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.
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.
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