Round 5's unrivalled match of the round threw two of the pre-season favourites against each other in what promised to be a thrilling fixture at Macedonia Park. Wollongong United came into the match off a morale-boosting win over Woonona, having dropped points to Corrimal and Tarrawanna, whilst Olympic had to back up after a lung-busting encounter against Bulli, whom prevailed 2-1.

In a case of one team failing to turn up, it was Olympic who walked away with the victory; Shun Tokuno with a trademark free kick within three minutes, followed up by a John Martinoski brace inside the half-hour, before Yusuke Ueda snatched a spectacular fourth midway through the second period, as United laid down rather easily in a particularly poor showing.

From a familiar area as his usual specialty set-pieces; 25 yards out centrally, Shun Tokuno curled his shot over the wall, cannoning into the near upright before bulging the net past an outstretched Sam Nastic in goals. Within three minutes, the game had opened up and you could sense United were rattled.

It would only get worse for the hosts as diabolical defending gifted ex-United winger John Martinoski a straight-forward brace shortly after. For his first, a defensive scramble from the Lions failed to clear a routine cross, and Martinoski found himself 10 yards out with only Nastic to beat, finishing coolly to his right. Four minutes later, Ueda ran rings around Alvin Ceccoli, cutting back to the near post run of Martinoski, beating Zac McLaren to the bounce, and putting a simple finish away to quickly put Olympic up 3-0 with barely 25 minutes on the clock.

United were not without their chances, but they didn't even come close to looking like they would trouble the scoreboard. Daisuke Yuzawa received a perfect pass from Olympic keeper Hayden Durose, but from 20-yards with nobody in front of him, the winger opted to shift onto his predominant foot, before being closed down by four retreating defenders and being completely snuffed out.

Shortly after, McNab scuffed his shot into the ground from 10 yards with just Durose to beat; Nathan Elasi forced a low sav from Durose and a fast rebound to Maty Brennan was rushed over the open goal from 12 yards.

The last action of the half was rather unusual. Ceccoli looped a headed backpass to Nastic, who was almost out-jumped by the shortest man on the field - Martinoski - in the contest, but Nastic was on hand to smother the loose ball.

Going on the balance of play, United players must've got quite a spray at the interval from coach Jeff Allport, and only 13 minutes after the break it got just that little bit worse.

A long throw from the right wing of Olympic was sent into the area, Ueda isolated and surrounded by four United shirts. No problem for the towering striker, a simple bicycle kick for his first touch beat Nastic to the far post and in for the visitors' fourth goal.

It took an unbelievable 74 minutes for United to trouble Durose with a dangerous shot, substitute Zac Nicholas cutting in from the left wing and striking at the near post from range.

It seemed the tale of two polar opposites on the pitch. Olympic were playing as well as they needed in order to punish a lacklustre United, of whom it was difficult to pick out an individual who played well. Olympic were holding the ball well, happily passing around midfield relatively uncontested, and giving Durose a boring afternoon between the sticks. Meanwhile a vocal home crowd were letting their players know how they were feeling, as error after error continually gifted Olympic a stranglehold on the tie.

Even before the fourth goal, United were offering very little going forward, and when your fullbacks are looking the most dangerous players on your team going forward, it suggests things weren't quite going right for United.

Even with Olympic sitting back in the closing stages to protect a clean sheet, multiple long balls were sent the way of a lonesome Ueda, who still often managed to shrug clear of two men and get his shot off.

The crowds had already begun to filter out of the stands before the final whistle, as United succumbed to a humiliating defeat to their rivals. Olympic never looked like conceding and rightfully took all three points. The result sees United fall to 6th at the time of writing, and could end the round as low as 8th, whilst Olympic retain 2nd spot on the ladder.

Looking ahead, United will head to Fernhill for a 2:30pm kickoff on Sunday 29/4 at Ray Robinson Field, whilst Olympic host a resurgent Cringila side, PCYC 2:30pm kickoff on Saturday 28/4.

 

Saturday 21st April 2018 - Macedonia Park

Wollongong United 0

Wollongong Olympic 4 - Tokuno 3', Martinoski 19' 23', Ueda 58'

 

Wollongong United - Sam NASTIC, Maty BRENNAN, Alvin CECCOLI, Nathan ELASI, Mark EVERY, Kazuto KUSHIDA, Sam MATTHEWS, Zac MCLAREN, Matthew MCNAB, Sam MUNRO, Daisuke YUZAWA

Subs - Ben WUNSCH, Ben BROOKS (on for McLaren 62'), Zac NICHOLAS (on for MATTHEWS 59'), Cody WALLER, Jake WEBSTER

Wollongong Olympic - Hayden DUROSE, Kojiro HORI, Jack KEATING, Jake DUCZYNSKI, Shun TOKUNO, Vaughan PATTERSON, Brendan FORDHAM, Lukas STERGIOU, John MARTINOSKI, Luke FOSTER, Yusuke UEDA

Subs - Christian PRETTO, Jack BALMFORTH (on for MARTINOSKI 81'), Ekoue D'ALMEIDA (on for STERGIOU 72'), John MANGOS (on for FOSTER 88'), Franco LEDESEMA

 

Referee - Peter ILCEVSKI

Assistants - Joshua SPAIN, John RUSCICA

 

Report by David ATHERTON, Twitter @daveatho5

Photo courtesy of Dana Guthrie.