Sydney FC overcome Olympic to snap winless streak
Sydney FC have ended their four-game winless run after securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Sydney Olympic at Belmore Sports Ground on Saturday evening.
The two clubs played out a fierce contest with the young Sky Blues holding on tight to earn an impressive win, their first since the second round.
The visitors were helped with the aid of several of its star youth players currently playing in Ufuk Talay’s A-League side who had the weekend off. The likes of Zachary De Jesus, Tiago Quintal, Jaiden Kucharski and Wataru Kamijo were just some of the young guns that impressed on the night.
Olympic came agonisingly close to scoring in the fifth minute of the contest after Adam Parkhouse’s free kick delivery found striker Cyrus Dehmie, whose header forced a wonderful diving save out of goalkeeper Gus Hoefsloot towards his left.
The Sky Blues made them quickly after when forward Jaiden Kucharski produced an excellent low shot that ricocheted off the left post into the path of Zachary De Jesus, with the wing back crossing it in for captain Will Kennedy to head into the right side of the goal in the eighth minute.
De Jesus stepped up once more for the visitors in the 31st minute after driving with the ball from his own half into the box, delivering another cross that this time was met by forward Joe Lacey as he finished it into the bottom left with an impressive diving header.
The hosts nearly reduced the deficit after Dehmie’s deflected cross floated towards the goal in the 43rd minute, with it skimming the crossbar on its way out.
Olympic produced a good chance right after the break with Parkhouse delivering a ball that found advancing right back Zac Zoricic, who struck the ball sweetly towards the middle of the goal which Hoefsloot
The home side brought on Dylan Ruiz-Diaz and Michael Vakis in what proved to be inspired changes as the latter won a penalty moments after coming on which was slotted into the bottom left by the former in the 56th minute.
Sydney FC nearly restored their two-goal lead in the 59th minute after the ball fell towards Kucharski in the box, though the forward failed to get a strong connection as it rolled tamely into the arms of Olympic shot stopper Jack Gibson.
Connor O’Toole came agonisingly close to equalising the game in the 81st minute with the Olympic left back unleashing a strike that was blocked and deflected just wide of the left post.
The hosts had one last chance in the 90+4th minute when Ruiz-Diaz dribbed expertly before getting a shot off that Hoefsloot parried towards O’Toole, with the wing back’s subsequent effort getting blocked desperately by the Sky Blues defence to hold onto the three points.
Sydney FC coach Jim van Weeren heaped praise on his side for fighting hard to earn their win against a top NPL NSW Men’s side.
“Sydney Olympic are a heavyweight in this competition.
“Outside the A-League, that is as good a challenge as you are going to get. Despite the age of the boys (17,18,19 etc), we wanted to compete against the men in the right way,” van Weeren told Football NSW.
“Tonight, they really showed that they were capable of that and we are really proud of them.”
The Sky Blues coach stressed his joy that the youngsters snapped their winless run by maximising their efforts at both ends of the pitch.
“It was good to see a result that matched the performance, and I am just really happy for the boys that they got a win.”
Match Stats
Sydney Olympic 1 (Dylan Ruiz-Diaz 56’ (pen)
Sydney FC 2 (Will Kennedy 8’, Joe Lacey 31’)
Saturday 22 March
Belmore Sports Ground
Referee: Charbel Geha
Assistant Referees: Alessandro Llana and Blake Eastwood
Fourth Official: Jerry Bitas
Sydney Olympic: 1. Jack Gibson, 3. Connor O’Toole, 5. Ziggy Gordon, 8. Sam McIllhatton, 9. Cyrus Dehmie (16. Bailey Callaghan 71’), 10. Jack Armson, 11. Adam Parkhouse, 12. Zac Zoricich, 14. Seth Clark (7. Michael Vakis 60’), 18. Teng Kuol (22. Dylan Ruiz-Diaz), 28. Doni Grdic
Substitutes Not Used: 13. Monty Partington (GK), 17. Joshua Hong, 19. Gianni Di Pizio
Yellow Cards: Doni Grdic 33’, Teng Kuol 36’, Jack Armson 61’, Michael Vakis 88’
Red Cards: Nil
Sydney FC: 30. Gus Hoefsloot, 4. Joseph Calusic (14. Jared Middleton 83’), 6. Tyler Williams, 11. Marin France (10. Taye Hedley 60’), 13. Tiago Quintal, 21. Zachary De Jesus, 24. Wataru Kamijo, 25. Jaiden Kucharski, 27. Lachlan Middleton (26. Dylan Rose 70’), 29. Joe Lacey (9. Mathias Macallister 70’), 37 Will Kennedy (5. Corey Cronin 60’)
Substitutes Not Used: 1. Jacob Cremen-Cowan (GK)
Yellow Cards: Tyler Williams 86’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3: Zachary De Jesus (SFC)
2: Michael Vakis (SO)
1: Gus Hoefsloot (SFC)
-By Dimitri Kallos
