Sydney FC stun Olympic with two late goals to seal victory
It’s been a nightmare week for Sydney Olympic after their Australia Cup exit on Wednesday, Labinot Haliti’s troops were left wondering what went wrong following their devastating 2-1 loss to Sydney FC on Sunday at Belmore Sports Ground – a match the Blues were leading up until the 87th minute.
The home side led for a large proportion of the game thanks to a Roy O’Donovan goal but then, despite a plethora of possession, they were unable to double their lead and the door was left ajar for Sydney FC. A door that was flung wide open with two late goals to Oscar Priestman and Nathan Paull respectively in the last three minute of the game as the young Sydney FC team continued their run of good form against Sydney Olympic.
The opening salvo of the encounter arrived in the 4th minute when Priestman made a nice run into the box before finding Ben Gibson on the right with a beautiful pass, but the latter’s shot on target was well saved by Olympic keeper Chris Parsons.
The game ebbed and flowed until the quarter-hour mark when O’Donovan fired a curling shot from distance that sailed wide.
Sydney Olympic then followed up with a great chance in the 21st minute. A dangerous cross from the left by Adam Parkhouse wasn’t dealt with that well by keeper Adam Pavlesic and the ball fell nicely for Sam McIllhatton who, on the edge of the box, fired wide with a volley.
The home side pressed the accelerator again a minute later when Parkhouse blasted over from a good central position after a free-kick wasn’t properly cleared by the Sydney FC defence.
Sydney Olympic took the lead in the 35th minute and it was no more than they deserved. It was Parkhouse with precise cross from the left that found O’Donovan over on the right and the former Central Coast Mariners’ striker, with a predatory diagonal stab at the ball, was able to find the bottom left hand corner of the net.
Late in the first half, Darcy Burgess with a long ball was clever enough to fish out Parkhouse charging towards goal, but in the end his shot on target was well punched away by an alert Pavlesic.
In the second half, the first real chance belonged to Sydney Olympic in the 58th minute. Burgess stole the ball from a napping Sydney FC defence and poked it under the body of Pavlesic, but Max Buratto cleared it miraculously off the line and away for a corner. From the ensuing corner kick the ball reached Benjamin van Meurs who headed it just wide of the post.
It was Parkhouse, arguably one of the best on ground, who really tested Pavlesic with a powerful drive in the 76th minute after receiving a delightful ball from substitute Fabio Ferreira. At this stage of the game the ball seemed camped down in the Sydney FC half, but Sydney Olympic failed to capitalise on their better field position.
And, in reality, therein lies part of the problem for Sydney Olympic because in the 87th minute Priestman fired a diagonal shot that hit the post and went into the back of the net to equalise for the young Sydney FC side.
However, if that was painful for Olympic, it was about to get even worse because with only a minute left on regular time Sydney FC pounced again.
Alen Harbas got around the keeper and Michael Neill astoundingly saved off his own line. However, the corner that followed made its way after some aerial ping-pong to the far post and Nathan Paull headed in from close range. It was now game, set and match to Sydney FC.
Post-match Sydney FC coach Jimmy Van Weeren was very ecstatic with the come from behind victory.
“I thought that early on in the first half we had the better chances but they kind of took over from there,” he said.
“The surface here isn’t the best and the boys were disappointed to be down a goal at half-time but were still positive.
“We believed that if we got the chances in the second half we would win and so I am quite proud of our team to show that mentality. I think most importantly it was nice to see some of the young players that are transitioning into the NPL squad really contributing off the bench.”
Sydney Olympic coach Labinot Haliti on the other hand was disappointed with another game that slipped away.
“It’s the story of the season so far,” he said.
“The performance was good but just a lack of concentration late and we lost after leading for 87 minutes.
“We had our chances in both halves and we totally deserved our lead.
“We just have to keep working and keep pushing from here.”
Match Stats
SYDNEY OLYMPIC: 1 (O’Donovan 35’)
SYDNEY FC: 2 (Priestman 87’, Paull 89’)
Sunday 4th June
Belmore Sports Ground
Referee: Karl Davies
Assistant Referees: Cameron Wright and Emma Kocbek
Fourth Official: Daniel Drewitt
SYDNEY OLYMPIC: 20. Chris Parsons, 2. Peter Politis, 3. Michael Neill, 4. Benjamin van Meurs, 5. Zygmunt Gordon, 8. Sammy McIllhatton, 10. Darcy Burgess (9. Oliver Puflett 76’), 11. Adam Parkhouse, 12. Matthew Buettner (22. Fabio Ferreira 66’), 23. Jakob Cresnar, 99. Roy O’Donovan
Substitutes not used: 1. Nicholas Sorras, 6. Jack Simmons, 24. Hagi Gligor, 29. Nick Fitzgerald
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
SYDNEY FC: 30. Adam Pavlesic, 2. Cameron Fong (34. Max Buratto 55’), 3. Nathan Paull, 6. Matthew Scarcella (32. Oscar Fryer 78’), 7. Ben Gibson (10. Alen Harbas 46’), 8. Kealey Adamson, 9. Luka Smyth (21. Louis Agosti 70’), 11. Clayton Taylor, 18. Oscar Priestman, 19. Adrian Segecic, 29. Aaron Gurd.
Substitutes not used: 16. Joseph Calusic, 20. Max Vartuli.
Yellow Cards: Gibson 22’, Smyth 56’, Gurd 82’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 – Kealey Adamson (SFC)
2 – Adam Parkhouse (SO)
1 – Oscar Priestman (SFC)
By National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s reporter Joe Russo
