Wolves and St George City share points in late score draw
Wollongong Wolves shared the points with St George City in a 1-1 draw at a hot Albert Butler Memorial Park on Sunday afternoon.
The heat proved a challenging obstacle for both teams as they battled with the sun for most of the game.
It took until the 83rd minute for the first goal of the match when Paolo Mitry fired home inside three minutes of coming on.
It looked like the points were heading back to St George City before Banri Kanaizumi nodded in a stoppage time equaliser for the hosts.
The Wolves had the first chance of the match four minutes in when Christopher McStay’s right-sided free-kick found Harrison Buesnel at the back post who shot wide.
Six minutes later, Wollongong threatened again as Jake Trew latched onto a ball into the left channel and lashed a strike off the left post.
The Wolves continued their positive start to the match with McStay’s low free-kick turned around the right post in the 19th minute by Jack Kenny in the St George goal.
From the resulting corner, Kanaizumi rose highest in the middle, heading just over the bar.
St George City returned fire in the 36th minute when a left-sided corner came out to Louis Khoury on the edge of the box, whose shot swerved narrowly over.
They had another opportunity five minutes later when Kosta Petratos took aim with a powerful effort from the right of the box that Vedran Janjetovic saved well.
The teams went into the sheds level after a tight first period at Albert Butler.
Wollongong had a chance four minutes into the second half when fullback Dylan Ryan got his head to a right-sided cross but directed the ball wide of the right post.
The side almost took the lead midway through the second half when Lachlan Scott muscled his way into the box, but the forward could only clip it just over.
In the 78th minute, Wolves’ substitute Alex Masciovecchio took on a strike from the right of the box that powered just over the bar as well.
David Carney’s team would be left to rue missed chances as St George City hit the front with seven regular minutes to play.
Mitry with a volley from the right of the box that evaded several bodies on its way into the far left corner.
Scott looked to respond straight way for Wollongong hitting a first-time shot from the edge of the area, however, it rolled harmlessly to Kenny.
The Wolves carried on in pursuit of a late equaliser and found it in the first minute of stoppage time.
Another pinpoint McStay delivery from the right met Kanaizumi at the back post who executed a superb looping header into the far corner.
That was the last action of the game with the teams having to settle for a point each in challenging conditions in Primbee.
Tarik Ercan said he was devastated that the team conceded so late considering they were leading with just seven minutes to go.
Ercan also said that he wasn’t satisfied with the team’s start to the season, highlighting that they should have taken more points from their first three matches.
“It was a game that could have gone either way. They had a few chances but so did we, we could have put it to bed. Then they scored late so it’s pretty disappointing,” he said.
“I thought the ground was a bit dry so the game didn’t move. It wasn’t pretty, but sometimes that’s what football is.
“I didn’t know how late it was [the equaliser]. It’s shattering because we had it and gave it away.
“We should have taken three points from all three games. We did in the second game, but the first and the third one we should have taken three points again.”
Wollongong Wolves goalscorer Kanaizumi was upbeat about the point at home, scoring what was his first goal of the 2024 campaign.
He further commented that the team in progressing under coach Carney who is in his second year of coaching at the Wolves.
“They’re [St George City] a really tough opponent,” he said.
“If we play at home of course we want to take three points every game, but we took one point.
“It’s better than nothing.
“We’re learning a lot from Dave [Carney] and now we know each other well so I think more combinations and stuff with come.”
Wollongong Wolves FC 1 (Banri Kanaizumi 90+1’)
St George City FC 1 (Paolo Mitry 83’)
Sunday 3 March 2024
Albert Butler Memorial Park, Primbee
Referee: Craig Fisher
Assistant Referees: Aaron Bloch and Oliver Leanfore
Fourth Official: James Makris
Wollongong Wolves FC: 20. Vedran Janjetovic, 2. Harrison Buesnel, 4. Dylan Ryan, 5. Banri Kanaizumi, 6. Samuel Riak (27. Damon Gray 85’), 7. Takumi Ofuka, 8. Andre Takami, 9. Jake Trew (11. Sebastian Hernandez 70’), 10. Yagoub Mustafa (25. Alex Masciovecchio 60’), 24. Lachlan Scott, 88. Christopher McStay
Substitutes Not Used: 13. Oliver Yates, 15. Dax Kelly, 29. Thomas Dunn
Yellow Cards: Christopher McStay 8’
Red Cards: Nil
St George City FC: 1. Jack Kenny, 2. Cameron Fong, 3. Joshua Hong, 4. Solomon-Johnn Monahan-Vaiitka, 5. Fumoto Kamada, 6. Tarik Ercan, 11. Kosta Petratos (14. Paolo Mitry 80’), 25. Brodie Clarkson, 30. Presley Ortiz (10. Jason Romero 62’), 33. Louis Khoury (9. Maki Petratos 62’), 99. Matthew Keremelevski (8. Dominic Cox 37’)
Substitutes Not Used: 13. Joseph Knowles, 19. Jesse Photi
Yellow Cards: Presley Ortiz 12’, Louis Khoury 40’, Joshua Hong 85’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 – Christopher McStay (WW)
2 – Banri Kanaizumi (WW)
1 – Paolo Mitry (SGC)
Report by Timothy Gibson, on Twitter @Timg123_
