NPLM Round #3: Lions Advance Top of the League with Firm Victory over Olympic

A DOMINANT VICTORY OVER OLYMPIC SEES LIONS MEN ADVANCE TO FIRST PLACE IN THE NPL QLD STANDINGS

Away days at Olympic FC: A well-deserved 2-0 victory sees us continue our vibrant start to the 2024 campaign.

The first half wasn’t easy, with both sides launching straight into action at Goodwin Park. An early Luke Broderick shot forced a strong block from the keeper before Tommy Jarrard and Hassan Ramazani were called on to intervene as the hosts attacked the wide spaces in transition.

Olympic were awarded a penalty in the 18th minute, with Daniel Leck stepping up to take the shot. Cardiff Pond had other ideas. Making the goal look tiny as he palmed the crossbar in preparation, Pond lunged low to his right, reading the shot and making the save. A second penalty save in three NPL games. Both to preserve our cleansheets and to prevent us from going behind. Massive.

A few more saves from either keeper, and an agonisingly wide Andy Pengelly header saw both sides enter the break level. Nothing to separate our Lions Men after a close first half that saw both sides create chances and defend effectively.

The second half was a different story.

We didn’t score in the first forty-five minutes, but we broke the deadlock in the first forty-five seconds of the restart.

A sharp ball from the right met Luke Broderick in the centre of the box. He took a smart touch to set the ball under pressure before rolling his shot under the keeper and into the bottom right corner.

Neither side relented after the goal, with several fine defensive interventions preventing the hosts from forcing any danger. Josh Brindell-South came off the bench to make a desperate goal-line clearance after a cutback led to a shot from close range.

Luke Broderick almost doubled our lead, running onto a deft lay-off before clattering a low-driven strike into the right stick with power. Hassan Ramazani made a great interception before Tommy Jarrard turned into a striker. Recovering the ball in his own half, Jarrard drove down the centre before a one-two out wide allowed him to open space on the edge of the box. Pivoting with his back facing goal, he clipped a looping left-footed strike into the crossbar.

With pressure mounting in the final moments, Shaun Carlos stepped back onto the field and won the game. A powerful half-volley at the back post in the 89th minute culled any chance of a comeback, sealing an important three points that took us to the top of the league.