The Central Coast Mariners’ hopes of progressing through to the knockout stages of the AFC Champions League Elite have all but ended after slumping to a 4-0 defeat against Yokohama F Marinos.
With just a single point from their opening five games, the Mariners needed to win all three of their remaining fixtures to realistically retain any hope of advancing to the round of 16.
But they were overrun by the rampant Japanese powers at Central Coast Stadium on Tuesday night, conceding three goals before half-time.
As Mariners legend John Hutchinson watched on from the Yokohama dugout, Kenta Inoue bagged goals in the sixth and 30th minute as the 26-year-old cut bent an effort inside the near post for his first.
He then pounced on a loose ball and fired home as a static Mariners defence looked on for his second.
Brazilian striker Anderson Lopes made it three six minutes later, found by countryman Yan before easily creating a yard of space that allowed him to fire a deflected shot into the net.
Losing Ryan Edmondson to a knock just before the interval, the reigning A-League Men champions had no answer for the onslaught and by half-time were outshot 17 to four, with seven of the visitors’ efforts on target compared to just one from the hosts.
Seeking to go one better in this year’s ACLE after losing last season’s final to UAE outfit Al Ain, Yokohama put a bow on their evening on the hour when substitute Jun Amano bent a sublime free-kick into the top corner, leaving keeper Dylan Peraić-Cullen little chance.
The Mariners will end their ACLE group stage in February when they host Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta’zim before travelling to face Japanese outfit Kawasaki Frontale.
In the meantime, they will turn their attentions to Sydney FC in ALM action at Gosford this Sunday.
© AAP