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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Joey Lynch

‘Proving people wrong’: how Central Coast Mariners reached A-League Women grand final

Central Coast Mariners celebrate their A-League Women semi-final win against Melbourne City
Central Coast Mariners celebrate their A-League Women semi-final win against Melbourne City. ‘Nobody picked us to be even in the top six this year, let alone get through to a grand final,’ said the manager, Emily Husband. ‘Let’s keep surprising them.’ Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

The Central Coast Mariners weren’t supposed to crash the A-League Women grand final, but they face Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park on Sunday.

Two years ago they didn’t even exist. The Mariners’ women’s programme was in its 13th year of inactivity after being mothballed for financial reasons (serious concerns over the ever-impecunious club’s viability still linger). On the field, they made a celebrated return for the 2023–24 season, riding the wave of momentum born from Australia hosting the 2023 Women’s World Cup to stun Victory in an elimination final, before running into the eventual champions Sydney FC in the semi-finals.

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