Scenes as Spirit FC win in a cliffhanger
Christie Park was set on fire following Harry Keys’ 90th wonder strike which happened to be his first touch that gifted the NWS Spirit FC the victory as well as keeping one hand on the 2025 NPL Men’s NSW Premiership in a heart wrenching 2-1 victory over Sydney Olympic on a rainy Saturday evening at Christie Park.
After a nervy start from the hosts in which they conceded three good chances to their visitors, David Perkovic’s men took the lead before the half hour through Takumi Ofuka before Sydney Olympic struck back in the second half through Teng Kuol. Harry Keys would etch his name in the Spirit history books with his first touch off the bench on the brink of injury time that assured his side were going home with the three precious points.
The action kicked off inside the first five minutes through a Jack Armson set piece which almost caught Spirit keeper Christopher Marques off his line. Marques retreated well to turn it around the post but it was early panic stations for the league leaders.
That chance was soon followed up by a James Donachie header from a corner a couple minutes later which once again required a Marques intervention.
Michael Vakis then had the last of the trio of chances before Spirit found their breakthrough. Teng Kuol found Vakis at the top of the box but his shot missed the target.
These missed chances proved costly for Olympic as Spirit took the lead before the hour mark. Andre Takami put in a great through ball to Japanese sensation Takumi Ofuka who scooted through the Blues defence and finished off with the narrowest of angles to give his side a 1-0 lead.
That goal sparked the hosts and almost got a second if it weren’t for the heroics of Olympic keeper Jack Gibson who denied Yu Okubo via reaction save in the 33rd minute.
Chasing the game, Sydney Olympic, who needed to secure points to keep a grip on a finals series spot, once again started the second half well and Marques was called into action in the 55th minute to deny Zac Zoricich as the warning signs for an equaliser were imminent.
Olympic were soon rewarded for their renewed vigour with an equaliser from a corner in the 58th minute. A delivery to the back post was miss-punched by Marques as it fell into the path of Teng Kuol who steered his header neatly into the net for the equaliser and it was game on.
Labinot Haliti’s side then had a chance to take the lead in the 69th minute after a lovely Armson set piece delivery was met at the back post by a leaping Donachie whose effort hit the base of the right post from close range.
As the match looked as though both teams would settle for a point as it has been at Christie Park on a several occasions this season, NWS Spirit FC’s never say die attitude was there to be seen once more as 20-year-old substitute Harry Keys brought the place to its knees with a classy finish in the 90th minute that ultimately gave his side the win.
The celebrations that followed soon after were crazy as the goal set the place alight.
With four minutes of stoppage time, Olympic had the final chance of the match as Ryan Feutz saw his shot hit the side netting much to the dismay of Haliti and co as the referee blew for full time and possibly a win that could go down as one that got them its first ever NPL Men’s NSW Premiership.
Match Stats
NWS Spirit FC 2 (Ofuka 29’, Keys 90’)
Sydney Olympic 1 (Kuol 58’)
Saturday 2nd August, 2025
Christie Park, Macquarie Park
Referee: Eric Saba
Assistant Referees: Joshua Elser & Blake Eastwood
Fourth Official: Blake Sanchez-Cruz
NWS Spirit FC: 1. Christopher Marques, 5. Jordan Perez, 7. Frankie Ljucovic (6. Corey Kavanagh 78’), 8. Grant Cornwell, 9. Yu Okubo, 10. Michael Konestabo (21. Harry Keys 89’), 11. Ollie Wiggin (19. Zayne Ahluwalia 78’), 13. Simon Nicholas, 15. Jamie Percevski, 18. Andre Takami, 22. Takumi Ofuka (17. Jacob Chidiac 97’).
Substitutes Not Used: 12. Jay Coates, 20. Austin Oates
Yellow Cards: Wiggin 67’, Percevski 70’, Keys 90’
Red Cards: Nil
Sydney Olympic: 1. Jack Gibson, 2. James Donachie, 3. Connor O’Toole, 5. Ziggy Gordon, 7. Michael Vakis (8. Adam Parkhouse 45’), 9. Cyrus Dehmie, 10. Jack Armson, 12. Zac Zoricich, 14. Seth Clark, 18. Teng Kuol, 19. Ryan Feutz.
Substitutes Not Used: 13. Monty Partington, 15. Luca Pecora, 16. Bailey Callaghan, 17. Joshua Hong, 28. Samuel Bosnjak.
Yellow Cards: Zoricich 34’, Kuol 67’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3- Andre Takami (NWS)
2- Jamie Percevski (NWS)
1- Jack Armson (SO)
By Justin Smith
