Team of the Week, presented by Bunnings Warehouse - Matchweek 14 a-league.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from a-league.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Matchweek 12 of the 2020/21 A-League campaign comes to a close with Central Coast Mariners six points clear at the top of the table.
The Gosford side drew 2-2 with Perth Glory on Sunday afternoon. Wins to Western Sydney Wanders, Adelaide United and Melbourne City helped the three teams placed second to fourth marginally close the gap on the league-leaders.
Sydney FC beat Newcastle Jets 2-1 to move into fifth, whilst Macarthur FC fell from second to sixth after losing 3-0 to City.
Melbourne Victory, meanwhile, remain bottom of the table after a 3-1 Original Rivalry loss to the Reds. Grant Brebner s side remain on seven points, four points behind both Newcastle and Wellington Phoenix who lost to the Sky Blues and Wanderers respectively in Matchweek 12.
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Covic knows all about adversity after Victory chewed up and spat out Mehmet Durakovic and Jim Magilton, and missed the finals, during his 13 months at the club a decade ago.
But the former Socceroo has been taken aback at how deeply the A-League’s self-proclaimed biggest club have descended into a black hole this season, under the auspices of a rookie coach, inexperienced football recruitment department and a disunited board.
Six defeats from their last seven have sent Navy Blue fans stir crazy over the prospect of a first ever wooden spoon, and ladled unprecedented scrutiny on the ailing club.
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Adelaide skipper Stefan Mauk scored a brace while impact substitute Kusini Yengi scored one goal and assisted another to deliver the Reds their fourth win on the bounce and dial up the pressure on Victory boss Grant Brebner.
Jake Brimmer s spectacular free kick got Victory off to the perfect start in the 28th minute, before the Reds hit back, then seized control at Marvel Stadium.
Brebner made four changes to the team thumped 6-0 by Melbourne City, while Adelaide goalkeeper James Delianov failed a late fitness test, opening the door for youngster Joe Gauci.
A lively Victory had three big chances to snare the lead in the space of six minutes - with Robbie Kruse scuppering two in the 12th and 16th minutes and Rudy Gestede heading another over the bar in the 17th.
Victory crash to Reds and looked doomed to wooden onenewspage.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from onenewspage.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.