Words: Matt Dorman
Image: Patrick Kearney/Olympic FC

Shane Viitakangas starred as Olympic FC and Palm Beach SC fought out a 0-0 draw at Goodwin Park on Sunday.

The Sharks goalkeeper made a string of top saves to ensure the Grand Final rematch ended with a point apiece for the second time this season.

Scott Bow and Tim Smits had early chances to set a different mood for the afternoon but the Olympic pair both shot over the crossbar around the 10-minute mark.

Viitakangas was called on to smother Danny Byrne’s low finish five minutes later after the attacker was played through on goal by Michael Lee, who also drew another fine stop.

Lee and Byrne were both denied again by Viitakangas after the restart, the former skipping past several challenges before shooting harmlessly while Byrne drew the save of the match when he fired at the far corner from Smits’ first-time pass.

The best opportunity for either side was still to come in the 88^th minute when Olympic’s Kazuya Ito had the chance secure all three points.

The Japanese midfielder seemed destined to score from Costa Psaros’ ball across the face but stabbed at the finish and failed to force it over the line as Sharks survived.

Speaking after the match, Olympic coach Jim Bellas was left frustrated by missing out on a winner.

“I think we dominated, we just couldn’t put them away. Hopefully by the end of the year those balls are going into the back of the net,” Bellas said.

Sharks coach Grae Piddick was content to keep a clean sheet in the end.

“They turned it on in the second half and we just had to hang in really. All in all we will take a point away from home,” Piddick said.

Listen to the full post-match interviews below.

Olympic FC 0
Palm Beach SC 0