Olympic clinical as Sharks rue missed chances
Olympic clinical as Sharks rue missed chances
5 February , 2023 By Football NSW
The scoreline may have not reflected how the match unfolded but defending NPL NSW Men’s Premiers Sydney Olympic proved too clinical for a slick Sutherland Sharks outfit winning 3-0 on a hot summer’s day at the Belmore Sports Ground.
Sutherland was left to rue missed chances in this fixture despite creating a multitude of chances, while Olympic were deadly in the conversion of their opportunities.
Two new coaches were unearthed with Olympic’s Labinot Haliti and Sutherland’s Damir Prodanovic taking charge of their teams respectively hoping to make a mark on this year’s competition.
It was Sutherland Sharks who had the first shot on goal, as Jordan Roberts received the ball while running into space.
He strode forwards before unleashing a powerful effort which was fumbled by Sorras, but the keeper grasped the ball for a second time firmly just before Hamish Lamberton could reach the ball.
Sutherland went close again short after, with Lamberton looking dangerous.
He picked up the ball and drove towards goal powerfully and saw his strike on the edge of the box hit the left post.
Lamberton had a second effort off the rebound, which was well saved by Sorras once more.
The Sharks remained threatening, with a fantastic ball releasing Japanese star Fumoto Kamada in behind – his cutback was promising but couldn’t find a teammate.
Sutherland was efficient in progressing the ball, operating in a shifting 3-4-3 or 3-2-5 structure, depending on the position of their wingbacks.
They were adept at drawing in the press before playing directly in behind, with Lamberton threatening off the shoulder, while their wingbacks allowed them to move down the flanks by coming short.
Kamada was impressive in receiving the ball and beating his man to keep possession for the Sharks or move the ball forwards.
Their two wingers came inside and looked to find pockets of space in between wide and central areas, and they could make runs in behind or drop off to receive the ball.
However, despite Sutherland’s promise with the ball, it was Sydney Olympic that opened the scoring in the 13th minute.
A defensive error after a ball forward saw former A-League star and new recruit Nick Fitzgerald in behind who clinically put away a one on one moment to give the home side the lead.
The goal turned the tides, as Sutherland struggled to impose the same level of purposeful possession as prior to the opener, while Olympic began to look increasingly comfortable as they grew into the match.
However, the Sharks grew back into the match, and began to control the ball, settling down for sustained periods in Olympic’s defensive half.
The home side looked to sit deeper when without the ball in a narrow 4-3-3 shape, allowing Sutherland to have it without creating any real dangerous opportunities against a lower defensive block.
The Sharks became more possession based rather than direct, intent on keeping the ball and pulling around Olympic’s defensive structure.
Their wide attacking midfielders looked dangerous running through midfield, but they struggled to combine and look threatening in wide areas, which helped Olympic in their narrow block.
Sutherland still looked dangerous on transitions and when playing through or over Olympic’s press, however, and created a good chance in the 40th minute.
Capitalising on a mistake, Lamberton picked up the ball and drove at the home side’s defence, before playing it wide to the onrushing Louis Khoury.
The right inside forward jinked and feinted to move the ball onto his right foot, before unleashing a powerful shot which was saved sharply by Sorras.
In the 43rd minute, Kamada, who was having a good showing, beat his man once more, and hit a good low ball across the face of goal – it was narrowly missed by Lamberton.
In the second half, Sydney Olympic came out higher pressing with more intent, and Sutherland struggled to settle in possession.
However, while less stable on the ball, the Sharks still looked threatening when playing through the press, using their wingbacks and inside forwards to overload different areas of the field.
When pressing high, Olympic pushed their front three on Sutherland’s defensive trio.
Their two more advanced midfielders, as a result, pushed up on Sutherland’s midfield two, which left a 5 v 5 in attack.
The Sharks’ two wider attacking midfielders, or inside forwards, positioned themselves on either side of Olympic’s lone defensive midfielder in Jack Simmons, creating an overload in between the lines.
The wingbacks pushed up and went wide of Olympic’s fullbacks, which also created a two versus one situation with the fullbacks having to watch both the wingbacks and inside forwards.
