SOUTH COAST UNITED v WOLLONGONG OLYMPIC | IPL ROUND 2 | MATCH REPORT
A first-half goal-glut guided Wollongong Olympic to a 4-0 victory over an agreeable South Coast United at Ian McLennan Park on Saturday night.
In what was Olympic’s first game of the season, Hikaru Kawasakiya netted a brace with Tory Musumeci and Joe Lavalle also getting on the scoresheet.
It was a fast start from the visitors with Kawasakiya opening the scoring just two minutes in.
The winger cut into the box from the left-hand side and powered a right-footed shot into the near side of the goal.
Eight minutes later Tory Musumeci slid a first-time shot from the edge of the box under United keeper Jason Bleakley to double Olympic’s lead.
With 15 minutes played, Tynan Diaz’s pin-point accurate ball across the face of the goal from the right-hand side found Joe Lavalle at the back post who tapped in from close range.
Three goals in the opening quarter-of-an-hour, put Olympic in a solid position in the match.
Despite this, the hosts did create a couple of chances in response to the early dominance from their opponents.
Kieren Brodnik looking lively down the right-hand side seeing his shot saved in the 19th minute before having a goal ruled out for offside a couple of minutes later.
Olympic’s Stefan Dimoski had two opportunities around half an hour in, but the former Wollongong Wolves’ forward was unable to find the target with either attempt.
In the final five minutes of the first half, Kawasakiya scored his second sending a right-footed shot past Bleakley with captain-coach Greg Valic unable to prevent the goal despite his best efforts on the line.
The away side went into the sheds with a commanding and seemingly unassailable four-goal advantage.
It was a contextually tame second period with Olympic comfortably keeping the ball as time ticked away.
Just after the hour mark, Kawasakiya curled a shot wide after being played in on the left-hand side.
In the 75th minute, United’s Valic attacked a corner from the right-hand side at the near post but was unable to steer his header on target.
Kawasakiya had a great opportunity to secure his hat-trick in the final minutes of the game but couldn’t direct Diaz’s cross from the right on target – volleying over the bar from inside the box.
Wollongong Olympic went on to claim victory against South Coast United, moving the side onto the top of the table for now.
Four goals and a clean sheet will fill the 2019 Premiers with confidence heading into next week’s home match against Cringila; weather willing.
Coach Matt Bailey has experience in winning this competition most recently taking out the league championship and grand final with Bulli in 2018.
For South Coast, it is now two defeats in a row to start the season.
The rain-affected opening rounds also leave Greg Valic’s team two games ahead of the rest of the competition meaning sides around them have chances to make points on them.
United are scheduled to travel to Woonona next Sunday, although the rain may once again force another postponement in the competition this year.
South Coast United 0
Wollongong Olympic 4 (Hikaru Kawasakiya 2’ 40’, Tory Musumeci 10’, Joe Lavalle 15’)
South Coast United: 1. BLEAKLEY Jason, 4. VALIC Greg, 8. LUCAS Ben, 9. WAKELING Jamie, 10. PENNISI Marco, 11. BERTAKIS Ricky, 14. BRODNIK James, 15. HAYASHI Kodai, 16. ANIC Antoni, 23. BRODNIK Kieren, 24. MACKAY Andrew
Substitutes: 28. OUEDORAOGO Izmaill (J. BRODNIK), 27. ALJABERY Abdul (BERTAKIS), 3. KENNEDY Lochlan (KENNEDY), 37. GANDER Jake, 31. BYRNES Harry
Wollongong Olympic: 1. PASFIELD Justin, 6. HARTAS David, 4. PRICE Chris, 12. LOW Brendan, 18. PAPPAS Jason, 7. DIAZ Tynan, 8. LAVALLE Joe, 10. GOODCHILD Rick, 11. KAWASAKIYA Hikaru, 13. DIMOSKI Stefan, 9. MUSUMECI Tory
Substitutes: 19. LOWCOCK Sandy (DIMOSKI), 2. VOLKANOVSKI James (LAVALLE), 3. MAVDRIDIS Mason (MUSUMECI), 17. AVOURIS Dion, 22. FUENTES Chris
Date: 5 March 2022
Venue: Ian McLennan Park
Referee: Greg Reid
Assistant Referees: Damien Dennelly and Lachlan Davidson
Report by Timothy Gibson
Photos by Richie Wagner
