Sydney Olympic 0-0 Rockdale

In perhaps what was our best performance of the year on Sunday, we ironically were not able to collect the vital 3 points this time. Unfortunately we spurned numerous opportunities to take the lead and also managed to miss a penalty, so we only have ourselves to blame. We must now pick ourselves up for what looks like a tough 6 week stretch to close out the regular season.

Sydney Olympic started off the match very well and we looked well up for it. Our enthusiasm would pay off within the first 10 minutes of the game as Rockdale were continually bombarded and our persistent pressure paid off as they gave away a penalty early on. Here was our chance to take the lead and seize total control of the game. Radovan Pavicevic stepped up to take the spot-kick, unfortunately his strike struck the post and rebounded away from goal, this was our second penalty miss in a row after last week’s miss by Peter Makrillos. As disappointing as this was we did not drop our heads and kept pushing to find the opening goal. We continued to have chances throughout that first-half, but as has been the story for most of the season we couldn’t put any of our chances away. In defence we looked rather untroubled and pretty much looked in control during the first-half. As it was, we had to go to the half-time break with the match scoreless at 0-0.

The second-half began pretty much the same way as the first-half ended, with Sydney Olympic controlling the match, but that final pass or cross to unlock the Rockdale defence and set up a clear-cut chance seemed to elude us. As the half went on we continued to find ourselves in attacking positions deep in Rockdale’s half of the field, but we struggled to finish off the chances that were coming our way. Nothing symbolised this more when with around 15 minutes to go, William Angel made a marauding run down the left flank and played a nice pass across the goal to what looked like a tap-in and certain goal, unfortunately the chance was missed by an un-marked Niko Tsattalios, it didn’t look like it would be our day. Rockdale were limited to only a few half chances throughout the match, but as if knowing they were getting out of jail in this match, grew in confidence and stepped it up in the last 10 minutes in a bid to try and steal the victory, but no theft occurred this time as we had to settle for a 0-0 draw.

So once again this season our Achilles heel was there for all to see, scoring goals. We just don’t do enough of it, we can’t put teams away and as a result we constantly find ourselves in a lot of these tense and close games, which are no good for the heart. It also must be said that we desperately missed the services of Yu Kuboki on Sunday Afternoon, who I believe was suspended for accumulating too many yellow cards this season, he would have made a difference.

Defensively we were once again very solid, this part of our game has been our major strength this season. Conceding the fewest goals in the competition is a testament to that. As long as our defence remains solid, we will continue to keep ourselves in games this season and give ourselves every chance of winning matches.

In terms of the Club Championship, our U18’s lost 3-0 and in the U20’s we lost 2-1. A shit weekend all-round.

Our next match is this coming Sunday Evening, July 2, another important game against an in-form Manly United at Belmore Sports Ground, with Kick-Off at 5pm.

Get to Belmore this Sunday and support the Club.