Words: Michael Flynn
Additional Reporting: Steve Pitman
Images: Michele Pitman

A ten-man Olympic FC have stunned Premiership contenders Brisbane Strikers with a fighting 2-1 upset at Perry Park.

The visitors overcame the first half dismissal of star recruit Shane Stefanutto to notch their fifth win in six games – Kristen Waters delivering the decisive goal on the hour.

Earlier, the teams entered half-time locked at a goal apiece after Jake Marshall's maiden PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues goal for Strikers cancelled out Ramone Close’s opener.

The result marks just a second home defeat for Strikers this season and sees them now move four points behind league-leaders FNQ Heat but still with a game in hand.

Olympic now move to sixth in the table and just two points shy of the top four.

Key Moments

11' - GOAL FOR OLYMPIC – Daniel Byrne touches on a pass for Ramone Close, who converts from close range to open accounts

14’ – CHANCE FOR STRIKERS – Feli Sheriff and Sam Knight combine to send in a cross for Rhys Meredith but his near post header is wide of the target

24’ – GOAL FOR STRIKERS – Trent Clulow floats in a free-kick that is met by a well-timed header from Jake Marshall for his maiden senior goal for Strikers.

34’ – CHANCE FOR STRIKERS – Jake McLean controls from Sheriff’s cross but can’t find the target with the ensuing shot from 15 yards

40’ – RED CARD FOR OLYMPIC – Shane Stefanutto impedes Meredith and is shown is marching orders for being the last man

50’ – CHANCE FOR STRIKERS – Hiroki Omori cuts the ball back for Clulow but his side-footed effort goes over the crossbar from ten yards

61’ – GOAL FOR OLYMPIC – Byrne’s corner is met by the head of the high-flying Kristen Waters, who turns it past Strikers goalkeeper Michael Weier

65’ – CHANCE FOR STRIKERS – Omori fires in a shot from a tight angle but it is denied at the near post by Olympic goalkeeper Nicholas Mooney

75’ – CHANCE FOR STRIKERS – Christopher Maher cuts back for Meredith but he blazes the attempt over the top

80’ – CHANCE FOR STRIKERS – Mooney delivers the initial shot to deny Meredith, who collects the rebound for a second attempt but that deflects wide following a goal line block from the scrambling Waters

What They Said

“We’ve come up a few times now against teams that sit back and allow us to dominate possession and try to hit us on the counter.  If you look at Redlands at home, they did it to us.  Look at Heat away, where we dominated that game for long periods and hit us on the counter, and Brisbane City (where) we dominated the game for long periods.  We didn’t go on and get the result and tonight was similar.” - Kevin A’herne-Evans, Brisbane Strikers FC coach

“(At half time) we pointed out exactly the way the Strikers were playing and how they wanted to channel us in to the middle, so we wanted to get the wider areas sorted out, address the goalkeeping and the set pieces, and readjust the side. And exactly what we said at half time was how the game panned out,” - Terry Kirkham, Olympic FC coach

Match Details

PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues 2016 – Round 17

Saturday, July 9
Perry Park, Brisbane

Brisbane Strikers FC - 1 (Jake MARSHALL 24’)
Olympic FC - 2 (Ramone CLOSE 11’, Kristen WATERS 61’)

Match Centre – http://bit.ly/29r6nuU

Match Officials - Adam KERSEY (referee), Dylan LAMBERT (assistant), Max CRANE (assistant), Joseph LEE (fourth)