Central Coast Mariners broke their finals bad luck and are finally A-League Champions.

Sadly the fairytale for Western Sydney Wanderers ended on Sunday with a packed stadium full of Wanderers supporters.

A first-half goal from veteran defender Patrick Zwaanswijk and Daniel McBreen’s second-half penalty sent Graham Arnold’s side on their way to victory.

The Wanderers threw everything at the Central Coast in the dying minutes but after so many years of pain and anguish they weren’t about to be denied a maiden championship.

Western Sydney, who secured the Premiers’ Plate a few weeks ago, were aiming to finish off a remarkable double success in their debut season.

Torrential rain hit Sydney in the lead-up to the game, which meant both sides found it difficult to produce free-flowing football.
The Wanderers best chance came on 19 minutes when defending from a corner.

Shinji Ono picked up possession in his own box before releasing Mark Bridge in space down the left.

Bridge was given time to turn and look up and he produced a delightful cross into the middle which was just slightly too hard for striker Dino Kresinger to get a header on.

It was a close call for Graham Arnold’s side but it was the Mariners who continued to muster the better opportunities and they went close twice within a minute.

First Sainsbury failed to connect when the ball fell to him at close range after the Wanderers failed to clear a corner.

Then, after the best piece of play in the half, Josh Rose got into a good position down the left but his low, fizzing cross was a fraction too far in front of Bernie Ibini at the far post.

But just when it looked like the two sides would go into the sheds level, the Mariners struck a minute before the break through Zwaanswijk.

The big Dutchman shrugged off the attention of Kresinger to rise highest and bury Michael McGlinchey’s cross past a stranded Covic.

As Daniel McBreen and Jerome Polenz battled for the ball inside the Wanderers box, the ball popped up and struck the defender on the arm, with Green perfectly placed to award a spot-kick.

McBreen, who had missed his last two penalties, made no mistake this time for his 19th goal of a remarkable season to send the Mariners fans into a frenzy.

Western Sydney Wanderers o
Central Coast Mariners 2 (Zwaanswijk 44, McBreen 68)

Source: Omnisport.