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Sydney Olympic bounced back from a disappointing performance last week with
a solid 2-0 victory over the South Coast Wolves at Belmore Sports Ground on Sunday.
Amaury Gauthier and Ibrahim Haydar goals offered a just reward for a match controlled by the home team for a large majority of the 90 minutes, with small pockets of resistance from the Wolves quickly thwarted.
Amaury Gauthier and Ibrahim Haydar goals offered a just reward for a match controlled by the home team for a large majority of the 90 minutes, with small pockets of resistance from the Wolves quickly thwarted.
The first half an hour saw Olympic create many chances down
both wings, with the overlapping fullbacks giving the Wolves wide defenders
plenty of headaches. But despite
numerous crosses and set piece opportunities, the home side couldn’t find the
net with scrappy last-gasp defending from the Wolves proving to be enough to
keep the scores level.
South Coast tried to alter the flow of the match with a
switch of mentality and formation, and two promising counter attacks were only
ended due to impressive cover defence from young centre back Brendan Hooper.
The home side almost took the lead not long before half time
through a rocket Petar Markovic free-kick, only for Wolves keeper Thomas
Hamilton to prove himself up to the task. The Wolves responded in the first
minute of the second half when Sam Matthews forced Paul Henderson to stretch
with a lob shot destined to find the net.
Apart from a free Jacob Timpano header at the far post going
wide across the face of goal in the 72nd minute, it was the last
real memorable moment of the match for the Wolves as Olympic raised the tempo
and ran the visitors around the park in the second half.
The opening goal from Gauthier saw him beat two defenders in
the box, and to Hamilton’s misfortune, the originally saved shot deflected back
in the path of Gauthier who tapped it in.
Elsid Barkhousir and William Angel both had great oppurtinites
to add to the lead, with Barkhousir’s 61st minute shot well saved
and Angel’s 71st minute mistimed volley flying over the bar. Eventually
it was Haydar who did find the second goal after he headed home ten minutes
from time to cap off a deserving three points for Olympic.