Sunderland transfer target Nectarios Triantis may have bid a fairytale farewell to Australia's A-League after helping the Central Coast Mariners to a stunning Grand Final win against favourites Melbourne City. The central defender has been linked with a £250,000 move to the Black Cats, with BEIN Sport claiming this week that a deal is close.
Mariners owner Richard Peil was asked about the 20-year-old's future before the Grand Final but batted away the question, insisting: "I'm not going to confirm or deny any rumours at the moment - I just want to let the players play their game. "Like every off-season there'll be players coming in and players going out, that we guarantee.
"We'll make some comments post the Grand Final."
READ MORE: Sunderland target a 'future international' as Nectar Triantis hailed by Mariners coach
Triantis went on to play for 85 minutes as the Mariners thrashed Melbourne 6-1 at Sydney's CommBank Stadium, with Jason Cummings scoring a hat-trick. Cummings opened the scoring in the 20th minute, with Sammy Silvera doubling their lead ten minutes before the break, before Richard van der Venne pulled a goal back five minutes later.
In the second half, Cummings scored twice from the penalty spot - in the 65th and 73rd minutes - before Beni N'kololo scored inside the final ten minutes and Moresche added the sixth in injury-time. Australia U20 international Triantis was replaced by Christian Theoharous five minutes from time, with the score 5-1.
The Mariners had finished the regular season in second place in the A-League, 11 points behind tabletoppers Melbourne. The top six teams had contested the finals, with the Mariners and Melbourne guaranteed semi-final spots while the other four sides played in two elimination ties to earn the right to go through to the semi-finals.
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