Olympic crushed with late Blacktown City equaliser
Blacktown City have secured a 3-3 draw with Sydney Olympic at Belmore Stadium thanks to a late flurry in a highly exciting game of football.
In a hotly contested start to the match, it was the visitors who had the first shot, with Danny Choi striking a threatening effort just over the bar from just inside the box.
Sydney Olympic responded with a golden chance of their own in the seventh minute, as a good dribble and pass from Michael Vakis found the run of Darcy Burgess in behind, who promptly squared the ball across goal.
His pass looked to find the run of Roy O’Donovan, but the ball ended up just slightly behind the marksman and he couldn’t convert into an open net.
However, a minute later Olympic did find the opening goal.
A sharp, smart pass into the box from George Antonis was received strongly by Adam Parkhouse, who swiftly turned to open up an angle for the strike.
With the space he earnt, Parkhouse unleashing a beautifully clinical effort into the side netting of the far post, opening the scoring for Olympic with a goal of tremendous class and quality.
Olympic continued their strong start with a glorious chance in the 19th minute.
A sweeping move saw some good hold-up play from Parkhouse open up the overlapping run of Jackson Bandiera, which he found with a well-timed, well-weighted pass.
The left-back placed an inch-perfect pass across goal to George Antonis, who was free in the box, but the midfielder couldn’t find the target in what very well could have been a second goal for Olympic.
Blacktown were beginning to work their way into the match, and went inches away from equalising off a Grant Lynch cross.
The left-backs ball found the head of Joey Gibbs at the near post, who flicked it onwards.
The ball reached the foot of Travis Major, but was just too far ahead of the forward, and he couldn’t wrap his boot around the ball to find an empty net.
In the 24th minute, Blacktown went close once more, with a cross from Jak O’Brien taken down confidently by Joey Gibbs in the box.
The striker dallied before striking a goalbound shot from close range into the corner, but Noah James made a stunning reaction save to keep his side in front.
But Blacktown’s heavy pressure proved too much for Olympic, and shortly after, they levelled the scores in what was proving to be an intense, exciting clash at Belmore Sports Ground.
After a strong win in midfield, a clever pass from Adam Berry found the run of Travis Major in behind on the right flank.
With a perfect pass across goal, Major found the foot of Jak O’Brien, who made no mistake in tapping the ball into an empty net to equalise.
In the 48th minute, Blacktown were presented with a stunning chance to take the lead for the first time in the match, with Travis Major receiving the ball in a pocket of space and creating a 3v2 against Olympic’s backline.
Joey Gibbs raced in behind, before cutting back onto his weak foot, unleashed a good strike into the far corner, which was saved well by James.
Major looked to find an open net on the follow-up, but just couldn’t find contact on the ball, with George Antonis’ heavy pressure just keeping his side from conceding.
Just three minutes later, Olympic took the lead courtesy of a wild goalmouth scramble.
A good run from half-time substitute Abraham Majok opened up space for Michael Vakis wide, and after receiving the ball, he placed in a low cross to the far post.
After a chaotic scramble from both teams with the ball a mere metre from goal, Antonis intercepted an attempted clearance, almost tackling the ball into the back of the net.
Blacktown looked to respond instantly with an array of shots in the 58th minute.
A layoff from Jak O’Brien was attacked vigorously by Adam Berry, forcing another good save from James, before two subsequent efforts from Major were blocked.
However, it was Olympic who dominated the minutes that followed, with a good chance for Majok being followed on by two chances, with the latter of which seeing O’Donovan just graze the ball over the bar from a whipped shot inside the box.
The home side capitalised on their surge of dominance with a third goal in the 66th minute, thanks to a beautiful solo run from Majok.
Running onto a ball down the left channel, Majok cleverly cut inside his marker to open up space for a strike.
Converging on goal, he then lashed a clinical strike at the near post, beating Tristan Prendergast and securing a crucial third goal for the home side.
In the 83rd minute, Olympic threatened to gain a fourth, with Gianni Di Pizio curling a shot from range which swerved just over the bar.
A minute later, Blacktown set up an exhilarating finale, clawing a goal back through Joey Gibbs.
The move began with a charming ball from Berry, who found the run of Jak O’Brien in behind.
The midfielder sat the ball down for Grant Lynch, who squared it to Gibbs, and the striker made no mistake in finding the back of the net to reduce Olympic’s lead to just one goal.
The end of the match finished in the most dramatic of styles, with Blacktown sensationally clawing a goal back to make it 3-3.
In the fourth minute of additional time, a searching ball from Jak O’Brien found Travis Major at the far post.
The winger squared the ball across goal and found Reuben Awaritefe, who bundled the ball into an empty net to draw level.
Reflecting on the game and result, Blacktown coach Mark Crittenden said, “I think we deserved a point to be honest.”
“I thought their goalkeeper made four outstanding saves, and I thought the goals we conceded were pretty poor defensively.
“One scramble or melee in the box and then Tristan getting beaten at his near post wasn’t good enough.
“To walk away with a point here was probably a fair result on paper.”
Match Stats
Sydney Olympic FC 3 (Parkhouse 8’, Antonis 51’, Majok 66’)
Blacktown City FC 3 (O’Brien 32’, Gibbs 84’, Awaritefe 90+4’)
Sunday 28 April, 2024
Belmore Sports Ground
Referee: Adrian Arndt
Assistant Referees: Lance Greenshields and Hayden Langholz
Fourth Official: Hayden Michlmayr
Sydney Olympic FC: 1. Noah James, 4. George Timotheou, 5. Ziggy Gordon, 8. Sam Mcillhatton, 10. Darcy Burgess (17. Abraham Majok 45’), 11. Adam Parkhouse (18. Teng Kuol 82’), 14. Michael Vakis (9. Oliver Puflett 61’), 15. William Mutch, 23. Jackson Bandiera, 29. George Antonis (19. Gianni Di Pizio 77’), 99. Roy O’Donovan
Substitutes Not Used: 12. Zac Zoricich, 20. Christopher Parsons
Yellow Cards: Di Pizio 90+2’
Red Cards:
Blacktown City FC: 1. Tristan Prendergast (C), 5. Grant Lynch, 6. Adam Berry, 7. Travis Major, 8. Jak O’Brien, 11. Danny Choi (9. Reuben Awaritefe 61’), 12. Tyren Burnie, 16. Ben Berry, 18. Nicholas O’Brien, 22. Jacob Maniti (36. Sebastian Hayward 86’), 23. Joey Gibbs
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Cayden Henderson, 38. Cameron Di Gesu, 43. Riley Nolan, 52. Teng Athian
Yellow Cards: Manti 30’, Gibbs 72’
Red Cards: None
Player Ratings:
3 – Jak O’Brien (BC)
2 – Noah James (SO)
1 – Adam Berry (BC)
By Jack George (@JackGeorge0004)
