The Mariners will be vying to become the first A-League club to qualify for a fifth ACL campaign when they host Chinese Super League side Guangzhou R&F in a do-or-die playoff game in Gosford on Tuesday.
Should Central Coast succeed, Japan's Gamba Osaka, Korea Republic side Seongnam FC, and Thai club Buriram United FC lie in wait in group F.
Languishing in eighth-place with only three wins from 17 matches this A-League season, there hasn't been much for the Mariners to celebrate.
But Moss is hoping securing a place in the prestigious continental competition will be the morale boost his side desperately needs to pull it out of its domestic malaise.
"This is a brand new competition, it's a different mindset, a different focus and a welcome distraction from the A-League as well," he said.
"It's an opportunity to get something very bright out of a season that's had its ups and downs.
"There's no doubt we're short of our targets at moment.
"We believe we're a top-six side and we're not in the top six but the season's not over, not by a long stretch and certainly a win tomorrow night would help boost confidence for the A-League."
But if the letters R&F, short for 'Rich' and 'Force', are anything to go by the Mariners will have their work cut out for them against Guangzhou, who are eyeing a maiden ACL berth.
The Chinese outfit finished a club-high third domestically last year under former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who was this season replaced by Romanian coach Cosmin Contra.
Contra, who came to Guangzhou from Spanish top-tier club Getafe, recruited highly rated Spanish playmaker Michel from the La Liga side in December.
But Michel's just one of the foreigners the Mariners need to be wary of with Moroccan striker Abderrazak Hamdallah and defensive midfielder Jang Hyun-soo, who started in Korea Republic's Asian Cup final against Australia last month, also on the danger list.
Contra guided Guangzhou to a 3-0 win over Singaporean side the Warriors last week to progress to Tuesday's playoff.
Moss said he's done his research on the Chinese side and having drawn on the the knowledge of Eddy Bosnar, who spent a year at Guangzhou before joining the Mariners, is as prepared as he can be.
"We've got a fair bit of inside knowledge and that's been very helpful," he said.
"We're pretty well educated on what they're going to serve up, it's just a matter of stopping it.
"Games like this bring the best out of our team. We love the big games."
