Central Coast Mariners gun Marco Tulio became the first Australian to score a hat-trick in the Asian Champions League amid a massive 11 goal haul in wins for the A-League premiers and Melbourne City.
The Mariners romped to an astonishing 9-1 win over Filipino club Stallion Laguna FC Stallion while 18-year-old Max Caputo scored to boot City to a 2-1 win over Chinese Super League side Zhejiang Professional in Hangzhou.
Playing under new manager Mark Jackson for the first time, the Mariners flexed their considerable muscle which put to bed the disappointment of an opening-day loss to Terengganu on the road.
An injury to goalkeeper and captain Danny Vukovic, with the start of the A-League season just two weeks away, was the only negative on a stunning night for the A-League champions.
Tulio was one of six goalscorers in the Mariners’ blitz with defender Brian Kaltak scoring for the very first time in his professional club career.
Coming off an opening round draw Kofu, City got on the scoresheet early through Socceroo Aziz Behich, who‘s returned to the club after a decade in Europe.
Then 18-year-old Caputo then struck in the 17th minute helping City to a victory which puts them on top of group H on four points, ahead of Japanese side Ventforet Kofu in the early rounds of the competition.