THE Central Coast Mariners will be without a host of stars for tonight's AFC Champions League match against Chinese side Guizhou Renhe in Guiyang.

With one eye on Sunday's A-League semi-final against Melbourne Victory, coach Graham Arnold has left Josh Rose, Patrick Zwaanswijk, Michael McGlinchey, Daniel McBreen, Pedj Bojic and Nick Montgomery at home.

The Mariners of course beat Guizhou 2-1 at home last week, just the team's second victory in 15 AFC Champions League matches.

After a gruelling day of travel on Sunday that included a 10-hour flight to Guangzhou, a three-hour stopover, another two-hour flight and a one-hour bus ride, Arnold's squad will have had just one training session at the 52,000 capacity Guiyang Sports Centre ahead of tonight's match.

The good news is that a win tonight will guarantee the Mariners a place in the knockout phase of the competition for the first time in the club's history.

Mariners squad

• Mathew Ryan
• Zac Anderson
• John Hutchinson (c)
• Adriano Pellegrino
• Bernie Ibini
• Oliver Bozanic
• Brent Griffiths
• Brad McDonald
• Trent Sainsbury
• Anthony Caceres
• Mitchell Duke
• Justin Pasfield
• Hayden Morton
• Michael Neill
• Nick Fitzgerald