Wolves heap more misery on dismal Sharks

Wollongong Wolves secured a clinical 3-1 victory against Sutherland Sharks who have plummeted deep into relegation woes on Saturday evening at Seymour Shaw. 

Former Shark Nicholas Olsen and Alex Masciovecchio put Wollongong two goals up going into halftime.

Sutherland came out firing for the second half and created several chances, however, Olsen sealed Wollongong’s victory late on, despite a late penalty converted by Maki Petratos for the hosts.

Wollongong nearly went in front within five minutes as Flynn Madden’s corner was diverted towards the bottom right corner, but it was hacked away from the goal line.

A minute later, Madden jinked around Ikko Arimoto in the box, who tripped the midfielder, seeing the Wolves awarded a penalty.

Olsen stepped up against his former side and drilled the ball into the bottom right corner, as Danijel Nizic dived the other direction.

The visitors came close to a second in the 16th minute when Nizic turned Masciovecchio’s side-footed effort around the right post.

Wollongong’s attacking surge continued midway through the half. Lachlan Scott stood up a left-side cross for Madden, but he sent his volley over the bar.

Moments later, Sutherland responded through Tariq Maia, who cleared the bar with a shot following Jordan Roberts’ cutback.

The Sharks built on this latest chance, with the right side providing a promising outlet, but Wollongong remained in the lead.

The lively Madden got involved once more 37 minutes in. He mazed his way into the left of the area, playing it to Scott, but Nizic produced a phenomenal save to deny the striker.

Not long after, Sutherland went close to equalising through Leo Mazis whose volley from the edge of the box flew just wide of the right post.

They came even closer in the 39th minute when Maia’s strike from the left of the box struck the crossbar.

The hosts were left to rue these missed opportunities as the Wolves took the ball down the other end and doubled their advantage.

Olsen set off on a raid down the right and sent the ball across the box for Masciovecchio to provide a simple finish at the far post.

A goal at either end of the first half put the away side in a strong position heading into the sheds.

The Sharks made a good start to the second half, and four minutes in, Petratos hit a curling shot from the left of the box that Wollongong goalkeeper Daniel Solsky had to save.

In the 55th minute, Maia had another effort for Sutherland. Petratos played a free-kick into the right of the box for Maia, but Solsky blocked the subsequent shot.

Thirteen minutes later, the Sharks forced Solsky into an even better save. Mazis dribbled forward on the right and blasted the ball goalwards with Solsky able to produce an excellent stop.

There was drama from the resulting corner as the ball came within centimetres of the line, but Wollongong managed to scramble it away.

With four regular minutes to play, Sutherland’s hopes of a comeback fell away as the visitors added a third goal.

Olsen latched onto Solsky’s long ball, going around Nizic before lashing a strike into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

In the first minute of stoppage time, Sutherland were awarded a penalty and a chance to score a deserved goal. Petratos took responsibility and picked out the top left corner with a well-struck effort.

This proved to be the last action of the match as Wollongong took another three points to aid their late finals push while its panic stations at the Shire as Steve Zoric’s men sit two points above the relegation zone which the Central Coast Mariners and Mt Druitt Town Rangers currently occupy but have a game in hand.

Match Stats

Sutherland Sharks FC 1 (Maki Petratos penalty 90+1’)

Wollongong Wolves FC 3 (Nicholas Olsen penalty 7’ 86’, Alex Masciovecchio 40’)

Saturday 26 July 2025

Seymour Shaw, Miranda

Referee: Luke Chapman

Assistant Referees: Joshua Eiser and Matthew Harris

Fourth Official: Daniel Cornofsky

Sutherland Sharks: 1. Danijel Nizic, 2. Lachlan MacDonald, 3. Jordan Roberts (88. Brendan Gan 52’), 6. Mohamed Ahmed, 10. Maki Petratos, 12. Ikko Arimoto, 15. Matthew Moric, 19 Tariq Maia (9. Jaden Gasking 59’), 22. Kotaro Katsuta, 27. Matthew Jackson, 77. Leo Mazis (44. Tye McGowan 84’)

Substitutes Not Used: 20. Jacob Tresoglavic, 30. Sebastian Arranz, 49. Marcus Fernandez

Yellow Cards: Jordan Roberts 45+1’

Red Cards: Nil

Wollongong Wolves FC: 13. Daniel Solsky, 2. Harrison Buesnel, 4. Dylan Ryan (8. Sebastian Duarte 82’), 5. Banri Kanaizumi, 7. Woon Sub Sim, 17. Marcus Beattie, 21. Nicholas Olsen, 23. Flynn Madden, 24. Lachlan Scott (77. Raphael Le’ai 74’), 25. Alex Masciovecchio (11. Sebastian Hernandez 59’), 29. Ben Giason

Substitutes Not Used: 1. Oliver Yates, 10. Liam Ball, 15. Dax Kelly

Yellow Cards: Alex Masciovecchio 53’

Red Cards: Nil

Player Ratings: 

3 – Nicholas Olsen (WW)

2 – Daniel Solsky (WW)

1 – Maki Petratos (SS)

Report by Tim Gibson