Wollongong Olympic fought back stunningly to secure the first Grand Final place ahead of League Champions Wollongong United, winning 3-2 on Saturday at Macedonia Park.
United burst into a two-goal lead courtesy of goals from Evan Ball and Sam Matthews. Jason Madonis’ striker soon after concluded the main action of the first half as the teams went into the sheds with the hosts holding a 2-1 lead.
Olympic continue to battle for a route back into the game, which came through Guy Knight’s penalty. Super sub Jarvis Paterson helped force the ball over the line for the side in the final 10 minutes to send them through to the big dance.
United made the breakthrough 10 minutes in from a free-kick on the left. The ball was floated towards the far post for Kyah Jovanovski to head across to Ball, who tapped home a simple finish.
The side built on this momentum and doubled their lead four minutes later. Jovanovski was the provider again, this time bursting into the left of the area before picking out Matthews to prod past Olympic goalkeeper Justin Pasfield from close in.
The goals continued to flow at Macedonia Park as Olympic halved their deficit only a couple of minutes after conceding their second. Madonis accurately lashed the ball from the edge of the box into the top right corner.
United’s next chance arrived in the 33rd minute, when Jovanovski’s header bounced wide of the left post.
Olympic quickly responded with a headed chance of their own, with Harry Callahan nodding wide following a right-wing cross.
United held on to their slender lead as the teams went into the sheds.
Olympic came out for the second half and had an opportunity within the first three minutes. Shoji Mori fired an effort from outside the box over the bar.
In the 65th minute, United goalkeeper Tom Alston produced an outstanding save to keep his team in front. A right-sided cross fell to Olympic’s Tetsunari Nishimura at the far post, nodding goalwards, but Alston pulled off a top reaction stop to flick the ball over the bar.
With Olympic pushing hard for an equaliser, United found space in transition. In the 72nd minute, Nav Darjani skipped inside down the right and played the ball into the left of the box for Klime Sekutkoski, but the substitute blazed his shot over.
Olympic’s opportunity to equalise arrived five minutes later, when Jarvis Paterson was tripped in the box, resulting in a penalty being awarded. Captain Knight took responsibility, calmly clipping the ball down the middle to set up a thrilling finish to the match.
Momentum remained with the reigning champions, and they went in front for the first time with seven regular minutes to play. Paterson showed great determination to compete for an aerial ball that looped over Alston and bounced into the goal.
Moments later, Paterson caused more issues, driving at the left side of United’s defence, firing narrowly wide.
In the third minute of stoppage time, Olympic nearly grabbed a fourth goal. The side worked it well down the right, getting the ball into the area before Chris Price drew another sharp save from Alston.
The visitors held on to earn their spot in the Grand Final and a chance to retain their Illawarra Premier League crown.
Report by Tim Gibson
Photos courtesy of Richie Wagner
