Sydney Olympic proved too much to handle for Sydney United 58 as they scored an important 4-0 win on Saturday evening at Jubilee Stadium to remain well within range of the top six.
The Blues secured an impressive victory in their first game back at Jubilee this campaign, enacting some vengeance against their rivals after being knocked out by them on penalties midweek in the sixth round of the Hahn Australia Cup.
The two outfits played out a very even first 15 minutes without many chances before the contest burst to life.
United 58 produced a terrific opportunity in the 18th minute where some great play down the right flank led to the ball dropping for Aidan Milicevic in the middle of the box, with the midfielder unleashing a strike that forced a point-blank save out of goalkeeper Jack Gibson.
The hosts managed to go ahead in the 25th minute following an expert strike from the edge of the box by Seth Clark that curled beautifully into the bottom right.
The Blues then followed it up with a second goal almost immediately after in the 26th minute, intercepting the ball from the visitors in their own half and launching a rapid counter-attack that saw Bailey Callaghan knock the ball into the back of the net.
The hosts came agonisingly close to making it three in the 31st minute when Parkhouse had a strong run down the left and cut the ball back to Dehmie, though the marksman’s shot went over the crossbar.
The travellers nearly found their first in the 40th minute when a corner kick saw the ball fall to Carlos De Oliveira just outside the box, who released a good low effort that was blocked by Parkhouse.
The hosts created a great chance in the 54th minute after some excellent team play saw Thomas Wiffen run down the left and put in a great low ball across goal to Callaghan, who was unable to get the right connection and knock it in.
Milicevic did his best to get his team back into the game in the 63rd minute after striking the ball sweetly from range only for his effort to be denied by the crossbar.
Olympic eventually found their third in the 70th minute in gorgeous fashion as Dehmie struck a perfectly weighted free kick from the edge of the box into the net off the underside of the crossbar.
The Blued were not done there as they scored their fourth in the 77th minute after Clark seized the ball inside the visitors’ half, starting a counter-attack that saw him receive the ball from Dehmie and then strike it along the ground into the bottom right.
The visitors had a golden chance for a consolation in the 90+5th minute, though Jack Gibson denied United 58 captain Adrian Vlastelica’s free kick header from close range to keep the clean sheet.
Sydney Olympic coach Labinot Haliti praised the victory as an important one for the players, the staff and fans alike, noting the significance of it particularly after their disappointing loss to Rockdale last round.
“Maybe last week we weren’t at our best in the second half. I said before that when you are not at your best you get punished from anyone. Tonight, we showed again that we are building something,” Haliti told Football NSW.
“These are the games that you want to prepare for, play and be part of because they are special. There is a lot of history there. I quite enjoy it and it is challenging because you have to come up with the solutions and I think that is part of the beauty of football.”
Match Stats
Sydney Olympic 4 (Seth Clark 25’, 77’, Bailey Callaghan 26’, Cyrus Dehmie 70’)
Sydney United 58 0
Saturday 10 May
Jubilee Stadium
Referee: Eric Saba
Assistant Referees: Alessandro Llana and Matthew Harris
Fourth Official: Charbel Geha
Sydney Olympic: 1. Jack Gibson, 5. Ziggy Gordon, 9. Cyrus Dehmie, 10. Jack Armson, 11. Adam Parkhouse (39. Marcus Papadimitriou 85’), 12. Zac Zoricich (6. Thomas Wiffen 17’), 14. Seth Clark (22. Dylan Ruiz-Diaz 80’), 16. Bailey Callaghan (7. Michael Vakis 80’), 17. Joshua Hong, 18. Teng Kuol, 19. Gianni Di Pizio
Substitutes Not Used: 13. Monty Partington, 28. Doni Grdic
Yellow Cards:
Red Cards: Nil
Sydney United 58: 1. Tristan Prendergast, 3. Bailey Rule, 4. Adrian Vlastelica, 5. Anthony Tomelic (14. Liam McGing 76’), 9. Patrick Antelmi (37. Luke Zuvela 71’), 10. Carlos De Oliveira (6. Thomas Makko 46’), 11. Matthew Hatch, 17. Michael Glassock, 19. Aidan Milicevic (15. Tariq Maia 76’), 23. Mason Wells (22. Stephan De Robillard 59’), 32. Leroy Jennings
Substitutes Not Used: 31. Josip Orlovic
Yellow Cards: Anthony Tomelic 23’, Adrian Vlastelica 56’, Michael Glassock 68’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3: Seth Clark (SO)
2: Cyrus Dehmie (SO)
1: Teng Kuol (SO)
Source: NPL NSW.
