AFC Cup Rival Watch: Odisha FC's opponents Central Coast Mariners

Central Coast Mariners are currently unbeaten in their last five matches.

Odisha FC are ready to play in their first-ever AFC Cup inter-zonal semi-finals when they face off against A-League aces Central Coast Mariners on Thursday. Despite flying high in the Indian Super League (ISL) this season, the game against the Australian side will be a different challenge altogether as they get their first taste of major continental knockout rounds.

The Central Coast Mariners have plenty of continental experience, having played in Asia’s major competition multiple times in the past. They are among the best clubs that Australia has to offer and are renowned for their progressive, attacking style of play. Here is what can be expected from the Mariners.

About The Team

The Central Coast Mariners were founded only in 2004 and have been a mainstay in the A-League ever since. They imposed their authority in the major Australian division from the get-go, but couldn’t actually win the A-League championship before their first title in 2013.

A decade later, in 2023, they won their second A-League Championship title and have also won the A-League Premiership (league phase) crown on two occasions. On top of this, they have played in the AFC Champions League five times in their history, getting into the Round of 16 on two separate occasions.

Recent Performances

Central Coast Mariners have been in impressive form as of late, having won their last five matches in all competitions. They are currently in second place in the 2023/24 A-League table, three points behind Wellington Phoenix.

The Yellow & Navy have also been quite dominant in the AFC Cup stages this season, only suffering one loss in the group stages and scoring 22 goals in six group games. They easily defeated Cambodian side Phnom Penh Crown in the ASEAN zonal semi-finals before picking up a thrilling win over fellow A-League side Macarthur FC in the ASEAN zonal final to book their place in the inter-zonal semi-finals against Odisha FC.

The Coach

English coach Mark Jackson has been in charge of the Central Coast Mariners since September 2023 and has done a pretty solid job at the helm in what is only his second-ever managerial job in his career.

He worked as the Leeds United U-23 coach from 2020-2022 and also as an assistant to Jesse Marsch for a short period in 2022, and the manager of EFL League Two side MK Dons, before bagging the Central Coast Mariners job last year. Jackson has had a pretty solid record with the Australian heavyweights, boasting a 55.56% win rate and making them a thrilling attacking team which has scored 64 goals in 27 matches under him.

Jackson normally likes to play with a flat 4-4-2 formation which includes two strikers co-existing with each other, bringing a major goal threat and more numbers in the attack. Despite that, the Mariners have been pretty decently structured defensively and kept four clean-sheets in their last five games. The Englishman likes his side to play smart transitional attacking football, but also prefers to preserve the lead and nudge out narrow wins – something that can be a challenge for the Juggernauts.

Players to Watch

Angel Torres

A graduate of the FC Porto youth academy, Colombian winger Angel Torres has been a smashing hit at Central Coast Mariners after joining them at the start of the season. He has scored 13 goals and provided eight assists across all competitions so far, which includes six goal contributions in the AFC Cup.

Torres is a rapid, lively figure who can play across both the wings and is known for his ability to dribble past defenders and use his trickery to trouble opposition backlines. Torres’ ability to get into goal-scoring areas, prolific finishing ability and creativity makes him a major threat for Odisha and one player they must keep in check to get anything out of the semi-finals.

Joshua Nisbet

Joshua Nisbet has proven to be an extremely versatile asset for Jackson in the current Central Coast Mariners set-up, having played in a variety of roles. He has played in multiple midfield roles, as well as up front at times. Nisbet’s impressive adaptability to matches, ability to move past his marker and set up chances make him a major threat.

He has 11 assists in 28 matches for the Mariners this season, boasting impressive creativity that helps him carve out chances from out of nothing. Nisbet will aim to maintain his impressive form by being a menacing force in his side’s midfield and also stop Odisha from dictating the tempo of the game with his proactive nature.

Maximilien Balard

The Central Coast Mariners’ current system needs their No.6 Max Balard to act like a shield for the backline to give more defensive sturdiness to the team. Balard has featured in all but one game for the Yellow & Navy this season, showcasing his importance to how the team functions.

Balard isn’t that focused on creating chances or anything, but is more of a destroyer who thrives in stealing the possession off opposition players and also protects his backline by going deep and cutting out opposition attacking moves. He’ll need to be at his energetic best and read Odisha’s patterns properly to cut off their attacking threat. Sergio Lobera’s side will need to be smart to outwit the compact defensive midfielder in the upcoming matches.

What To Expect

The Central Coast Mariners have been pretty dominant in the AFC Cup so far, scoring a lot of goals and playing some exciting attacking football to get them into the inter-zonal semi-final stages. However, the A-League heavyweights are unlikely to take Odisha FC lightly and will be wary of the threat that Sergio Lobera’s men can possess.

While their added experience in situations like this does help the Australian side, they are unlikely to deploy an all-out attack approach and leave themselves vulnerable for counter-attacks against the likes of Roy Krishna & co. They might actually look to allow Odisha to keep some of the possession and hit them on the transitions, with Jackson’s side carving out a number of narrow wins in recent weeks.

Irrespective, the Mariners will aim to play some entertaining attacking football and really test the resolve of Odisha FC’s sturdiness in what should be a few intriguing battles in the next fortnight.

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