A-League Icon Secures Draw for Resilient Canberra as Mariners Continue Winning Streak

In a thrilling encounter, Michelle Heyman netted an equaliser in the 46th minute, ensuring Canberra United secured a 1-1 draw against the Central Coast Mariners in the Ninja A-League on Saturday.

The CommBank Matildas standout and A-Leagues icon recorded her seventh goal of the season, levelling the match after Jade Pennock had given the Mariners a lead with her strike in the 39th minute at McKellar Park.

Canberra’s unbeaten run has now stretched to four games, pushing them into the top six, ahead of Western United on goal difference and remaining just two points behind fifth-placed Central Coast.

Meanwhile, the Mariners have managed to extend their unbeaten streak against Canberra to five matches.

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Entering the match on a three-game winning spree against Canberra, the Mariners faced a tightly contested first half at McKellar Park, where it took 31 minutes for the first shot on target to emerge.

The breakthrough finally came eight minutes later, following a rapid counter-attack that saw Brooke Nunn setting up her fellow English teammate for the opening goal.

However, Central Coast’s lead was short-lived, as Heyman equalised barely a minute into the second half. Maja Markovski provided a pinpoint pass to the Aussie star, who finished with precision into the bottom corner.

Both sides pressed hard for a decisive goal, and although Canberra came close to claiming victory in the 93rd minute, the points were ultimately shared in the capital.

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Canberra nearly snatched the win in the dying moments, but the match ended with both teams taking a point home in Canberra.