Round 12 IPL fixtures concluded with a night game at Memorial Park with Corrimal playing host to an in-form Wollongong United side. The Rangers were backing up from consecutive defeats whilst United had been unbeaten in 6 games - winning 5. After an upset 1-0 Corrimal win in a rescheduled Round 1 clash, the Rangers were looking to put the double on United, who had only otherwise lost to Wollongong Olympic.

The match began with United expectedly on top, grabbing an early goal from Kazuto Kushida, before Corrimal equalised against the run of play as Dean Pender netted a diving header. Matthew McNab powered home a loose ball just before the hour mark to restore the visitors' lead. A 15-minute spell with three goals for the home side grabbed all three points; Tim Wylie bundling home a free kick off Lachlan O'Connor to equalise, before Takeru Okada blew the roof off with a worldie from near the touchline, and Masahiko Morita breaking through a short-manned defence deep into stoppage time to put the shine on a deserved win.

The opening exchanges were not looking good for the hosts - relying on the long ball and sitting deep to stifle Wollongong United's pacey wingers. They came undone from a free kick after 18 minutes; Sam Munro striking into the wall, the ball fell to Kushida from 12 yards out, sweeping home into the far post to open the scoring.

Daisuke Yuzawa almost made it two on the half hour, pinching a pass in defence and setting Nathan Elasi on his way, the striker mowed down by a heroic Karouna Michael slide just as he shot.

The ball was in at the other end minutes later though, a deep free kick finding Pender at the far post as he buried a diving header low past Sam Nastic.

Corrimal 'keeper Daniel Arcaba showed up in emphatic fashion shortly after, producing a full-stretch save after reading an early cross, picking the ball from the air in front of two waiting attackers.

Again, Arcaba was ready, just before halftime, as a Corrimal clearance struck their own player, Elasi gifted a free shot from 12 yards out, which he bombed straight at the gloveman.

With scores level going into the sheds, Corrimal were distinctly the more positive of the two sides. It showed as the second period began - immediately Okada breezed past his man on the left wing, a good shot beating Nastic to the far post, only for retreating O'Connor to sweep the ball off the line.

McNab continued to pop up in good areas, and a fortuitous bounce from a half-cleared corner allowed the winger to strike the roof of the net from 15 yards to restore an away lead.

Elasi managed to strike the upright from a tight angle on the hour mark as Corrimal began to fade in midfield - leaving huge acreage in the centre of the pitch. It was another set piece that got the hosts back in the game - free kick to the far post, Wylie striking on target as it struck O'Connor and bulged the net.

Just like that, it was 2-2 and Corrimal were in unparalleled ascendancy, swarming every United player in possession and pushing forward with purpose. Morita went on a mazing run across the top of the box, to shoot over, and substitute Jamie Wakeling almost pinching the ball off an audacious Nastic dribbling in his box.

Finally, a lull came over the game as the energy seemed to fade, and out of absolutely nowhere, Okada set Memorial Park on fire. A tame pass found the winger 30 yards-out near the sideline, touching onto his left-boot and hooping a gorgeous shot over Nastic, and into the top bracing at the far post. A simply sublime goal which should be in contention for Goal of the Year.

United were throwing men forward to try and eek out some result, with Corrimal sitting deep to defend constant pressure. Munro decided to have a go at goal from a late free kick, Arcaba up to the occasion as he punched clear from the top-corner at full stretch.

Into injury time, Corrimal put the game to bed. Morita received the ball on the touchline at halfway, beating two, cutting inside, beating another two, before rolling the ball past Nastic to the near post to finish a compelling contest at 4-2. The hosts grabbed a much deserved three points on the day as they dug in deep with their backs to the wall. Wollongong United appeared baffled at how much Corrimal were taking the game to them and offered little going forward aside from set pieces.

The win bumps Corrimal above Fernhill into 7th place, only three points outside a finals place. Next week in Round 13, they will travel to Crehan Park for a 2:30pm Sunday kickoff against a Cringila side they fell 5-2 to earlier this season.

Wollongong United fall from 3rd to 4th on the ladder, now 8 points behind leaders Bulli. This result has likely seen the Lions fall out of title contention. Round 13 has United hosting a struggling Picton side who have been battered for 15 goals by the top 2 teams either side of a 2-2 draw with Fernhill. That fixture is set for Macedonia Park, 2:30pm kickoff on Saturday.

 

Saturday 9th June - Memorial Park

Corrimal Rangers 4 - PENDER 35', O'CONNOR OG 75', OKADA 80', MORITA 90+2'

Wollongong United 2 - KUSHIDA 18', MCNAB 57'

 

Corrimal Rangers - Daniel ARCABA, Jason ZUFIC, Angelo HAJITTOFI, Dean PENDER, Matthew GALANTI, Karouna MICHAEL, Takeru OKADA, Kyle KIRKLAND, Timothy WYLIE, Klime SEKUTKOVSKI, Masahiko MORITO

Subs - Calum FLEMING, Daniel THOMPSON, Jamie WAKELING (on for SEKUTKOVSKI 65'), Ryan SUTCLIFFE, David ZUFIC

Wollongong United - Sam NASTIC, Maty BRENNAN, Ben BROOKS, Nathan ELASI, Matt GORDON, Kazuto KUSHIDA, Matthew MCNAB, Sam MUNRO, Lachlan O'CONNOR, Daisuke YUZAWA, Dominic HUDAP

Subs - Stephen DOMENICI (on for MCNAB 61'), Kenta AZECHI, Jackson BROOKS, Zac MCLAREN (on for GORDON 88'), Ben WUNSCH

 

Referee - Peter ILCEVSKI

Assistants - Joshua SPAIN, Deakin SOUTHERN

 

Report by - David ATHERTON - Twitter @daveatho5

Photo courtesy of Dana Guthrie