Sydney Olympic keep 100% record with win over Blacktown
An exceptionally well taken goal by ?man of the moment? Alex Smith on the hour was enough to seal the deal, despite playing some 13? minutes with 10-men – following Jerry Kalouris? second bookable offence ? before the ledger was evened with Mitch Long too picking up one yellow card too many in the 77? minute.
The win sends the Blues into first spot with a two-point lead over the nearest challengers after two matches, meanwhile the defending champions sit routed at the bottom of the ladder.
Tyler Simpson and Michael Brown combined for the opening chance of the match with the latter skewing his left-foot volley wide of goal following a deflection.
The home-side dominated the opening stages with some good possession out of midfield, and on 6? minutes, captain Luke Roodenburg combined with Mitchell Long before rifling a long-range effort wide of the mark.
Robbie Mileski responded for Sydney Olympic with a low-driven effort in the 7? minute. The Blues? playmaker created the yard of space to unleash, though the final effort lacked any real punch as the chance was saved by Symon Jaeger.
Sydney Olympic got forward in the 14? minute and forced Jaeger into a save from a set-piece. Chris Triantis? free-kick from the right-flank found the head of Ibrahim Haydar who headed directly at Jaeger.
The Blues hit the home-side on the counterattack 2? minutes later as Alex Smith released William Angel down the left. The left-sided midfielder lined the ball up nicely before forcing Jaeger into a good save.
Blacktown City FC showed their physical presence in the final third with Roodenburg using his strength and experience to hold up the ball and get his midfielders forward. The Sydney Olympic central defensive unit of Haydar and Bill Tsanidis, though, proved to have his measure in the opening half.
In the 26? minute, Alex Smith and Chris Triantis combined with the latter releasing Emmanuel Giannaros through on goal. Giannaros attempted to cut his effort back across goal, though some slick defending by the home-side cleared the ball behind for a corner.
Hussein Akil picked up a yellow card after colliding with Long at speed down the Blacktown City left-flank in the 27? minute, leaving the midfielder down in-front of the Blacktown City bench. Despite concerns for the player around the ground, Long got back onto his feet and resumed his position on the field.
Blacktown City FC breached the Sydney Olympic defensive line when Kain Rastall played Mitchell Duke through on goal in the 31? minute. The Blacktown forward foray was cut short though as the linesman?s flag was quickly raised for offside.
Sydney Olympic made the most of some good possession with two chances in 2? minutes as Mileski blasted over the crossbar in the 32? minute after receiving a short cut-back from Smith on the right-flank.
The Blues followed that attempt with Akil squandering the best goalscoring chance of the half in the 33? minute. Played through on goal, and only the goalkeeper to beat, Akil chipped his effort from the edge of the penalty-area well over the crossbar, much to the relief of the home supporters.
Mileski added his name to the referee?s book with a yellow card for a blatant hand-ball in the 37? minute. Struggling to reach Angel?s cross from the left, Mileski?s trailing right arm made contact with the ball, leaving the referee with no choice but to issue the caution.
In the 39? minute Duke forced Henderson into a fine save down to his right. The striker?s low-driven effort at the near post was easy pickings for the shot-stopper.
Following the break, Sydney Olympic carved out the first opening as Akil got in behind the defence. With the goal at his mercy, Jaeger was quick off his line to dive at the striker?s feet and nullify the chance.
Moments later, the Blues again got in behind the Blacktown City defence via the feet of Angel. The midfielder played an exquisite cross into the path of Akil who hit his first time half-volley wide of goal.
Angel was at it again in the 55? minute, as he was played through on goal down the left-flank. The speedy number 14 chased down the ball though was denied by Jaeger who was quick off his line to clear for Blacktown City.
At the other end, Mitch Long headed a Michael Brown free-kick from the right into the side netting. Despite appeals from the home-side for a corner, the referee ordered play to resume with a goalkick.
Sydney Olympic found the opening goal just after the hour as goalscoring machine Alex Smith rounded Jaeger before finishing expertly with his right peg from an acute angle. Smith kept his cool and composure, despite the difficult angle to the right of goal, and had the travelling Sydney Olympic supporters in full voice.
