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Central Coast Mariners' horror run at Bluetongue Stadium continues, with minor premiers Brisbane Roar winning the first leg of their major semi-final 2-0.
Central Coast vs BrisbaneR29 - 19/02/11
Bluetongue Stadium
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Central Coast CCM0 - 2BRIBrisbane 1st Half2nd Half 0-152’K. Barbarous… 0-272’M. McKayStart of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
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A-League Finals: Week OneFriday, February 18
Elimination final:
Adelaide United defeat Wellington Phoenix 1-0, Hindmarsh Stadium.
Saturday, February 19
Major semi-final, leg one:
Brisbane Roar defeat Central Coast Mariners 2-0, Bluetongue Stadium
Sunday, February 20
Elimination final:
Gold Coast United v Melbourne Victory, Skilled Park, 5.30pm (EDT)
(Elimination final winners meet in minor semi-final during week two. Losers are eliminated.)
Second half strikes to Kosta Barbarouses and Matt McKay extended the premiers' unbeaten streak to 26 matches and put them on course the convert their domination of the season into a championship.
The Mariners now head into next Saturday's second leg at Suncorp Stadium facing a momentous task, having to beat the Roar by more than two goals at a venue where Brisbane have not lost a match since January 16, 2010.
The winner of the tie will host the grand final on March 12 while the loser must face off against either Adelaide, Gold Coast or Melbourne Victory in the preliminary final a week earlier.
The Roar were clinical in their finishing but the Mariners were made to pay for not taking their chances, striking the post three times in front of a disappointing finals crowd of 10,166.
The contest had been fairly even before the Mariners gave away possession cheaply in the 52nd minute, allowing McKay to intercept a hospital ball from Daniel McBreen to John Hutchinson and feed the ball to Barbarouses.
The striker still had plenty to do but shrugged off challenges from Alex Wilkinson and Patrick Zwaanswijk before slotting the ball past Mathew Ryan for his 12th goal of the campaign.
The Mariners pushed hard for an equaliser and found it in the 64th minute when they were denied by the post twice in a matter of seconds.
Patricio Perez collected a misplaced ball from Thomas Broich and played in McBreen, but the striker fired a shot into the right upright before Matt Simon also hit the post with a follow-up effort.
The Roar, who have never lost a match at Bluetongue Stadium, twisted the knife when they added a valuable second away goal in the 73rd minute through Socceroos star McKay.
The midfielder played a neat one-two with Barbarouses and was left alarmingly unmarked to flick a clever header over Ryan's head.
Neither side had been able to make a breakthrough in an entertaining first half.
Barbarouses almost gave the Roar the lead in the 22nd minute but hit a shot wide on the back of a beautiful phase of passing from the Roar.
Central Coast's best chance of the half came when McGlinchey surged into the box with a sublime run, beating off Stefanutto and Matt Smith before his deflected shot cannoned off the post.
Oliver Bozanic was on hand for the rebound but his shot was also deflected and went out for a corner.
Ange Postecoglou was proud of the Roar, saying they did the job despite not being at their brilliant best.
"It was always going to be a tough game," Postecoglou said.
"It's a finals game and they were at home so, we knew there were stages in the game we were going to have to battle and work hard, that's finals football.
"We did what we had to do, scored two quality goals and in the end got the job done."
The coach played down any fears his side could become complacent heading into the second leg with a comfortable lead.
"It's halftime, that's the way we're treating it," Postecoglou said.
"We're in a good position that's for sure. From our point of view its about continuing what we've been doing and finishing off the tie."
Mariners coach Arnold admitted his side paid for not taking their chances, but vowed to "go for it" in the return leg.
"It was a game of chances, we had more chances in the first half than they did and in big games like that, you've got to convert them," Arnold said.
"... The benefit of finishing second is we've got a double bite at the cherry and we can just go for it.
"Obviously Brisbane at home are a very tough team, but if not we've got another game the week after."
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