PORT KEMBLA v WOLLONGONG UNITED | IPL ROUND 6 | MATCH REPORT
Two first-half goals were enough for Wollongong United to move up to second place in the Illawarra Premier League with a 2-0 victory against Port Kembla at Wetherall Park on Sunday afternoon.
Maty Brennan put the visitors midway through the first half before Dinko Terzic doubled the advantage just before half time.
It was end-to-end football to start the match with both sides creating a couple of openings within the opening 20 minutes.
Three minutes in Elisseo Chiodi found space centrally forcing the United defence to back off before slipping the ball into the path of Jordan Nikolovski inside the box on the right-hand side who sent his effort wide of the far post.
Five minutes later, Wollongong United’s Maty Brennan made inroads down the right-hand side sending a cross towards the back post for Andre Dias who attempted to volley it back across the keeper but didn’t make a meaningful connection.
With a quarter-of-an-hour played, the visitors had their best chance of the match when Mason Versi’s corner from the right-hand side connected with the head of Ben Brooks centrally who was unable to make good enough contact with the ball.
Four minutes later, the hosts pushed forwards down the left-hand side being awarded a freekick on the left-hand edge of the box.
The original effort from the freekick was blocked but the ball came out to David Polidoro who sliced his strike just wide of the far post.
United began to assert their dominance in the match, creating two chances in the next 10 minutes.
In the 24th minute, Andre Dias was played in behind on the left-hand side driving towards goal and from a tight angle, he elected to shoot rather than cut the ball back with it ending up rolling away for a throw-in.
Six minutes later, some superb interplay between Mitsuo Yamada and Seiji Kawakami on the left-hand side saw the ball played to Versi on the penalty spot who forced a sharp save from Harrison Matias in the Port Kembla goal.
Three minutes later, United finally went ahead through Brennan.
A cross in from the left-hand side was spilt towards Brennan at the back post who had the simple task of tapping the ball into an empty net.
With three minutes to play, the away side doubled the lead through Dinko Terzic.
Brennan turned the provider, running down the right before putting a cross into the box which Port weren’t able to deal with before the ball fell to Terzic centrally who rolled a calm finish into the bottom left-hand corner.
United went into the break with a two-goal advantage after a strong end to the first period.
Port Kembla had a flying start to the second half creating three opportunities before the hour mark.
Four minutes in, a cross in from the left-hand side which was headed by United defender Brooks into the path of Peter Richardson on the right-hand side of the box who side-footed an effort into the gloves on Sam Nastic.
A minute later, Richardson had another effort from a similar position with the same result as Nastic held onto this one as well.
Eight minutes later, Jordan Nikolovski picked up the ball on the right-hand side in behind the visitors’ defence sending a right-footed effort over the bar.
The away side weathered the early onslaught from the hosts and began to dominate the ball once more.
In the 73rd minute, Brennan was involved again down the right-hand side playing a pass into the middle of the box for substitute Josh Correia who dragged his right-footed effort wide of the left-hand post.
Wollongong United went on to secure a 2-0 win which sees the side move into second position.
Port Kembla will face another tricky task next Saturday afternoon playing host to Bulli at Wetherall Park.
While Wollongong United will travel to face a Coniston side that has had a promising start to the season at JJ Kelly Park next Saturday night.
Port Kembla 0
Wollongong United 2 (Maty Brennan 34’, Dinko Terzic 42’)
Port Kembla: 1. MATIAS Harrison, 2. RICHARDSON Peter, 3. MOBBS Will, 4. DI PIETRO Mitch, 5. PRENDALOS Peter, 6. POLIDORO David, 7. NIKOLOVSKI Jayden, 8. PATTERSON Vaughan, 9. PIRES Nuno, 10. NIKOLOVSKI Jordan, 11. CHIODI Elisseo
Substitutes: 12. NAGATSUKA Tatsuki (PIRES), 13. FLEMING Bailey (POLIDORO), 14. CAERLLA Daniel, 15. GRAHAM Casey, 21. CHARLSTON Jake
Wollongong United: 80. NASTIC Sam, 25. BRENNAN Maty, 19. BROOKS Ben, 3. DIAS Andre, 26. KAWAKAMI Seiji, 5. LAZAREVSKI Danny, 32. STOJANOVSKI James, 10. TERZIC Dinko, 11. VERSI Mason, 4. VESCIO Rene, 23. YAMADA Mitsuo
Substitutes: 7. CORREIA Josh (VERSI), 14. FLANAGAN Jeremy, 44. MCLAREN Zac (YAMADA), 29. SEKUTKOSKI Klime (TERZIC), 2. THOMAS Sean
Date: 2 May 2021
Venue: Wetherall Park
Referee: Bobby Mazevski
Assistant Referees: Adam Naylor and Jackson Giustiniani
Report by Timothy Gibson
Photo by Richie Wagner
