SNAPSHOT OF THE A-LEAGUE MEN GRAND FINAL
* RESULT: Central Coast Mariners beat Melbourne City 6-1 at CommBank Stadium.
* THE STORY: Premiers City faced underdogs Central Coast Mariners as both teams chase a second A-League championship title. City were aiming to secure a second win in four consecutive grand final appearances while the Mariners were on the hunt for their second in a decade. The Mariners drew first blood in the 20th minute after Jason Cummings slotted the ball past Curtis Good and goalkeeper Thomas Glover. Samuel Silvera added added another in the 33rd minute. Melbourne City hit back through Dutchman Richard van der Venne in the 40th minute. A 65th minute penalty conversion from Cummings all but secured the win for the Mariners, then the striker sealed a grand final hat-trick just seven minutes later. A Beni Nkololo header goal in the 83rd minute and a goal in stoppage time from Moresche completed the demolition.
* THE MOMENT: After having a shot blocked by Good, Cummings reacted fastest to poke home and kick off the goal-scoring in the 20th minute. It set the pace for the rest of the frantic match.
* THE STAR: In what will be his final season at the club, Jason Cummings’s goodbye gift of a hat-trick ensured the championship trophy returned to the Mariners for the first time in 10 years. The enigmatic Socceroo deservedly claimed the Joe Marston Medal as man of the match.
* THE QUOTE: “I’ve been here a year-and-a-half and the gaffer has changed my life. My career was spiralling out of control and I’ve fallen in love with the Coast” – Mariners striker Cummings.
* HIGH PROFILE: Vanuatu’s Prime Minister Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau made a special dash across the Pacific to Western Sydney to cheer on 30-year-old national Brian Kaltak who has reached the pinnacle of Australian soccer with the Mariners in his first year on the professional circuit. Kalsakau personally congratulated Kaltak after his victory.
* TALKING POINT: The Australian Professional Leagues’ decision to sell off the grand final hosting rights to Destination NSW continues to court controversy. Despite it being a City home final, the crowd at Sydney’s CommBank Stadium was overwhelmingly supportive of the Mariners.
Australian Associated Press