Mariners' ACL nightmare continues

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Central Coast Mariners ... are thunped in their ACL game. Source: Jiji Press / AAP

The Mariners' lamentable record in Asia continued after Graham Arnold's men went down 3-1 to Japanese side Kashiwa Reysol in Guiyang.

Despite taking the lead after just eight minutes through Patrick Zwaanswijk, Central Coast conceded three times to be left with just a single point from two Asian Champions League games.

A perfect side-footed volley from man of the match Leandro Domingues sealed the win with just two minutes remaining, and the Mariners managed to miss a fifth straight penalty through Michael McGlinchey in the last seconds.

Having won just once in 14 ACL games now, the Mariners are learning afresh how tough a competition it is against sides with many times the playing budget.

Arnold's response just before the hour was to bring on in-form New Zealand playmaker Michael McGlinchey, but within seconds the Mariners had almost conceded a self-inflicted second. A low cross looked harmless but Zac Anderson decided to leave it for Ryan, causing huge confusion. Anthony Cacares was forced to throw himself in the path of the loose ball.

Moments later Kashiwa broke again, with Domingues slipping a beautiful pass into the path of Kano, whose driven shot from an angle found only the side netting. The Mariners were under pressure, and with 66 minutes gone they cracked.

Domingues, so elegant all night, was the architect with a sumptuous pass out to the right. From Fujita's cross there were two players unmarked in the six-yard box, and Kano got the final touch beyond Ryan for Kashiwa's second.

Aghast at the turnaround - especially in a game where the Mariners had looked comfortable for long periods - Arnold threw Bernie Ibini into the fray, and the young forward almost had an instant impact with a volley deflected wide.

But as Arnold cajoled his troops from the sidelines, the Mariners hopes of taking a point from Kashiwa - and avoiding a third straight loss - were diminishing by the minute.

In the wake of their tough late-season schedule, Arnold was forced into several changes, but his side still had the perfect start. Two of those coming in, Oliver Bozanic and Adriano Pellegrino, combined to earn a corner that Bozanic swung over for Patrick Zwaanswijk to power home an unopposed header.

The Mariners were jubilant but the quality of Kashiwa was instantly apparent as they sought an equaliser.

Even before Zwaanswijk's goal, Mat Ryan had produced a magnificent save to tip away a volley from Masushima, and in the 16th minute they were hugely fortunate not to concede a penalty.

Kashiwa's fleet-footed forward Kano Kenta was poised to convert a knock down when Cacares clearly clipped his heels - remarkably UAE referee Ali Hamad Albadwai turned away the appeals.

But the home side would not be denied, and in the 22nd minute they were level.

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