The goal spurred the home-side into action as their attempt to battle back into the match was helped with the dismissal of Jerry Kalouris. The Sydney Olympic player, already on a yellow card, was shown his second following a foul on Long.
Blacktown City substitute Travis Major had the home crowd on their feet in the 71? minute as his ?Beckhamesque? free-kick only just failed to dip enough, skimming the top of Henderson?s crossbar.
The home-side?s numerical advantage was short-lived though as Mitch Long received his second yellow card of the afternoon on 77? minutes for a late challenge in the opposition half.
Major showed his class again 2? minutes from time as he slalomed his way past two defenders before going to ground under a Bill Tsanidis challenge on the edge of the penalty-area. Major dusted himself off to take the free-kick though his attempted effort was hit directly into the wall.
Sydney Olympic administered proceedings comfortably in the closing stages to make it six-points from their opening two matches.
Blacktown City FC coach Mark Crittenden was visibly disappointed with his side?s showing following the referee?s final whistle:
?Very disappointed with the showing today, I really am.
?We knew that the match would be a tough one, and that we would need to play to our strengths, though we just turned the ball over too easily today and that made our job at hand very difficult.
?We really should have made more of the time where we had the numerical advantage, though it just didn?t happen today.
?The season is still in its early stage, and the road is very long to the end? We will certainly be looking to work hard this coming week and be ready for a much better showing next weekend,? Crittenden ended.
Victorious Sydney Olympic coach Peter Tsekenis was very pleased with the win:
?Very happy with the win today, and with the way the group is gelling together.
?We were ready for a physical game and we knew it was going to be tough coming here, though the boys all worked hard together and we got the goal we needed to take the three-points ? I believe we really deserved the win today.
?With the team gelling well together, and considering we still have the likes of Luksic and Studman to get back into the team, we are happy with the start we have made to the season,? concluded Tsekenis.
In the Grade-20 division, Sydney Olympic survived a late Blacktown City FC surge to score a 3-2 win. Trailing 0-3 with 20? minutes remaining, Blacktown City scored two late goals to make for a thrilling finale, though Sydney Olympic kept their nerve in the closing stages for the three-points.
Match Stats
Blacktown City FC 0
Sydney Olympic 1 (Alex Smith 61?)
Sunday 3rd April, 2011
Lily Homes, Seven Hills
Referee: Andrew Best
Assistant Referees: Adam Coombes and Cameron Bruce
Fourth Official: Alex Long
Crowd: 350 Approx.
Blacktown City FC: 1.Symon Jaeger; 2.Tyler Simpson, 3.Mitchell Duke, 5.Patrick Gatt, 6.Matt Pressello, 7.Luke Roodenburg (C), 9.Kain Rastall (11.Milorad Simonovic 46?), 10.Mitch Long, 13.Matt Lewis, 14.Michael Brown (17.Adam Jenner 72?), 16.Adam Biddle (4.Travis Major 61?)
Substitutes Not Used: 11.Milorad Simonovic, 20.Justin Biega
Yellow Cards: Matt Lewis 23?, Mitch Long 68?, 77?, Tyler Simpson 85?
Red Cards: Mitch Long 77?
Sydney Olympic: 1.Paul Henderson (C); 2.Emmanuel Giannaros, 4.Ibrahim Haydar, 6.Alex Smith, 8.Chris Triantis, 9.Hussein Akil (23.Takayuki Omi 69?), 11.Robert Mileski (15.Todd Bamber 80?), 14.William Angel (3.Brett Studman 72?), 12.Bill Tsanidis, 16.Peter Triantis, 18.Jerry Kalouris
Substitutes Not Used: 20.Nenad Vekic, 7.Phil Makrys
Yellow Cards: Hussein Akil 27?, Robert Mileski 37?, Alex Smith 44?, Jerry Kalouris 56?, 64?, Bill Tsanidis 88?
Red Cards: Jerry Kalouris 64?
Player Ratings:
3 ? Alex Smith (SO)
2 ? Luke Roodenburg (BCFC)
1 ? Chris Triantis (SO)
-By Joseph Carlucci
