Late drama as Ilinden punish 10-man City at Landen Stadium

Rockdale Ilinden edged Blacktown City 2–1 in a bruising Round clash at Landen Stadium, with Moudi Najjar and Brendan Cholakian finding the net either side of a Travis Major equaliser, while a late red card proved costly for the home side in a fiery contest on Sunday.

Blacktown, deservedly, hit back through Travis Major after sustained pressure, before Brendan Cholakian fired home the winner against a now 10-man home side after substitute Jak O’Brien lasted just seven minutes on the pitch.

Harry McCarthy was in on goal early, but Cayden Henderson came off his line to save at the striker’s feet, only for Najjar to react quickest and lash home the rebound.

Major, already having a goal disallowed for offside, struck moments later, finding the net after a Nathan Grimaldi header was saved at the back post, with the City captain lifting the ball home to level the contest.

But heartbreak struck again for the hosts when Jak O’Brien, sent on to bolster the attack in place of Mitch Mallia, was shown a straight red card what appeared to be for dissent. The overworked City side then capitulated, with Cholakian firing Ilinden back into the lead and securing a crucial three points.

City coach Mark Crittenden is no stranger to rebuilding his side year after year, but while usually competing much higher up the table, this rebuilding season has proven a tough assignment. Always combative, City’s effort has not been in question, but results and luck have both eluded them this campaign.

Rockdale were on the front foot from the outset, pushing City deep early, but a breakaway in the seventh minute saw Ronan Mulgrew save from Kodai Tanaka after he was slipped in by Mitch Mallia. It was City’s first real effort on target and a reminder they remain dangerous on the counter.

Giorgio Speranza then dragged one wide in reply, before Najjar fired over from distance. He came close again after good work from Hunter Elliot, narrowly missing the target.

Despite Rockdale’s early pressure, Blacktown grew into the contest, remaining strong in defence and competitive in midfield. However, most shots and half-chances from both sides were coming from distance, with both back lines proving difficult to break down. Set-piece deliveries also failed to trouble either goalkeeper consistently.

It was a tough, rugged and uncompromising contest true “hard but fair” football with Lochlan Constable booked for one foul too many on Caleb Jackson-Brown midway through the half, while Sebastian Haywood also entered the referee’s notebook for City before the break.

Cholakian, Rockdale’s main creator, continued to probe and got a shot away from a promising position but missed the target. Haywood and Mallia both had efforts blocked for Blacktown, while Najjar spurned a gilt-edged opportunity at the other end.

Cholakian did force Cayden Henderson into a full-stretch save from a central free-kick, but the keeper was eventually beaten in stoppage time when McCarthy’s effort was parried into Najjar’s path, allowing him to fire home the opener.

It was tough on Blacktown, but Rockdale went into the break one goal to the good.

City began the second half with renewed conviction, laying siege to the Rockdale goal and forcing several nervy moments as they chased an equaliser. The pressure built, even if clear chances remained limited.

Blacktown thought they had levelled in the 64th minute through Major, but after consultation with his assistant, the referee ruled the effort offside. The decision was not well received by players, bench, or crowd.

However, City’s persistence paid off when Grimaldi’s header was blocked and Major reacted quickest to smash home the rebound for his eighth goal of the season and deservedly level the match.

Moments later, Mallia was replaced by Jak O’Brien, an substitution that would prove decisive for all the wrong reasons.

Blacktown pushed for a winner and were arguably worth at least a point on their second-half performance alone. Rockdale, meanwhile, threatened on the counter, with McCarthy flashing another effort wide after cutting in from the left.

Major then turned provider, spinning his marker and teeing up substitute O’Brien, whose first-time effort curled just over with 15 minutes remaining.

But in a cruel twist, O’Brien, on the pitch for barely seven minutes, was shown a straight red card for an outburst toward match officials, leaving City to finish with 10 men.

Rockdale eventually found the decisive blow when their skipper struck for a second time, and despite Blacktown throwing everything forward, they could not find another response.

It was a bitter defeat for the home side, who will feel aggrieved given their second-half performance and the context of their season as the fight against relegation, but they could be asked to do no more in a bruising, physical encounter against a well-drilled Rockdale outfit.

Match Stats

Blacktown City 1 (Travis Major 67’)

Rockdale Ilinden 2 (Moudi Najjar 45+1’, Brendan Cholakian 82’)

Landen Stadium, Seven Hills

Sunday, 7th June 2026

Referee: Stephan Lucas

Assistants: Matthew McOrist & Arinath Gobinath

Fourth Official: Nina Cortes

Blacktown City: 1.Cayden Henderson, 3. Lachlan Tilt, 4. Nick O’Brien, 7. Travis Major, 10. Maksim Jez, 11. Kodai Tanaka, 14. Mitch Mallia (8. Jak O’Brien 67’), 15. Caleb Jackson-Brown (9. Nikola Skataric 85’), 19. Sebastian Hayward (6. Adam Berry 70’), 22. Jacob Maniti, 27.Nathan Grimaldi

Subs Not Used: 16. Riley Nolan, 18. Jake Briggs, 20. Cooper Rogers, 21. Aiden Renshaw

Yellow Cards: Sebastian Haywood 36’

Red Cards: Jak O’Brien 77’

Rockdale Ilinden: 41. Ronan Mulgrew, 2. Hunter Elliott (66. Mathieu Cordier 70’), 3. Lachlan Griffiths, 4. Reo Kunimoto, 5. Giorgio Speranza (40. Adam Khalil 88’), 8. Jerry Skotadis, 9. Moudi Najjar, 10. Brendan Cholakian, 11. Lochlan Constable, 16. Michael Marcevski (28. Stefan Simonoski 83’), 22. Harry McCarthy (17. Mohamed Adam 83’) Subs Not Used: 1. Levi Kaye, 19. Dean Jovcevski, 30. Jake Nacovski

Yellow Cards: Lochlan Constable 25’

Red Cards: Nil

Player Ratings

3 – Brendan Cholakian (RI)

2 – Moudi Najjar (RI)

1 – Travis Major (BC)

-By Micky Brock