Points shared as Olympic and Manly battle in score draw
Sydney Olympic and Manly United shared the spoils at Belmore Sports Ground, as late drama in the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s saw both sides take away a point in a thrilling 2-2 draw.
The first fifteen minutes didn’t present any major challenges for either goalkeeper, as both sides worker their way into the match and varied in their style of play from intricate passing moves to more direct football.
Sixteen minutes in, a good passing move from Sydney Olympic on the left saw the home side find Jack Simmons in behind after a clever, disguised ball from Darcy Burgess, and the midfielder forced a save from Levi Kaye after a quick left-footed effort from an acute angle.
Darcy Burgess opened the scoring for Sydney Olympic in the 23rd minute with a composed finish.
Upon picking up the ball in between the lines, the midfielder drove with class and purpose forwards, before picking out Adam Parkhouse wide left.
The winger cut back the ball cleverly to Burgess, who after having his original attempt blocked, composed himself and slotted the ball past Kaye and into the back of the net with his right foot.
Off an attacking transition, Sydney Olympic created a presentable opportunity; Parkhouse drove diagonally before finding Jakob Cresnar with an inviting pass, but the left-back struck his effort into the side-netting.
However, Manly United found an equaliser in the 29th minute.
Seiya Kambayashi went on a weaving, penetrating run from the right flank, before squaring the ball with power towards goal.
Christopher Parsons looked to have dealt with the situation, but the ball slipped out of the goalkeeper’s hands, and Stefan Visscher accepted the invitation and passed the ball into the goal to level the scores at Belmore Sports Ground.
After a Sydney Olympic defensive miscommunication leading to a pass-back being picked up by Parsons, Manly were presented with an opportunity off an indirect freekick inside the box to find the lead.
In a position just wide of the left post, slightly behind the penalty spot, Matthew Sim looked to put the away side ahead, but Parsons reacted well to the strike, claiming the ball with authority.
Off a cross, Parkhouse found himself in a good position momentarily in behind the defence, but he couldn’t bring the ball down in time to fashion a strike, and his eventual layoff was intercepted sharply.
The game was opening up as the conclusion of the first half drew to a close – Hunter Elliot drove forwards well after a one-two with Dominic Ferguson and found Visscher through on goal with a clever pass, but the striker couldn’t find the target while under heavy pressure from Olympic’s backline.
After a similarly tense start to the second half, the game began to open up after 15 minutes.
Down the other end, a pinpoint corner from Parkhouse found the head of Benjamin van Meurs, with the towering header going over the bar.
A clever Manly United move in the 70th minute saw Kambayashi’s intelligent cutback find Sim.
The Manly custodian couldn’t find any venom in his right-footed effort, with Parsons claiming well.
Two minutes later, a curling cross from Kristian Santich on the edge of the box towards the back post found the boot of Kambayashi, who made contact, but couldn’t generate the power required to see the ball across the line.
With eight minutes of regular time remaining, Manly found what looked to be the winning goal, as a fantastic back-post from corner Sim found the head of Alen Aganovic, and the central defender converted the ball into the back of the net.
In the 87th minute Manly were let off, as a dangerous ball from Matthew Buettner fizzed across the face of goal, with no Sydney Olympic player making the run to convert into an open net.
With just one minute of added time left, Sydney Olympic found an extraordinary equaliser, as Jakob Cresnar tapped home the ball after a header from van Meurs off a Parkhouse corner.
In added time, a clever run and cross to the back post from Cresnar found the head of Fabio Ferreria in front of goal, but the winger couldn’t generate any power on the header, before a stinging volleyed effort from Burgess on the follow up from a corner went just wide of the post.
Manly United coach Patrick Zwaanswijk was proud of his side’s performance, believing the away team did enough to take home all three points
“Overall, I think we played really well.
“I think we were a bit unlucky with the first goal, and I think after that we were probably the team with the most chances.
“In the second half we created the most chances and eventually scored.
“I don’t think 2-2 is the right number for the match, but for the neutral it was an entertaining game and I can’t ask too much more from my players.”
Match Stats
Sydney Olympic FC 2 (Burgess 23’, Cresnar 89’)
Manly United FC 2 (Visscher 29’, Aganovic 82’)
Saturday 27 May, 2023
Belmore Sports Ground
Referee: Sam Kelly
Assistant Referees: Maggie Price and Matthew Harris
Fourth Official: Isabella Libri
Sydney Olympic FC: 2. Peter Politis (12. Matthew Buettner 72’), 3. Michael Neill (C), 4. Benjamin van Meurs, 6. Jack Simmons (9. Oliver Puflett 58’), 8. Sam Mcillhatton, 10. Darcy Burgess, 11. Adam Parkhouse, 20. Christopher Parsons, 23. Jakob Cresnar, 29. Nick Fitzgerald (22. Fabio Ferreira 55’), 99. Roy O’Donovan (14. Michael Vakis 72’)
Substitutes Not Used: 1. Nicholas Sorras, 24. Hagi Gligor
Yellow Cards: Politis 52’, Burgess 69’, Puflett 81’
Red Cards:
Manly United FC: 3. Jesse Piriz (14. Stefano Rossello 77’), 4. James Oates (C), 7. Seiya Kambayashi, 8. Dominic Ferguson, 11. Matthew Sim (58. Nick Rainbird 83’), 12. Kristian Santich, 13. Hunter Elliott, 17. Stefan Visscher (16. Marcus Lal 77’), 19. Alen Aganovic, 20. Levi Kaye, 22. Bilal Belkadi (18. Lucas Rainbird 68’)
Substitutes Not Used: 10. Bruno Mendes, 30. Jay Coates
Yellow Cards: Oates 40’, Ferguson 49’
Red Cards:
Player ratings
3 – Seiya Kambayashi (MU)
2 – Jakob Cresnar (SO)
1 – Adam Parkhouse (SO)
By Jack George (@JackGeorge0004)
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