Olympic seal hard-fought win over Sharks
Sydney Olympic secured a 2-0 victory over Sutherland Sharks at Seymour Shaw on Saturday evening in the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s match of the round.
Sutherland Sharks, one of this seasons top goal scorers, were up against the leagues meanest defence when they hosted Sydney Olympic in what has been, over the years, a fiercely contested local derby.
It was the visitors who opened the scoring from the spot when Roy O’Donovan slotted home just inside the right-hand post before adding a second in stoppage time.
Other than a fine Anthony Bouzanis save for the Sharks, from the ever busy O’Donovan, there was little of note in the opening 15 minutes with both looking to exploit the other down the flanks when there appeared no way through a heavily congested midfield.
Lukman Shaibu tried his luck from the edge of the area but the left-footed shot was always rising and curling away from the goal after twisting the defence to create the opening.
The dynamic changed in the 23rd minute when Sutherland fell behind to yet another penalty for a handball after a goalmouth scramble that ex-Sunderland player O’Donovan coolly despatched inside the right-hand upright to give the visitors the lead.
It was a tough call for the Sharks who have been guilty of conceding spot-kicks with alarming regularity this campaign.
Desperate defending from James Baldacchino in the box denied O’Donovan the space to work another attempt late in the half for his second with Sutherland heading to the half-time break with the now all too regular practice of being behind.
Sydney Olympic proved their defensive prowess in 2022 was valid after the break until the 55th minute when James Andrew broke down the right and centred for Shaibu who, falling backwards, skied his shot over the bar with Nick Sullivan screaming for the ball to be played to him left a forlorn onlooker.
Sharks’ coach Nick Dimovski rang the changes when bringing on Chris Lindsay and Mitch Smith in the 63rd minute for Lachlan Everett and Shaibu respectively the hopes fresh legs would assist in restoring parity.
It came close to being inspired when a Lindsay free-kick found Smith lurking at the back post but the striker couldn’t find the headed pass back for his team mates and Nick Sorras, for long periods a bystander, had the simple task of gathering the ball.
Lindsay was caught in possession by Oliver Puflett who slipped the ball wide but the Sharks substitute was able to recover and thwart the visitors progress, but in pushing forward in search of an equaliser they were leaving space in behind for Olympic to exploit.
Jason Madonis, playing against his old side for the first time, worked tirelessly all afternoon and brought a full-stretch save out of Sorras who tipped it around the framework for a corner after the midfielder worked an opening for himself.
Smith again brought another fine save out of Sorras who was forced to tip the header over the bar with a couple of minutes or normal time left before Gabriel Contagiani thundered an effort against the crossbar.
Sydney Olympic brought on 16-year-old Youshaa Knaj for a cameo appearance during stoppage time before O’Donovan wrapped up the result with his second of the match, his fourth of the 2022 season, for the visitors in the fourth minute of injury time.
It put the result beyond doubt and yet another penalty left Sharks coach Nick Dimovski to comment about.
“Once again in another interview we’re talking about a penalty and I think that’s five we’ve had awarded against us in the opening five rounds.
”But we knew Sydney Olympic are a tough team and we knew we were in for a hard game but I thought we deserved a point from the game and I’m quite disappointed with the result.
“We tweaked things up a bit in the first-half after conceding too readily and went more on the defensive but after the break we reverted to the Sutherland of old and started playing our attacking football.
“We tried and tried but couldn’t open the Olympic defence and left ourselves a little open at the back.
“Up until the end we were pushing players forward and eventually paid the price in stoppage time but by then we were really pushing hard for the equaliser.”
“My take is it was a game of two halves,” stated Sydney Olympic coach Ante Juric.
“”We dominated the first period and limited them to a few half-chances and we knew they would have to come at us after the break and probably were unlucky with one shot that skewed off the players boot.
“Other than that there were a number of long shots and crosses that we dealt with comfortably.
“Sutherland had to come at us in the second-half but we dealt with it and the defence stood up well and it’s something we’ve been working on for the past couple of years and now it’s starting to come good.
“I’m very pleased with how it went as it always a tough fixture and although we got the second goal late on, I believe it’s a fair result at the end of the day.”
Match Stats
Sutherland Sharks 0
Sydney Olympic 2 (O’Donovan 24’p, 90+2)
Seymour Shaw Park, Miranda
Saturday, 9th April 2022
Referee: Kelly Jones
Assistant Referees: Matthew Staples and Manwel Limnios
Fourth Official: Harrison Fisher
Sutherland Sharks: 1. Anthony Bouzanis, 2. James Baldacchino, 6. Patrick O’Shea, 7. Harry Callaghan (3. Gabriel Contagiani 85’), 8. Jason Madonis, 10. Lachlan Everett (14. Chris Lindsay 63’), 12. Lukman Ahmed-Shaibu (18. Mitch Smith 63’), 17. James Andrew, 21. Michael Neill, 22. Nick Sullivan, 23. Mark Rodic
Subs not used: 13. Charlie Jones, 16. Jacob Cremen-Cowan, 25. Luke Sauer
Yellow Cards: Nick Sullivan 37’, Harry Callaghan 45’
Red Cards: Nil
Sydney Olympic: 1. Nick Sorras, 2. Tom Whiteside, 3. Nikola Ujdur, 4. Ben Van Meurs, 7. Will Angel, 8. Sam McIlhatton (24. Hagi Gligor 83’), 9. Oliver Pufflet, 17. Marley Peterson (26. Youshaa Knaj 90+1), 19. Darcy Burgess (10. Brendan Cholakian 67’), 23. Daniel Dias, 99. Roy O’Donovan
Subs not used: 21. Chan Deng, 30. Jeremy Pollard, 36. Peter Politis
Yellow Cards: Marley Peterson 90+1
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 – Roy O’Donovan (SO)
2 – Patrick O’Shea (SS)
1 – Jason Madonis (SS)
By NPL NSW Men’s Reporter Micky Brock
