young talents could be trading in Gosford for the bright lights of the UEFA Champions League and Europa League next season.
Evergrande plans: Lippi sought out Del Piero on how to navigate Mariners
Dominic Bossi Guangzhou Evergrande might be one of the richest clubs in Asia but they're not taking the Central Coast Mariners lightly, with decorated Italian coach Marcello Lippi even seeking advice from...
Football
Mariners front up to the emerging monsters of Asia
Sebastian Hassett The motto of Guangzhou Evergrande simply sums up the Chinese club's extraordinary ambition: ''Be the best forever.''
Football
Plucky Mariners fall short against Evergrande's aristocrats
Sebastian Hassett For a moment, mission impossible seemed possible for the Central Coast Mariners. Unfortunately, that moment proved all too brief.
Old-hand McBreen finds his golden moment on the biggest stage of all
Michael Lynch Veteran striker Daniel McBreen scored the penalty which sealed the grand final for the Mariners and won the Marston Medal as man-of-the-match to cap an extraordinary season for a player whose earlier...
Secret weapon: Victors were in league with guru Bennett
Sebastian Hassett Grand final-winning coach Graham Arnold has credited legendary rugby league counterpart Wayne Bennett with providing a defining mentoring role over the past month, saying he taught him ''how to win a...
Rogic with winners, but no medals
Dominic Bossi Celtic have retained their Scottish Premier League title after crushing Inverness Caledonian 4-1 at Parkhead on Sunday but Socceroos midfielder Tom Rogic will have to wait for his winners' medals.
Mariners celebrate again with ACL win
The Central Coast Mariners celebrated for the second time in three days on Tuesday night when a Michael McGlinchey goal earned the A-League champions a 1-0 Asian Champions League win over Suwon...
Football
Mariners prepare for Lippi service
Sebastian Hassett Fresh from the euphoria of finally breaking through for their first A-League grand final win after four attempts, the Central Coast Mariners are on the cusp of more history - and a showdown against...
Home at last as Mariners bask in the glory with fans
Star striker Daniel McBreen might have lost his voice after a hard night of celebration but that didn't stop him individually thanking fans who flocked to congratulate the A-League's new champions.
Football
Mariners to face full-strength Kashiwa
Sebastian Hassett Central Coast Mariners' hopes of Kashiwa Reysol fielding a weakened side in Tuesday's Asian Champions League clash have been dashed with the Japanese side pulling a shock and bringing out their best...
Football
Champion Central Coast live to fight another day despite hefty home loss
Sebastian Hassett The history keeps coming for the Central Coast Mariners, who booked their place in the knockout stages of the Asian Champions League on Tuesday night despite losing 3-0 to Kashiwa Reysol at...
Football
Mariners in SOS to Socceroos
Sebastian Hassett Central Coast Mariners coach Graham Arnold will ask the Socceroos for a helping hand next week as he hopes to arrange a friendly with the national team.
Real close on Champions League semi
Real Madrid all but secured their place in the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday with a 3-0 defeat of Galatasaray in their quarter-final first leg.
