Sharks score vital victory at Hakoah
A costly error from Hakoah Sydney City East midfielder Adison Sayan has gifted Sutherland Sharks a late winner to snatch a 2-1 victory at Hensley Athletic Field on Sunday.
It was Sutherland’s second win on the trot and sixth game unbeaten with the club re-igniting their season after a run of ten games without a win.
With the match headed for a draw and only a few minutes left on the clock, substitute Sayan set up Sharks striker Charles Lokolingoy to score with an errant pass to nobody across his own goal.
It was a heartbreaking result for Hakoah who had only 10 minutes earlier had stunned the Sharks when they made it 1-1 through an own goal from Sutherland defender Marc Warren.
It was a brilliant response from Hakoah who had trailed 1-0 since Raul Romero’s ninth minute goal, but it wasn’t to be as Lokolingoy upset their hopes of a competition point when he hit the back of the net with four minutes left on the clock.
Hakoah remain anchored to the bottom of the competition with only three wins from 13 games this season while Sutherland jump up to ninth.
Sutherland had the better start of the two sides and made it count when Romero stung a sloppy Hakoah defence to score after only nine minutes.
The creative midfielder fired home from the right edge of the penalty box after finding space from a slick Sharks passing move.
Hakoah goalkeeper Ryan Norval had his hands full early on and was forced into save after save single handedly keeping his team in the match.
In the 35th minute the gloveman pulled off an incredible diving stop to keep out an errant clearance from his teammate.
Hakoah started to win more of the ball as the interval loomed closer but they were unable to level the score at the end of the first 45 minutes.
The home side carried their new found vigour into the second stanza and James Coombes was unlucky not to score after latching onto a nicely placed cross into the box with his head in the 50th minute.
Hakoah was starting to win the majority of contested balls which put pressure on the Sutherland defence.
The visitors did force another fine save from Norval in the 69th minute after Jordan Morfitis found space.
Coombes had a moment he would want to forget in the 72nd minute when he failed to control an innocuous clearance.
Lokolingoy sprinted past the shocked defender and on rushing keeper but was unable to put the ball in the empty net.
Hakoah made the most of their lifeline going up the other end of the pitch on the very next possession to snatch an equalizer.
A looping ball into the penalty area was kicked into the back of his own net by Warren as he attempted to deny Amauri Gauthier from scoring.
With the match seemingly headed for a draw, a boneheaded play from Adison Sayan proved costly for the home side.
The midfielder received the ball 20 yards from goal on the western touchline before dribbling towards his own goal line, making two step overs and then passing across his own goal for Lokolingoy to intercept and tap home.
It was a heartbreaking moment for Hakoah who felt they had done enough to avoid defeat.
Sayan had a chance to make up for his error in the 88th minute but his diving header went over the bar as Sutherland secured the win.
Sharks coach Terry Palapanis was all smiles after the unexpected win and admitted he felt Hakoah were, for large parts of the match, the better side.
“We made the most of our chances today which is something we have struggled with for most of the season,” he said.
“We are building as a team and our recent run of results is testament to that.
“Next week we have APIA but if we can find a way to win when we don’t play our best as we did today then we are in with a good shot.”
Match Stats
Hakoah Sydney City East: 1 (Warren (OG) 72’)
Sutherland Sharks: 2 ( Romero 9’, Lokolingoy 85’)
Sunday, June 6 2019
Hensley Athletic Field, East Gardens
Referee: T Plasto
Assistant Referees: J Park, M Staples
Fourth official: S Quinn
Hakoah Sydney City East: 1. Ryan Norval, 2. Connor Shaddock, 3. James Coombes, 8. Oliver Green, 9. Shohei Okuna, 13. Robert Ezekiel, 15. Pedj Bojic, 17. Harry Jones, 18. Jordan Koton (7. Adison Sayan 68’), 24. Amauri Gauthier, 31. Joshua Swadling
Substitutes not used: 5. Stephen Katsionis, 6. Dominic Cox, , 25. Max Ephraim, 60.Takayuki Noji
Yellow cards: Green 65’, Bojic 75’, Okuna 92’
Red cards: Nil
Sutherland Sharks: 46. Nathan Denham, 2. Quentin Cheng, 3. Marc Warren, 4. Patrick O’Shea, 8. Matteo Poljak (7. Lachlan Everett 71’), 9. Jeremy Cox (19. Harry Sutherland 89’), 10. Raul Romero, 11. Jordan Morfitis, 12. Blair Brown, 14. Charles Lokolingoy, 17. Liam McGing
Substitutes not used : 25. Brodie Clarkson, 18. Mitchell Evans, 32. Alexander Lopez
Yellow cards: O’Shea 20’, Brown 50’, Cox 88’
Red cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3- Romero (SS)
2- Lokolingoy (SS)
1- Norval (HSCE)
