Olympic and Wolves share spoils in goalless affair
Both Sydney Olympic and Wollongong Wolves were forced to split the points after a tough 0-0 draw in the third round of the National Premier Leagues Men’s NSW competition at Belmore Sports Ground on Saturday afternoon.
The game was very much one of two halves with the hosts having most of the chances in the first half and the Wolves having the majority in the second, though ultimately their defences held out to ensure a goalless match.
It was a gritty performance by the Wolves who had to back up following their midweek rescheduled match against St George City where they played the remaining seventy or so minutes after their original round 2 match was postponed due to lightning.
Olympic had the first major opportunity of the clash in the ninth minute when midfielder Jack Armson struck the ball on the volley with his left foot towards the bottom left, forcing goalkeeper Oliver Yates into a strong save.
The visitors came very close to scoring themselves after a cross from Sebastian Hernandez found Lachlan Scott in the box, with the Wolves captain having his close-range effort saved by Olympic shot stopper, Jack Gibson in the 22nd minute.
The hosts had another solid chance on the half hour mark when Seth Clark delivered a great pass to advancing right back Zac Zoricich, whose shot went underneath yates and hit the side netting.
Clark set up another goalscoring opportunity soon after as he found Cyrus Dehmie on the right side of the box, with the striker sending the ball just wide of the left post in the 34th minute.
The Wolves emerged from the break strong and created the first major chance of the second period in the 49th minute after Scott found Hernandez on the right, with the winger driving the ball wide of the right post.
Wollongong again caused trouble in the Olympic box, this time via winger Raphael Lea’I who drilled a low ball that took a deflection to go just past the right post in 62nd minute.
The hosts popped with a golden chance in the 66th minute when midfielder Gianni Di Pizio played through Dehmie, with his close-range strike hitting Yates’ right arm and deflecting towards the net before being cleared by defender Harrison Buesnel.
Buesnel stepped up again in the 90+2nd minute as he produced a crucial intervention, knocking away a low ball across goal by Zoricich to keep the game goalless.
Olympic coach Labinot Haliti admitted to Football NSW their side could have been more clinical, though they put up a strong team effort against a strong outfit.
“There were chances in the first half where we should have done better. We should have taken them, but I take nothing away from Wollongong. They are a good side that plays good football. Overall, I thought it was a good, even football match.”
Wolves coach Warren Grieve praised his team for securing the clean sheet and a point in a tricky away fixture against Olympic, noting their stronger display in the second half where they were able to find a few extra gears.
“We matched them (in the second half) and started to force them back and create some chances and even had the lion’s share of possession in that second period from my observation,” Grieve told Football NSW.
“They were always going to have chances on the counter so we just had to set ourselves up and be mindful of that and I thought we defended resolutely again today.”
Match Stats
Sydney Olympic 0
Wollongong Wolves 0
Saturday 22 February
Belmore Sports Ground
Referee: Eric Saba
Assistant Referees: Lachlan Hines and Hayden Kaye
Fourth Official: Daniel Cornofsky
Sydney Olympic: 1. Jack Gibson (GK), 3. Connor O’Toole, 5. Ziggy Gordon, 8. Sam McIllhatton, 9. Cyrus Dehmie (16. Bailey Callaghan) 75’), 10. Jack Armson, 11. Adam Parkhouse (22. Dylan Ruiz-Diaz 27’), 12. Zac Zoricich, 14. Seth Clark, 18. Teng Kuol (19. Gianni Di Pizio 60’), 28. Doni Grdic.
Substitutes Not Used: 13. Monty Partington (GK), 17. Joshua Hong, 23. Jackson Fowler
Yellow Cards: Connor O’Toole 73′, Ziggy Gordon 83’
Red Cards: Nil
Wollongong Wolves: 1. Oliver Yates (GK), 2. Harrison Buesnel, 4. Dylan Ryan, 5. Banri Kanaizumi, 7. Woon Sub Sim, 11. Sebastian Hernandez (25. Alex Masciovecchio 59’), 17. Marcus Beattie, 21. Nicholas Olsen, 24. Lachlan Scott, 29. Ben Giason, 77. Raphael Lea’I (9. Damon Gray 76’)
Substitutes Not Used: 6. James Anagnostopoulos, 13. Daniel Solsky (GK), 15 Dax Kelly,
Yellow Cards: Banri Kanaizumi 45+2’, Woon Sub Sim 77’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3: Seth Clark (SO)
2: Harrison Buesnel (WW)
1: Jack Armson (SO)
-By Dimitri Kallos
