Neck and neck on the table saw Wollongong Olympic play with a vengeance against the home team Wollongong United yesterday in a tense fixture, after drawing in their last meeting. It was a tale of two halves, with Wollongong United dominating the first half.

United played well in the first half but did not take all their chances, and it came to haunt them in the second half. Olympic were much hungrier in the second half, swaying the score their way. They seemed to be happy to hold back due to the windy weather conditions, which were favouring United in the first half.

It was only three minutes in where United had their first shot at goal from Johnny Martinoski but unfortunately wasn’t delivered into the goals as desired.

After both teams were squandering on the goals, United seemed to lead the first half, though chances to get the ball into the goals were missed.

Chances kept coming for Wollongong United where in the 9^th minute, Billy Tsovolos attempted to head the ball into the goal after a cross ball from Angelo Hojitoffi – the goal didn’t connect properly and the ball went straight into the hands of the keeper.

Only a minute later United had another opportunity at the goals, where Noto Kinjo deflected the ball off a defender and narrowly missed the left hand post when striking it in.

A mistake in the 20^th minute by United’s Jake Duczynski on the attack, who beat the keeper but unfortunately hit the post to the right of the keeper.

After all the squandering’s around the goals, United were given chance upon chance with promising corners. In the 34^th minute a throw in towards United’s Jinya An lead to success as the ball was controlled off his chest and he performed an overhead scissor kick to the right of the keeper.

United seemed to dominate the first half, and it was evident that the home team was hungry for a win.

Half Time saw the scoreboard at United 1 – Olympic 0.

Olympic came back fierce in the second half and in the 54^th minute, a free kick was given to Olympic right in front of the goal, Jack Keating given the chance for a goal. He performed a great low shot to the right of United’s Sam Nastic who dived and saved the goal perfectly.

In the 62^nd minute , Olympic’s Ja Kom Yu received a ball after it was headed to him from Harrison Brown. Yu shot the ball straight to the right of the keeper, raising the score to 1 all.

Olympic seemed to be more dominant in the second half.

Just five minutes later, there was a mix up by United’s defender and keeper who thought the ball had been cleared from the goals. Olympic’s Kyle Hazebrook slipped through the defenders and scored front on straight into the goal.

A game dominated in two halves, Olympic adapted better to the conditions, with United squandering their chances in the first half which came back to bite them. A rejuvenated Wollongong Olympic were the hungrier team of the two sides which saw them succeed in yesterday’s game.

 

Saturday 11^th June, Macedonia Park

 

Wollongong United: Sam Nastic, Daisuke Yuzawa, Jinya An, Moto Kinjo, Matt Flora, Johnny Matinoski, Karouna Michael, Angelo Z Hajitoffi, Billy Tzovolos, Brendan Reilly, Bek Brooks.

Replacements: Zac McLaren, Zac Mozevski, Brad Acev, Jordan Hooke, Nik Ristevski

 

Wollongong Olympic: Hayden Durose, Haydyn Lloyd, Jack Keating, Jake Duczynski, Sam Gordon, Harvey Rodriquez, Brendan Fordham, Harrison Brown, Ja Kon Yu, Yusuke Ueda, Kyle Hazebrook.

Replacements: Lee Kizi, Chris Jackson, Jon Mangos, Andie Gacesa, Declan Baker

 

 

Report by Lauren Ferri.

 

Twitter: @lauren_ferri

Photo by Pedro Garcia