O’Donovan brace sees off Manly United
Sydney Olympic were made to work for their narrow 2-1 victory against Manly United in the Round 22 encounter of the National Premier Leagues Men’s NSW at the Belmore Sports Ground on Saturday.
After going down to an early penalty, Sydney Olympic fought back and in the end, with a convincing second half, steamrolled Manly United thanks to a brace from Roy O’Donovan.
Manly United opened the scoring early in the game when Zygmunt Gordon was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area and referee Rebecca Mackie awarded the spot kick and brandished the yellow card as well to the Olympic defender. From the 11-metre mark Peter Kekeris made no mistake with the penalty against his former club, by sending goalkeeper Noah James the wrong way and opening the scoring for the visitors.
In the 14th minute there was a golden chance for Sydney Olympic to equalise. An Adam Parkhouse cross from the left reached Michael Vakis who, unmarked in the box, volleyed from close range but hit the outside of the crossbar and the ball went behind for a goal-kick.
Rocco Pelle for the visitors midway through the first half from just outside the box fired a thunderbolt towards goal that narrowly missed the target, as it was only a fraction too high and the home supporters breathed a sigh of relief.
In the 40th minute Sydney Olympic had another good opportunity when a free-kick from the right by Parkhouse reached Roy O’Donovan in the middle but he headed over the goal.
A few minutes later from the left a long-range shot from Vakis brought out the best in Levi Kaye between the sticks as Olympic desperately tried to equalise before the break, but to no avail and they trudged into the sheds a goal down.
The first scoring chance of the second half belonged to Sydney Olympic in the 47th minute with O’Donovan trying an audacious shot from near halfway in the hope of finding Kaye off his line, but the Manly custodian back peddled and made the save.
A powerful shot by Sammy McIllhatton in the 56th minute from outside the box once again tested the nerve of the reliable Kaye.
The breakthrough for the home side did eventually arrive just after the hour mark and it was well deserved for their tireless efforts on goal. A long floating ball from Parkhouse created uncertainty in the box and O’Donovan squeezed it in from close range to knock it in as the home fans celebrated vociferously.
In the 66th minute a Jack Simmons rocket once again brought out the best in Kaye who turned the sphere over the crossbar with a magnificent save.
However, Sydney Olympic didn’t have to wait too long for their second. It was once again O’Donovan who found the back of the net to double the score in the 69th minute.
The action started with a wonderful shot by Vakis from outside the box that was met with a beautiful block from Kaye, but the ball made its way out to the left where Vakis regathered and centred it for his veteran striker who rarely misses from that range and drove it home.
In the 83rd minute Sydney Olympic really should have had their third when Parkhouse went galloping towards goal and found himself one-on-one with the ‘keeper, but the Manly custodian somehow got down low and blocked his attempt with his outstretched right hand.
A minute later substitute Teng Kuol created some great space and fired only a centimetre or two over the goal as the home side was now in full overdrive.
In stoppage time there was another great opportunity for Olympic. Goalkeeper Kaye playing up lost the ball to Parkhouse who didn’t shoot with an open goal, instead preferring to find O’Donovan but his diagonal shot sailed agonisingly wide.
After the game the coach of Sydney Olympic Labinot Haliti was very happy with his team and stated.
“Look the result is the outcome but I am happy with the performances,” he said.
“Against Sutherland recently we did everything right but conceded a penalty in stoppage time. We learnt from that and moved on.
“Today we conceded another penalty but dug deep and got the result.
“We work well together as a team on the park and off the park, from the chairman and CEO down to all the staff and to the players, there is great camaraderie at this club.”
In Manly United’s dressing room coach Patrick Zwanswijk was philosophical about what had occurred but was definitely disappointed with the second half. However, when asked, he also lavished praise on his young goalkeeper.
“They [Olympic] gave us the game in the first half,” he said.
“They didn’t play well but we didn’t take full advantage in the first half.
“We had two or three chances to score the second goal, but in the second half we made mistakes for both goals and you’re 2-1 down because we didn’t do well enough. At the end of the day they wanted it more than us and you can’t say anything.
“Our goalkeeper Levi is the best in the league and he will go to Northern Ireland on trial on Wednesday. He will deserve a contract there as he has been both at Sydney FC and Macarthur FC but was overlooked. He is the best stop-stopper in the league by far and that was also the case last year.”
Match Stats
SYDNEY OLYMPIC: 2 (O’Donovan 62’ & 69’)
MANLY UNITED: 1 (Kekeris 4’ pen.)
Saturday 29th June 2024
Belmore Sports Ground
Referee: Rebecca Mackie
Assistant Referees: Patrick Teleki, Blake Eastwood
Fourth Official: Mitchell Renton
SYDNEY OLYMPIC: 1. Noah James, 2. Peter Politis, 5. Zygmunt Gordon, 6. Jack Simmons (4. Michael Glassock 75’), 8. Sammy McIllhatton (10. Darcy Burgess 66’), 11. Adam Parkhouse, 12. Zachary Zoricich, 14. Michael Vakis (9. Oliver Puflett 75’), 15. William Mutch, 17. Abraham Majok (18. Teng Kuol 58’), 99. Roy O’Donovan.
Substitutes not used: 19. Gianni Di Pizio.
Yellow Cards: Gordon 3’, McIllhatton 26’, Politis 67’, Parkhouse 89’
Red Cards: Nil
MANLY UNITED FC: 1. Levi Kaye, 2. Kieren Paull, 3. Zachary Sfiligoi (8. Joseph Fox 74’), 4. Jesse Piriz, 7. Peter Kekeris (12. Miguel Bauza 74’), 9. Benjamin Koop (22. Blake Bamgbose 60’), 11. Connor Rose (26. Oliver Burden 74’), 18. Alen Aganovic, 25. Rocco Pelle, 39. Stefano Rossello, 45. Bilal Belkadi (6. Saxon Hillyer 69’).
Substitutes not used: 41. Anthony Carreras.
Yellow Cards: Belkadi 10’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 – Roy O’Donovan (SO)
2 – Adam Parkhouse (SO)
1 – Levi Kaye (MU)
By National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s reporter Joe Russo
