Manly United FC have booked their place in the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s Grand Final, with a sensational victory over Sydney Olympic FC that finished 4-3 in penalties after regular time concluded 1-1.
Olympic’s Sam McIllhatton scored the first goal of the match in the 107th minute, giving the hosts the lead, but Manly secured another last minute goal to even the score just before the final whistle, this time through Bruno Mendes in the 122nd minute.
The penalty shoot out provided plenty of excitement as Manly secured a 4-3 victory, sending them and their loyal fans into raptures as they celebrated their incredible feat.
While the victory sees Manly United with a place in the Grand Final at Commbank Stadium on Saturday 27th August, Sydney Olympic will have to take on the winner of tomorrow’s battle between Blacktown City and APIA Leichhardt for their chance at the big show.
The match was typical of the playing style of these two teams; defensively strong and tactically impressive, although neither team was able to break ahead during regulation time.
The best chances of the match came after a hard fought 90 minutes, in injury time.
Manly came close through Matt Sim from a free kick just outside the 18-yard box – a shot he has made many times in his career.
Sim’s shot looked poised to meet the target, but connected with Olympic’s defensive line.
As the game went into the second minute of injury time, McIllhatton made a pass to substitute Fabio Ferreira to start a string of play that saw them come close to an opening goal.
Ferreira crossed to golden boot winner Roy O’Donovan, who let off an impressive header that was sensationally cleared off the line by Manly’s Alen Aganovic.
As neither side could break the deadlock, the game went to extra time.
The hosts were the first to secure a goal in the 107th minute through McIllhatton.
Nikola Udjur sent a throw-in to McIllhatton in a central position, who hit a brilliant left-footed strike at the target and out of reach of Manly ‘keeper Jack Greenwood.
Substitute Hagi Gligor came close to another for the hosts in the 114th minute as he let off a powerful shot from range, but couldn’t get his side ahead.
As the extra time period came to a close, the Northern Beaches outfit equalised in the last moments of the game for the second time in two weeks.
The opportunity came from a corner and after a Piriz header flew towards the target, it bounced out and Mendes tapped the ball in from close range.
Referee Michael Weiner blew the whistle for penalties and both teams amped themselves up for the high-pressure shootout
O’Donovan fired the first penalty into the netting against a hapless Greenwood, with Mendes following, sending Parsons the wrong way and slowly tapping his penalty into the netting.
Michael Glassock powered the next penalty into the netting to take his team’s tally to two, then James Oates fired his penalty above the crossbar, giving Olympic the advantage.
McIllhatton followed suit and skied his effort, bringing the opportunity back to Manly, but Marcus Lal’s penalty was saved by Parsons.
Udjur converted his penalty then Benjamin Koop stepped up to the spot and kept Manly in the match.
Ferreira stepped up with a chance to win the match but his shot went wide of the goal and Sim then converted to even the penalties to 3-3.
Daniel Dias rocketed his shot high for Olympic, leaving the visitors open to secure the victory, which they did through Luka Kmet.
Manly United captain James Oates was elated with his team’s grit to take the win in the long battle.
“We didn’t want to do it that way, we definitely did it the hard way but it just shows the group we have that two weeks in a row we’ve scored in the last minute with a never say die attitude,” he explained.
“We were up against it big time this week, we had two or three injuries, a suspension last weekend, and we already had injuries there so we had a shallow squad.
“For the boys to put in that effort to take it to pens, and then me to sky one and for them to do their job and bury it and take the win is unbelievable and I think we deserve to be in the final.
“It’s just a credit to the boys who are all working hard and everyone is doing their job.”
Match Stats
Sydney Olympic FC 1 (3) (Sam McIllhatton 107)’
Manly United FC 1 (4) (Bruno Mendes 122’)
Saturday, 13th August, 2022
Belmore Sportsground, Belmore
Referee: Michael Weiner
Assistant Referees: Bradley Wright & Patrick Teleki
Fourth Official: Kelly Jones
Sydney Olympic FC: 3. Nikola Udjur, 4. Ben Van Meurs, 5. Michael Glassock, 6. Mathieu Cordier, 8. Sam Mcillhatton, 9. Oliver Puflett (22. Fabio Ferreira 64’), 11. Adam Parkhouse (36. Peter Politis 120’), 19. Darcy Burgess (24. Hagi Gligor 81’), 20. Christopher Parsons, 23. Daniel Dias, 99. Roy O’Donovan
Substitutes Not Used: 2. Thomas Whiteside, 17. Marley Peterson, 90. Evan Hamele
Yellow Cards: Puflett 19’, Glassock 90’
Red Cards: Nil
Manly United FC: 3. Jesse Piriz, 4. James Oates, 5. Thomas Fay (29. Marcus Lal 115’), 8. Dominic Ferguson (9. Benjamin Koop 77’), 11. Matthew Sim, 14. Dejan Pandurevic (27. Hunter Elliot 100’), 17. Daniel Fabrizio (10. Luka Kmet 112’), 18. Lucas Rainbird, 19. Alen Aganovic, 20. Jack Greenwood, 22. Bruno Mendes
Substitutes Not Used: 31. Max Martinello, 41. Jack Obern
Yellow Cards: Ferguson 39’, Rainbird 90’, Fay 101’
Red Cards: Nil