OLYMPIC EDGE CORRIMAL IN FIERY GRAND FINAL REMATCH
Wollongong Olympic avenged their 2019 grand final defeat, downing Corrimal 1-0 in the round three catch-up Illawarra Mercury Premier League clash at Ian McLennan Park on Wednesday night.
The weather may have been cool but tempers certainly weren’t. A total of seven yellow cards showed a fiery and intense physical battle between two of the best teams in Illawarra football.
It was Corrimal having the first chance of the contest when Peter Kyriakoudes’ first touch set him up for a shot on the right wing. With the ball rolling away from him, the defender’s effort lacked power and was an easy pick-up for Justin Pasfield.
Despite this, Olympic opened the scoring inside 15 minutes when Matt Floro ran onto a through ball from his defensive line. One touch was enough to set up the shot as he blasted it along the ground, going through the legs of Kaydin Harrison in goal and bundling into the net, giving Olympic the lead on the night.
The quality of defence between the sides was evident throughout the first half as both teams attack was held to very minimal chances on goal. Action on and around the ball continued as tempers flared into half time at 1-0 Olympic.
John Martinoski sent his first time effort just beyond the post in the 48th minute before Corrimal’s Rick Goodchild had his free-kick palmed away by Pasfield inside the opening five minutes of the second stanza.
In the 70th minute, the Rangers were lucky not to go behind by two when an in-swinging corner by Martinoski looked to curl into the net before a heroic stop off the line by Dean Pender saw the Rangers clear.
Then, just 90 seconds later, Corrimal thought they equalised as Goodchild’s powerful low cross bounced off Keegan Matias’ leg and almost rolled into an empty net for an own-goal. However, the youngster was able to scramble the ball away from goal to keep his side in the lead.
The Rangers began to throw more and more players forward as the game went on and this almost paid off in the 77th minute. A couple of back and forth crosses from either wing saw Corrimal overload the box with players as the ball fell to Tim Wylie for an effort on goal. His first attempt wasn’t the best but a second time shot volleyed goal wards which looked destined for the back of the net was headed off the line by Olympic skipper Mark Every.
Olympic proving too strong at the back for any chance of a late Corrimal equaliser as they push their undefeated league run out to five games for 2020.
Olympic return to the PCYC to take on Woonona on Sunday whereas Corrimal travel to Coniston on Saturday.
Wollongong Olympic 1 (Floro 15’)
Corrimal Rangers FC 0
Wollongong Olympic: 1. PASFIELD Justin, 5. KEATING Jack, 6. HARTAS David, 18. BALDACCHINO James, 26. EVERY Mark, 26. MATIAS Keegan, 10. MARTINOSKI John, 9. HASEGAWA Yu, 17. HORI Korjiro, 7. FLORO Matt, 8. LAVELLE Joey.
Substitutes: 4. CARLI James (FLORO), 12. HAWKER Josh, 11. HAINES-GROSE Corey, 19. CARRASCO Oli, 22. MIYAMOTO Seiya.
Corrimal: 1. HARRISON Kaydin, 3. PENDER Dean, 4. GUIDO Paul, MORLANDO Jake, 6. STERGIOU Lukas, 7. GALANTI Matthew, 8. GOODCHILD Rick, 9. MATTHEWS Samuel, 11. WYLIE Tim, 12. GROZDANOV Nicholas, 13. KYRIAKOUDES Peter.
Substitutes: 14. TYSON Zack (GOODCHILD), 15. TERAMOTO Takao (GALANTI), 16. WALKER James (GUIDO), 99. ZUFIC David.
Date: 26 August 2020
Venue: Ian McLennan Park
Referee: Peter Ilcevski
Assistant Referees: Reece Edwards and Regan Strong
Report by Nathan Turner, on Twitter @nathanturner23_
File Photo: 2019 Grand Final (Pedro Garcia)
