Character and Composure Deliver A Huge First Win
Heart, chaos, and ice-cold composure defined a breathtaking Sunday afternoon at Landen Stadium as we produced a late comeback for the ages to snatch our first victory of the National Premier Leagues Men’s NSW season. Defeating Blacktown City FC 3–2 in such dramatic fashion was a massive result for us, lifting us off the bottom of the table and proving the incredible resilience we have within this squad.
Jacob McLachlan in good spirits warming up against Blacktown City FC
Twice we fell behind, and twice we refused to break, eventually finding a winner in the 97th minute to spark wild celebrations on the pitch and in the stands. We began the contest brightly, with Nick Olsen and Takumi Ofuka combining sharply to create early openings, but as the match settled, it became a battle of the goalkeepers. Danjiel Nizic was immense, using every inch of his frame to deny a crucial one-on-one chip in the 33rd minute, keeping us level during a period of heavy pressure.
Unfortunately, we went into the sheds a goal down after a glancing header found the corner right on the stroke of halftime. However, we emerged for the second half with renewed purpose and were rewarded ten minutes in when Olsen won a penalty and calmly converted it to drag us level at 1–1. Momentum was building, but football can be a cruel game; with twenty minutes remaining, a low cross took an unlucky deflection into our own net to restore the hosts' advantage.
With time running out, the impact of our bench proved decisive. Julian Fedele, one of our many promising U20s players, showed incredible maturity after being subbed on. In the 87th minute of his Sharks First Grade debut, he won the ball, moved us forward with a clean one-two, then slotted home our second equaliser. It was a proud moment for our youth development and the spark we needed for the final charge.
Julian Fedele warming up in our Round 2 fixture vs Sydney United 58 FC
The drama intensified in stoppage time as Blacktown were reduced to nine men, and in the 97th minute, we were awarded another penalty. Olsen stepped forward once more, remained clinical, and buried the winner to complete the comeback. It was a cathartic result for all of us and a testament to the belief Head Coach David Perkovic has instilled in the group.
While it may not have been a straightforward win, at the end of the day, the most goals win, and we take these three points with immense pride.
We now head into Friday’s clash against Western Sydney Wanderers with a new intent and plenty of confidence. We would love to see you all there to support us as we look to build on this momentum.