Gosford: A-League leaders Central Coast Mariners missed out a first win in the AFC Champions League as Japan’s Nagoya Grampus survived to claim a 1-1 draw at Central Coast Stadium on Wednesday.
Nagoya had taken a deserved lead through Marcus Tulio Tanaka’s close range finish after 21 minutes, only for Patrick Zwaanswijk’s towering header to pull the Mariners level seven minutes later.
And with the home side nullifying the threat of Nagoya’s Australia striker Josh Kennedy, the Mariners kept the visitors on the back foot for the majority of the second 45 minutes as the home side pressed to follow up the goalless draw with China’s Tianjin Teda.
But the Mariners, who have drawn three and lost four of their previous outings in the AFC Champions League, failed to find a way past Seigo Narazaki with the impressive Oliver Bozanic and Mustafa Amini both coming close in the second half as both sides were forced to settle for a second consecutive draw in Group G.
“I cannot be prouder. We had four or five kids out there, 18 and 19 year olds, and they were superb. I thought we played fantastic football,” said Mariners coach Graham Arnold, who will see his side lift the A-League Premier’s Plate with victory over Wellington Phoenix in the final game of the regular season on Sunday.
“I changed the system slightly and we played with two number 10s and we had a five against three or four against three advantage in midfield which made it very difficult for them to shut us down. We knew they would try to press us, but we encouraged the boys to play a lot of short passes.
“I thought the first half was good but the second half was really good and I thought we could have shaded it in the second half.”
Nagoya dominated possession in the opening exchanges and were rewarded after 21 minutes as Tanaka stabbed home from close range at the second attempt as Keiji Tamada’s low skidding front post cross found the onrushing veteran centre-back in between two Mariners defenders.
But the lead lasted just seven minutes as Zwaanswijk out-jumped Nagoya defender Shohei Abe at the past post to direct a towering header from Bozanic’s cross past the despairing dive of visiting goalkeeper Narazaki.
And Bozanic almost created a second for the Mariners 12 minutes before half-time but Narazaki was quickly off his line to block at the feet of Troy Hearfield after the midfielder had ghosted in behind the Nagoya defence before Mariners goalkeeper Mathew Ryan flew across his goal to push away Abe’s dipping half-volley.
The lively Bozanic produced the first real chance of the second half as the midfielder’s strike following a strong run was pushed to safety by Narazaki midway through the second period.
The home continued to press as Amini, who is on loan back at the Mariners from German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, drew a smart save from Narazaki but Nagoya survived to claim a point after sharing a 2-2 draw with Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma two weeks ago.
“It was a very tough game for both sides, but I think a draw is the correct result,” said Nagoya coach Dragan Stojkovic.
“From a technical point of view, we played the better football, but the Mariners as a team didn’t give up. They are the leaders of the A-League and we have to respect that.
“Coming here a draw isn’t that bad of a result. They put us in difficult situations especially in the box area.”
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