Blacktown City and Olympic share the points in heatwave conditions
Sydney Olympic were forced to share the points with Blacktown City after a scrappy 2-2 scorcher at Landen Stadium.
It may have taken Sydney Olympic recruit Jack Armson six games to score his maiden goal for his new club, but he ensured it was an absolute banger. Barely minutes after kick off, the Olympic striker produced a stunning goal from out of nowhere, just outside the box, to put his side in front early.
An opportunity to double the lead came soon after with a free kick awarded just outside the box but it came to nothing.
From there Blacktown held most of the momentum with Danny Choi finding space right in front of Olympic’s goal, but his strike was sent wide 13 minutes in. Jak O’Brien then produced his own chance, taking the ball down the sideline all the way to the side of the box, but his cross went nowhere.
Jakob Cresna then set up a nice cross into the box for Jak O’Brien, but Olympic’s Connor O’Toole had it well covered.
Olympic took back the momentum in the 28th minute as Dylan Ruiz-Diaz set up a perfect opportunity for Armson, but it once again went wide. Another big chance came five minutes later following an error from Jarrod McKinley, with a frantic Cayden Henderson protecting his goal alongside Nick O’Brien.
Blacktown’s big chance came once again from Danny Choi, who’s stunning free kick went just off target into the woodwork, causing keeper Jack Gibson into some great goal line defence to keep Olympic in front for the break.
Blacktown came back from the half buzzing with potential and it didn’t take long for them to capitalise as Adam Berry levelled the scores 10 minutes after the restart. City then kept a monopoly on possession, with a goal seeming imminent from the home side.
However it was Olympic who went back in front as Seth Clark powered home a header from an Adam Parkhouse cross to go up 2-1.
The lead was only momentary though with Mitch Mallia, fresh off the bench, providing a great little chip for fellow substitute Martin Fernandez to once again level the scores just two minutes after going down.
Ziggy Gordon probably saved the point for his team on multiple occasions, providing some last ditch defence and plenty of press on the Blacktown offence.
Despite the physical and scrappy nature of the match, Jacob Maniti was the first to receive a yellow card in the final minute of regulation after pulling down Armson near the halfway mark.
Gordon then followed him into the book for delay of play after a foul.
Blacktown coach Mark Crittenden said the 2-2 result was probably the right one.
“In the end it’s a fair result with both teams walking away with a point,” Crittenden said.
“It was a really tough game, with the heat probably affecting both teams but we’re not making any excuses.
“At this level, we really can’t afford to switch off and unfortunately it’s those little, clumsy errors that are hurting us.”
Match Stats
Blacktown City FC 2 (Benjamin Berry 55’, Martin Fernandez 64’)
Sydney Olympic FC 2 (Jack Armson 4’, Seth Clark 62’)
Saturday 15th March 2025
Landen Stadium, Seven Hills
Referee: Stephen Lucas
Assistant Referees: Cameron Wright and Isaac Riggs
Fourth Official: Nicholas Farmer
Blacktown City FC: 1. Cayden Henderson, 3. Jarred McKinley, 5. Grant Lynch (c), 6. Adam Berry, 8. Jak O’Brien (25. Dimo Dimo 80’), 9. Keanu Moore (9. Mitchell Moore 45’), 10. Maksim Jez (22. Jacob Maniti 58’), 11. Danny Choi (17. Martin Fernandez 58’), 16. Benjamin Berry, 18. Nicholas O’Brien, 23. Jakob Cresnar
Substitutes Not Used: 4. Lachlan Campbell, 20. Zac Bowling
Yellow Cards: Jacob Maniti 90’
Red Cards: Nil
Sydney Olympic FC: 1. Jack Gibson, 3. Connor O’Toole, 5. Ian Gordon, 8. Sam Mcillhatton, 9. Cyrus Dehmie (16. Bailey Callaghan 75’), 10. Jack Armson, 12. Zac Zorich (17. Joshua Hong 70’), 14. Seth Clark (7. Michael Vakis 75’), 18. Teng Kuol (19. Gianni Di Pizio 75’), 22. Dylan Ruiz-Diaz (11. Adam Parkhouse 53’), 28. Doni Grdic
Substitutes Not Used: 13. Monty Partington
Yellow Cards: Ziggy Gordon 90’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 – Danny Choi (BC)
2 – Ziggy Gordon (SO)
1 – Jack Armson (SO)
-By Katrina May (katrinaa_mayy)
