All class: Shepparton’s Garang Kuol came on in the 55th minute in Central Coast Mariners’ clash with Macarthur on Sunday and turned the game on its head with two dazzling goals to draw his side level. The match was Kuol’s last before the Socceroos’ World Cup campaign begins. Photo: AAP
Fresh off his selection in the Socceroos’ World Cup squad Shepparton’s Garang Kuol continued his mesmerising run of form on Sunday with a stunning two-goal impact off the bench for Central Coast Mariners.
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Down to 10 men and two goals down in their round six A-League clash with Macarthur at Central Coast Stadium, Kuol entered the fray in the 55th minute and dragged his side back into the match almost single-handedly.
The Bulls were in control of early proceedings after a goal from Al Hassan Toure in the 14th minute, and things went from bad to worse for the hosts after Brian Kaltak was shown his marching orders on the half-hour mark after bringing down Lachie Rose just outside the box.
A Jonathan Aspropotamitis header three minutes into the second half left the Mariners with it all to do.
After a Jason Cummings penalty was saved in the 62nd minute, Kuol stepped up to draw his side level from the spot after he was brought down by Kearyn Baccus on the edge of the box two minutes afterwards.
His magnum opus came seven minutes later, when he controlled a cross to the back post with a sublime first touch, slamming it into the roof of the net from a tight angle to draw his side level.
The Mariners’ miraculous comeback was foiled with almost the last kick of the game, when Macarthur’s Jed Drew wheeled away to slot home past keeper Danny Vukovic in the final minute of stoppage time.
Speaking after the game Kuol said despite the disappointment of the afternoon, attention had to now turn to the World Cup.
“I think we were done dirty with the red card at the start, it made the game hard for us, but we were still the top team, we were just unlucky at the end there,” Kuol said.
“But you’ve got to focus on the next couple of weeks.
“You’ve got to perform for Australia.”
Kuol’s player-of-the-match performance drew praise from opposition coach Dwight Yorke and the wider soccer community.
“He single-handedly changed the game for them,” Yorke said.
“He’s been doing it for the past two games. You can see why he’s an exciting talent. He probably doesn’t deserve to lose the game.”
Cool customer: Garang Kuol converts a penalty against Macarthur in his starring performance on Sunday night. Photo: AAP
The Macarthur clash was Kuol’s final A-League hit-out before the 18-year-old sets off for the World Cup in Qatar.
After the squad announcement last week, Mariners coach Nick Montgomery said he felt “like a proud dad” hearing of Kuol’s selection.
“He’s only a kid, I feel like a proud dad with him because he came to us as a 16-year-old two years ago,” he said.
“His rise has been meteoric and inspirational for everybody.”
Australia begins its World Cup campaign against France at 6am on Wednesday, November 23.