It was a good structure set up to counter Olympic’s press and was consistently dangerous throughout the match.
Ziggy Gordon was crucial in stepping up to intercept as a right sided central defender, using a combination of strength and anticipation to cut out numerous dangerous looking opportunities for his side.
However, the system prevailed in chance creation, and in the 55th minute, Sutherland had two good opportunities to find an equaliser.
A good play through midfield resulted in Connor Rose in behind.
He turned his marker and struck a strong left footed shot, which was parried away by Sorras.
Lamberton was first to the rebound, but was denied again by Olympic shotstopper, making an important double save to keep his side ahead.
Off a close range freekick on the right of the post, Roberts bended a shot around the wall, but Sorras was again down well to make the save.
In the 62nd minute, good incisive play from Sydney Olympic saw Roy O’Donovan in behind.
The star striker took a good first touch to move ahead of his marker before looking to take the ball around the goalkeeper, but Marko Bulic was out smartly to smother and alleviate any danger.
However, O’Donovan found his goal in the 68th minute, doubling the lead for Sydney Olympic in their best spell of the match.
A good ball in from Fitzgerald on the left flank towards the back post wasn’t defended by Sutherland, and the 2022 NPL NSW Men’s Golden Boot winner struck the ball with power and precision across goal to score his first for the campaign.
Sutherland was unlucky to be two goals down but had paid the price for mistakes and their inability to convert chances and had settled in possession once again with Olympic dropping deeper.
In the 78th minute, Olympic added a third to cap off a clinical performance, as Puflett struck the ball first time from just inside the box moments after coming on.
The home side looked confident on the ball following their third goal and continued to create chances, as they looked particularly dangerous with short combinations before spreading the ball wide on attacking transitions.
In the 85th minute, a good ball from Louis Khoury saw the onrushing Roberts in behind, having made a darting run inside, but his shot was blocked well with a last-ditch tackle.
Sydney Olympic evaded more late pressure from Sutherland to pick up the three points, scoring three while keeping a clean sheet in the process.
Clinical as they were, the hosts at times were overrun by a spirited Sharks outfit with Prodanovic implementing his playing style that will be one to watch as the rounds progress.
Match Stats
Sydney Olympic 3 (Fitzgerald 13’, O’ Donovan 68’, Puflett 78’)
Sutherland Sharks 0
Sunday 5 February, 2023
Belmore Sports Ground
Referee: Michael Weiner
Assistant Referees: Cameron Wright and Joel Crawford
Fourth Official: Brodie Merchant
Sydney Olympic: 1. Nicholas Sorras, 3. Michael Neill (C), 4. Benjamin van Meurs, 5. Zygmunt Gordon, 6. Jack Simmons (8. Sam Mcillhatton, 70’), 10. Darcy Burgess (24. Hagi Gligor, 75’), 11. Adam Parkhouse, 12. Matthew Buettner, 22. Fabio Ferreira (9. Oliver Puflett, 75’), 29. John FitzGerald (23. Jakob Cresnar 75’), 99. Roy O’ Donovan (2. James Georgaklis 87’)
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Christopher Parsons
Yellow Cards: Neill 79’, Zygmunt Gordon 88’
Red Cards: N/A
Sutherland Sharks: 1. Marko Bulic, 2. Takahide Umebachi, 3. Jordan Roberts (C), 4. Mitchell Stamatellis, 6. Brodie Clarkson, 7. Connor Rose, 9. Hamish Lamberton, 11. Fumoto Kamada, 15. Nathan Grimaldi, 21. Luke Sauer (8. Alexander Brown, 70’), 33. Louis Khoury
Substitutes Not Used:, 14. Chris Lindsay, 19. Evan Ball, 22. Jacob Cremen-cowan, 25. Oliver Randazzo, 32. Levi Sciuriaga
Yellow Cards: Sauer 19’
Red Cards: N/A
Player ratings
3 – Nicholas Sorras (SO)
2 – Mitchell Stamatellis (SS)
1 – Nathan Grimaldi (SS)
By National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s reporter Jack George