The Central Coast Mariners' first home Asian Champions League Elite game in nearly a decade has ended in a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Thai powers Buriram United.
Downed by goals from Brazilian attacker Guilherme Bissoli and former Melbourne City and Socceroo defender Curtis Good, Mark Jackson’s side has now lost both their opening ACLE fixtures.
Next they face a trip to Kevin Muscat’s Chinese Super League leaders Shanghai Port, who themselves have one point from two matches after losing 3-0 at South Korea's Pohang Steelers.
That contest will come four days after the defending A-League Men champions commence their domestic campaign against Melbourne Victory on October 18.
Seeking to rebound from their 3-1 loss away to Chinese side Shandong Taishan in their opening ACLE game, the hosts started with vigour at Central Coast Stadium as Alou Kuol shot wide in the fifth minute.
But without injured skipper Trent Sainsbury, the Mariners began to be increasingly pushed back by the Thai champions who drew 0-0 with J1 League champions Vissel Kobe in their opening match.
After a series of near misses by the visitors, a quickly taken free kick broke the Mariners open on the half-hour mark and found Dion Cools in space and he crossed for Bissoli, who guided the ball into the net.
Five minutes into the second half the deficit was then doubled by a familiar face when Good got forward from the Buriram backline and headed home a Goran Causic cross.
And it went from bad to worse for the Mariners in the 57th minute when a moment of recklessness from Adam Pavlesic saw the 'keeper sprint out of his area before bringing Bissoli down as he broke through on goal, earning a red card.
Placed under siege for much of the remaining game, the Mariners salvaged something late when ex-Newcastle Jets player Lucas Mauragis drove into space atop the Buriram box and smashed home a thunderous consolation in the 95th.
Elsewhere in the East Region Johor Darul Ta'zim beat Shanghai Shenhua 3-0 in Malaysia and section leaders Gwangju FC won 1-0 at Kawasaki Frontale 1-0.
The top eight in the 12-team section go through to the knock-out stages. Mariners are currently 11th, sandwiched by Yokohama F Marinos and Ulsan HD, who are also pointless and meet in Japan on Wednesday.
