Sharing the Spoils - Sydney Olympic 1-1 Manly United

Indifferent weather greeted us on Sunday afternoon at Belmore Sports Ground for our first home game of the season, against Manly United. I don’t know what it is, but it seems that we always have trouble against this team and the weather added to the sense of gloom and impending doom. Manly were coming off a loss to a young Sutherland team, so you could bet on them coming out hard for the victory. Which is not something foreign, as when most teams come up against Sydney Olympic, they always put in that little bit extra to beat us.

To the game, the 1^st half was pretty even. Both sides showed endeavour to get forward and score with both sides having good opportunities to score. Once again, just like last week both keepers were instrumental in keeping the score at 0-0 and from a Sydney Olympic point of view, Paul Henderson was once again immense in goals, making some very important saves during the 1^st half to keep the score at 0-0. Just before half-time though, we had great chance to take lead, but the shot from Harris Gaitatzis was deflected wide by a Manly defender. So we went to the break with the score at 0-0.

The 2^nd half continued on from where the 1^st half ended, both teams got into their stride with both searching for the opening goal. We were looking dangerous and looked like we would be the ones to take the lead. But the complexion of the game would change around 10 minutes into the 2^nd half, Chris Triantis received his 2^nd yellow card and we were down to 10 men for the last 30 or so minutes. It was now, 11 v. 10 and advantage Manly. We continued to hold our own though and didn’t really look in too much danger. That changed 5 minutes from the end as Manly scored a header off a set piece and took the lead much to the dismay of the Sydney Olympic supporters. We now had to pick ourselves up, chase the game and look for an equaliser with our 10 men. We would get our goal deep into injury-time via substitute Jacob Boutoubia, who found the back of the net via a great shot, it really was a great finish. In the end it was a deserved point, as we no way deserved to lose that game.

So 2 matches in and we have 2 points via 2 draws to show for our efforts. We have played some good stuff in both of the matches. We could easily be on 6 points and conversely been on 0 points, but there is a long way to go this season and I’m sure that our first win is right around the corner.

Speaking to fellow supporters during and after the game, most if not all were in agreement that we were playing well, but that the lack of a recognised striker in the side is a problem. The answer could lie in the 20’s, as Adrian Vranic continuing on from his blistering form of last season, scored a hat-trick, in a match where in the end we lost 4-3. Something for the coaching staff to definitely think about.

It does not get any easier next week in Round 3 as we head to Gabbie Stadium in Seven Hills to take on the always tough Blacktown City, who are 2 wins from 2 and who this weekend, came back from 3-0 down to beat Sutherland 4-3.

So as mentioned, next weekend we take on Blacktown City on Sunday afternoon at Gabbie Stadium in Seven Hills, kickoff is at 3pm.