Osman included in Mariners squad for Preliminary Final

Midfielder Matthew Osman will travel to Adelaide for Sunday’s Preliminary Final despite lingering concerns over his health following his early substitution against the Newcastle United Jets at Central Coast Stadium last Friday.

Osman, who has made nineteen appearances for the Mariners this Hyundai A-League season, was substituted just 36 minutes in to last Friday’s Minor Semi Final Second Leg, with scans later revealing the former Young Socceroo had a mild case of pneumonia.

The 22-year-old barely trained with his team mates this week, although Mariners Football Manager Lawrie McKinna has opted to include this winger in his traveling party, especially in light of his recent form.

"Off the bench, Matthew has the potential to be a match winner and that’s why we’re giving him every chance to play," said McKinna.

"As he showed against the Jets two weeks ago, he’s a threat in the final third of the pitch and I have every confidence that he can cause Adelaide problems on Sunday."

Defender Nigel Boogaard, who has managed only one minute of game time this season due to a debilitating bout of glandular fever, has been included in McKinna’s extended squad of seventeen players and will be added to the substitutes bench should Osman not recover in time.

Sunday’s match up between the Mariners and Adelaide United will be their fifth meeting since May’s Club World Championship qualifying series.

Interestingly, the first time the Mariners played Adelaide United was in a sudden-death playoff for a berth in the Club World Championship qualifying series Grand Final against Sydney FC - an situation identical to what they face on Sunday.

McKinna’s charges will be hoping for a repeat of the Club World Championship qualifying series Semi Final, which was won 4-0 by the Mariners at Central Coast Stadium.

Since May 2005’s abridged knock out tournament that determined Australia’s representative at the Oceania Club Championships in Tahiti, the Mariners have met their red clad counterparts on three occasions in the Hyundai A-League.

The Mariners’ two visits to Hindmarsh Stadium, the venue for Sunday’s match, resulted in 1-1 draws, while United claimed a 2-1 victory in the only encounter to be played out at Central Coast Stadium.

The Mariners’ only two goals at Hindmarsh Stadium have both been scored by former youth international Adam Kwasnik, who having fully recovered from a knee injury will be a poignant option in attack for McKinna.

Another player key to the Mariners chances is newly crowned Socceroo defender Michael Beauchamp, who as of midday today was in transit from the Bahraini capital of Manama to Sydney via Singapore.

Beauchamp will arrive in Sydney later this evening (Friday), and join his teammates in Adelaide for a mid afternoon training session on Saturday.

"There’s a Grand Final berth at stake so of course it’s going to be a tough game," said McKinna.

"Adelaide will feel that they deserve to be in Sydney next Sunday after the season they’ve had and we need to match their desperation to have a chance.

"However, on merits, we also deserve to be there, especially after our recent run of form and we believe that we can extend our unbeaten run to at least two more matches."

Central Coast Mariners squad is:

2. Wayne O’Sullivan, 3. Paul O’Grady, 4. Noel Spencer, 5. Michael Beauchamp, 6. Andre Gumprecht, 8. Dean Heffernan, 10. Tom Pondeljak, 11. Damien Brown, 12. Stewart Petrie, 15. Andrew Clark, 16. Nigel Boogaard, 17. Matthew Osman, 18. Alex Wilkinson, 19. Adam Kwasnik, 20. Danny Vukovic (gk), 22. Jamie McMaster, 30. Matthew Trott (gk) *one to be omitted.

A significant band of traveling Mariners support is headed for Adelaide, although plenty of tickets in the visiting supporters bay are still available from the VenueTix website – www.venuetix.com.au or via phone on (08) 8225 8888. Kick off is at 5pm EDST.

Fans not traveling to Adelaide can keep updated by tuning into Fox Sports for live and exclusive coverage, or listening to a live radio broadcast on 2CCC 96.3fm.

Tickets to the Hyundai A-League Grand Final to be played on Sunday, 5 March at 5pm at Sydney’s Aussie Stadium will go on sale next Monday, 27 February at 9am, from all Central Coast Ticketek outlets should the Mariners defeat Adelaide United on Sunday.

Internet and phone sales are not permitted for the Grand Final, ensuring that only Mariners supporters are able to purchase the limited tickets still available for purchase.

Central Coast Ticketek outlets are located at the following:

Central Coast Leagues Club: Dane Drive, Gosford.
Central Coast Stadium (Eastern Side): Dane Drive, Gosford.
Erina Ice World: Erina Fair Shopping Centre, Karalta Road, Erina.
Mingara Recreation Club: Mingara Drive, Tumbi Umbi.

All tickets that remain unsold after Monday will be released for general sale on Tuesday, 28 February at 9:00am.

A-League - Preliminary Final

Adelaide United vs Central Coast Mariners
Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
Sunday February 26
Kick off: 4:30pm (local/SA), 5:00pm (AEDST)

Exclusively live on Fox Sports from 4:30pm AEDST.