OLYMPIC OUTMUSCLE UNITED IN TOP-SPOT THRILLER

R11 1st vs Olympic (78)

WOLLONGONG OLYMPIC v WOLLONGONG UNITED | IPL ROUND 11 | MATCH REPORT

Wollongong Olympic extended their lead at the top of the Illawarra Premier League ladder with a 5-4 win over rivals Wollongong United on Sunday afternoon. 

Fans from both sides packed it into the PCYC as both teams went into the game yet to taste defeat in the league this season.

The hosts got off to a great start, scoring against the run of play when Tory Musumeci poked in a Hikaru Kawasakiya’s cross in the sixth minute. 

In the 19th minute, United drew level as Mitsuo Yamada curled a stunning free-kick into the top corner from 25 yards. 

Olympic were centimetres away from regaining the lead just two minutes later as Van Elia’s header rifled off the crossbar following Chris Price’s cross.

The end-to-end football continued as Yamada danced his way around several defenders on the left before powering a shot in off the post to give United the lead in the 33rd minute. 

Mitsuo Yamada trying to retain the ball.

Two minutes later, Justin Pasfield denied Danny Lazarevski from close range which resulted in a devastating Olympic counter-attack that saw Van Elia’s shot power in at the far post. 

The game then turned on its head when Musemeci scored virtually the same goal as his first, poking home from close range following Kawasakiya’s cross. 

After a frantic first 45 minutes, the teams hit the sheds with Olympic up 3-2. 

The action returned immediately as Ben Brooks was fouled in the box following a corner that saw Yamada complete his hat-trick from the spot.

In the 73rd minute, Musumeci picked up his hat-trick with a delicate chip over Sam Nastic to see the home side retake the lead. 

However, Olympic weren’t done with yet, as they went up by two with 10 minutes to play when Price found the back of the net following a scramble in the box.

There was another twist in the contest just 60 seconds later as United pulled one back after a deflection fell kindly for Sean Thomas who found the far bottom corner to set up an epic final few minutes. 

Thomas then thought he had an equaliser in the dying stages, but referee Nick Ryan deemed the fullback had pushed his opponent in the lead-up and ruled it out.

Olympic held on in the long stoppage period to claim a vital three points in their hunt for the championship. 

With the first half of the season is done and dusted and Olympic sit four points clear of Coniston in second and five points clear of United in third. 

Olympic travel to Bulli next weekend who are coming off a 4-0 drubbing to Albion Park whereas United are on the road to Tarrawanna who had a scoreless draw with Corrimal. 

Wollongong Olympic: 5 (Tory Musumeci 6’ 37’ 73’, Van Elia 35’ Chris Price 80’) 

Wollongong United: 4 (Mitsuo Yamada 19’ 33’ 54’ PEN, Sean Thomas 81’)

Wollongong Olympic: 1. PASFIELD Justin, 6. HARTAS David, 26. EVERY Mark, 17. O’ROURKE James, 19. PRICE Chris, 5. KEATING Jack, 8. LAVELLE Joey, 23. ELIA Van, 9. MUSEMECI Tory, 10. MARTINOSKI John, 11. KAWASAKIYA Hikaru. 

Substitutes: 18. PAPPAS Jason (KEATING), 12. HAWKER Josh (ELIA), 15. DENT Jackson (MUSEMECI), 14. MORPHETT Bailey, 22. PRETTO Christian. 

Wollongong United: 80. NASTIC Sam, 27. BARBAROVSKI, Bailey, 25. BRENNAN Maty, 19. BROOKS Ben, 7. CORREIA Josh, 26. KAWAKAMI Seiji, 5. LAZAREVSKI Danny, 32. STOJANOVSKI James, 10. TERZIC Dinko, 4. VESCIO Rene, 23. YAMADA Mitsuo. 

Substitutes: 14. FLANAGAN Jeremey (TERZIC), 44. MACLAREN Zac (STOJANOVSKI), 29. SEKUTKOSKI Klime, 2. THOMAS Sean (CORREIA), 11. VERSI Mason. 

Date: 6 June 2021

Venue: PCYC

Referee: Nick Ryan 

Assistant Referees: Harry Fisher and Byron Lawler 

Report by Nathan Turner, on Twitter @nathanturner23_

Photos by Richie Wagner

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