The Central Coast Mariners eased past Odisha FC 4-0 in the first leg of their AFC Inter-Zonal semifinal match at Gosford, Australia. Goals from Mikael Doka (two), Storm Roux and Ronaldo Barcellos saw the Mariners take a massive upper hand in the two-legged tie.
Odisha came into the match on the back of a tough domestic outing -- losing to Chennaiyin in injury time on Sunday, and walking out at the Central Coast stadium with a day's rest and one training session behind them -- but limp out comprehensive losers. The Mariners' wingers Angel Torres(LW) and Mikael Doka (RW), front two Joshua Nisbet (floating CF), Jing Reec (CF) and fullbacks Storm Roux (RB) and Jacob Farrell (LB) ran amok in the Odisha half during the first 45 and Odisha were rather fortunate to go into the break only one down. That goal was a well worked one: Nisbet pulling back for Doka to stroke into the bottom corner
At the other end, Diego Mauricio was left stranded alone and was easily shepherded away from the Mariners goal by Daniel Hall and Brian Kaltak.Roy Krishna, sent to run down the wings, was ineffective till he started pulling inside in the second half. But by then the Mariners had started running riot -- Storm Roux came inside and thundered one in from close range, Krishna pulled down Farrell in the box and Doka finished the penalty with panache and then Ronald Barcellos added the cherry on top with a toe-poke finish from the excellent Roux's run and cross.
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