FFA Cup Round 7 Update: Sydney Olympic and Mt Druitt Town Rangers bag final two spots

It’s official, Sydney Olympic and Mt Druitt Town Rangers have both won themselves the final two Round of 32 FFA Cup spots after winning their respective Round 7 Preliminary matches on what was a rain-soaked Wednesday evening in Sydney.

At Cromer Park it was the visitors Sydney Olympic who reigned supreme following a 2-0 victory against Manly United. All the action, drama and excitement unfolded in the first half following a straight red card to Jimmy Oates in the 18^th minute. The experienced defender was given his marching orders as the nature of the match shifted in a blink of an eye. Following Oates’ departure, Olympic pounced almost immediately through defender Michael Glassock who got onto the end of a Fabio Ferreira cross in the 20^th minute. The Blues then went 2-0 up in the 34^th minute via an unfortunate own goal from Finn Ashton following a Mo Adam shot that all but finished off the game as Olympic progressed to the round of 32 for the third time in the Cup’s history.

Popondetta Park played host to an absolute thriller as the Mt Druitt Town Rangers came from a goal down to record a 2-1 victory against Rockdale Ilinden. Luck seems to have evaded Steve Zoric’s men for the past month as the 2020 NPL NSW Men’s Premiers struck first via Amaury Gauthier in the 30^th minute. Going into the break with a one-nil lead, Ilinden needed to complete the job in securing its spot in the round of the 32 but Stewart Montgomery’s men had other ideas. Fijian Solomon Monahan Vaika struck an all-important equaliser in the 70^th minute and it was game on for the hosts. As the game look destined for extra-time, Rangers’ Japanese import Fumoto Kamada had other ideas as he sent the Mt Druitt fans at Popondetta Park into raptures with the winner in the 92^nd minute that granted the club its second ever Round of 32 showing.

The two teams join 2019 NPL Finals Series Champions Wollongong Wolves, APIA Leichhardt FC and Blacktown City FC as Football NSW representatives as the 2021 FFA Cup Round of 32 draw which is set to take shape on Wednesday, July 7th.