On Sunday, Sydney Olympic threw away a 2-0
half-time lead, succumbing to a disappointing 2-2 draw and in the process, that
result ended our perfect home League record for 2018.
The result should have been put way beyond doubt and we should have been well
out of sight at half-time. Unfortunately, a poor second 45 ensured that we shared
the spoils. The result also saw us spurn the chance to go outright First in the
League.
It looked all very positive early on, as we
started the match off very well and took the game to our opponents. We created
several good opportunities, only some poor finishing and good goalkeeping kept
us scoreless in that first 15 minutes. Alejandro Sanchez and Max Burgess were
on-song once again for Sydney Olympic, they have probably been our 2 best
players so far this season and were once again, our 2 most dangerous players in
the first-half. 20 minutes in, they would combine to break the dead-lock, as
some nice work from Sanchez saw the ball fall for Burgess who made no mistake
to tap home and give us a 1-0 lead. It was good to see that we did not rest on
our laurels, kept up the pressure and continued pushing for more goals. We had
a couple of good chances to double our lead before Sanchez eventually did, around
10 minutes before half-time, with a good finish to put us 2-0 up. At the
half-time break there was only one team in it and realistically we should have
gone to the sheds 4 or 5 nil up. The confidence was there though that we would
come out in the second-half and finish the job, so at 2-0 we looked
comfortable.
That confidence diminished fairly quickly, as we
looked like a different team to start the second-half. We looked sluggish and inside
the first 20 minutes of the second-half, the opposition created 4-5 excellent
chances and before we knew it our 2-0 lead had evaporated, as we conceded 2
goals in quick succession, we could have even shockingly found ourselves
behind. We briefly awoke from our slumber late on in an attempt to re-take the
lead, but in reality, it was the opposition who looked the more likely to find
a winner. Fortunately, we did not concede again and at the full-time whistle,
we had to accept the 2-2 result. It’s not about being an idiot and laying into anyone,
but it was a poor second-half all-round, a more Jekyll & Hyde performance
you will not see anywhere.
On the injury front, we now know that Hagi
Gligor will join Jake de Marigny in missing the rest of the season with
long-term injuries and it could be late June/early July before we see Paul
Katsetis back. So, our depth will once again be tested, a problem the Club has
experienced for the last few seasons. William Angel who we sorely missed
yesterday, will be back next match after serving his suspension.
In the Club Championship, the U18s lost 4-0 and the U20s managed to grab a 1-1
draw. Same old, same old here.
For the FFA Cup, we have been drawn away to Terrigal United from the Central
Coast in Round 5 of the competition. That match will more than likely take
place next mid-week. Details TBC.
Our next match is this Sunday, April 29. We need to get back on the horse
against an always difficult and enthusiastic Sydney FC NPL team, it is essential
we bounce back straight away with a victory. Kick-Off is at 3pm at Belmore
Sports Ground.
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