Canberra United head North this weekend for Round 5 of the Ninja A-League and only a fourth ever visit to play Central Coast Mariners, both teams seeking the points which would put them in a strong position on the league table.
United currently sit one point ahead of their opponents after four rounds of the competition after both teams emerged from Unite Round with a point apiece following Canberra’s 1-1 stalemate with Perth Glory, the Mariners achieving the same result against Melbourne Victory.
The Mariners come into the fixture undefeated in a string start to 2024/5, following their opening day 3-1 win against Sydney FC with a trio of draws, 0-0 against Western United, 2-2 versus Melbourne City, and last week’s draw in Sydney.
United have had a mixed bag on trips to play Central Coast, winning 3-0 on their first venture to the Coast in December 2008, drawing 1-1 a year later in October 2009, before suffering a 1-4 reverse on their most recent outing, the match in mid-March earlier this year.
Indeed, that three-goal win in 2008 is the only time on five outings that Canberra has got one up on their Mariners opponents rendering this fixture as another tricky test for Antoni Jagarinec and his young team. At an average of 23 years and 169 days for the squad used in 2024/25, Canberra possesses the youngest team in the competition.
Whilst Canberra has been solid defensively, there has been a struggle to turn possession into meaningful attempt with Michelle Heyman restricted to just five shots on goal so far this term, the same as Mary Stanic-Floody and one less than Jynaya Dos Santos and Maja Markovski.
Having only conceded five goals, only three teams have conceded less, United have faced 69 shots so far this season with only 21 of those testing goalkeeper Sally James, such has been the tenacity and resolute defensive effort to block anything from making its way towards goal.
What this all mounts up to is a serious test of where the team stands. A victory and United will be on the coattails of the leaders and in a nice position indeed ahead of a pair of forthcoming Melbourne tests.
