Bulls defeated by confident Olympic
Sydney Olympic have defeated Bulls FC Academy 1-0 at Belmore Sports Ground to make it two wins from two as they look to continue to push up the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s ladder.
Sydney Olympic’s first chance of the match came four minutes in, as a headed effort from Nick Fitzgerald off a pinpoint Adam Parkhouse corner dragged agonisingly wide.
The home side were looking dangerous on attacking transitions, with the Bulls making mistakes when trying to start play from their defensive line.
Sydney Olympic looked to consistently whip the ball into the box – nominally to the back post – and also looked dangerous off corner kicks.
The Bulls were also threatening off set pieces, and a clear, direct effort on goal off a corner was strongly palmed away by Nicholas Sorras on the goalline.
Olympic opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a good piece of play.
Parkhouse moved wide to receive the ball and played a clever one two with Jakor Cresnar, with the left back making an underlapping run to support.
Parkhouse then drove into the wide space, before finding Oliver Puflett with an accurate cross in the middle – the striker made no mistake in converting with poise and precision – it was the burly striker’s third of the 2023 NPL NSW Men’s campaign.
The home side continued to create chances, and in the 21st minute were denied by a sharp save from Alexander Robinson.
Sam Mcillhatton won back the ball with a fantastic challenge in midfield, before finding Puflett who released Parkhouse in behind.
The winger converged in on goal but couldn’t find a way past Robinson.
But the Bulls remained challenging and well in the game, and a deflected shot from Joel Bertolissio after a nice piece of skill just dragged wide of the post.
Mason Wells got in behind after a good piece of build-up to free up the left-winger, but both his cutback and attempted shot were blocked.
Olympic created another good chance to double their lead in the 37th minute.
The energetic Cresnar exchanged a precise one two with Fitzgerald to get in behind, before playing a clever cutback to Puflett.
The striker shot with the goal gaping, but couldn’t find the target as the ball sailed wide of the post.
Six minutes later, Parkhouse forced another sharp save from Robinson, as the winger unleashed a powerful effort after being slid in by Fabio Ferreira.
For Macarthur, Bertolissio looked threatening from range once again on the stroke of half time, put a powerful effort from outside the box wide of the post.
Fifteen minutes into the second half, Puflett was presented with a good opportunity to earn himself a brace and his side a two goal lead.
A threaded pass from Mcillhatton through to Ferreira in behind in an inside right position then saw the winger cutback into the feet of Puflett, who missed the target from close range.
In the 71st minute, the game state changed, as Bertolissio was sent off for two yellow cards in two minutes for the visitors.
The 10-men Bulls had a great opportunity to equalise and miraculously get back into the game, but Sunday Yona couldn’t find an open net from a tight angle after a fantastic run and ball across the face of goal from Sebastian Hernandez.
Olympic were consistently dangerous on transition as the game neared an end, and a Parkhouse header off a Fitzgerald shot was saved well by Robinson.
In added time, Parkhouse slipped in Puflett with a good square ball, but the off-balance striker couldn’t find the target after rounding Robinson.
It was to be yet another missed chance for the striker but tellingly it was his only goal of the match that gifted Labinot Haliti and the Blues the three points.
Match Stats
Sydney Olympic FC 1 (Puflett 15’)
Bulls FC Academy 0
Saturday 1 April, 2023
Belmore Sports Ground
Referee: Brodie Merchant
Assistant Referees: Amirhossein Hosnani and Aaron Bloch
Fourth Official: Kyle Hockings
Sydney Olympic FC: 1. Nicholas Sorras, 3. Michael Neill, 4. Benjamin van Meurs, 5. Zygmunt Gordon (C), 8. Sam Mcillhatton, 9. Oliver Puflett, 10. Darcy Burgess (24. Hagi Gligor), 11. Adam Parkhouse, 22. Fabio Ferreira (31. Michael Vakis 68’), 23. Jakob Cresnar, 29. Nick FitzGerald
Substitutes Not Used: 2. Peter Politis, 12. Matthew Buettner, 20. Christopher Parsons
Yellow Cards: van Meurs 50’, Cresnar 90’
Red Cards: N/A
Bulls FC Academy: 2. Anthony Krilic, 5. Jonathan Maras (18. Sebastian Hernandez 63’), 8. Mason Wells, 15. Mabior Garang, 19. Jesper Webber (14. Sunday Yona 56’), 20. Adrian Knez (10. Ayman Gulasi 56’), 21. Lachlan Macdonald, 22. Edward Caspers (23. Flynn Madden 85’), 30. Alexander Robinson, 32. Isaac Hovar, 53. Joel Bertolissio
Substitutes Not Used: 13. Jordan Ivancic, 40. Griffin Barry
Yellow Cards: Knez 51’, Bertolissio 69’, 71’
Red Cards: Bertolissio 71’
Player ratings:
3 – Adam Parkhouse (SO)
2 – Sam Mcillhatton (SO)
1 – Oliver Puflett (SO)
By Jack George (@JackGeorge0004)
