Sharks Women Overrun Olympic
Words: Matt Dorman
Image: Palm Beach SC
Palm Beach SC Women leapfrogged Olympic FC Women into third with an impressive 3-0 win at Mallawa Complex on Sunday.
All three goals were scored after half time as Sharks inflicted a second defeat of the season on their top-four rivals.
Lauren Brown had the first chance for the hosts after an even first 20 minutes but her shot from Eden Jones’ cross was straight at the ‘keeper.
Laura Sevil then skied Deanna Thompson’s cross from close-range as the midfield battle resumed.
Olympic winger Allira Toby was the visitors’ greatest attacking threat in the first 45 minutes but neither side was able to break the deadlock before the break.
Sharks came out inspired after the restart as Sachiko Tatsuoka picked out the run of Thompson, who finished into the bottom left corner for the opener and her 13th goal of the year.
Brown, who had a hand in the first, then created Sharks’ second after the hour by crossing with precision for Sevil to clinically head home.
The hosts’ defence refused to let Olympic back into the match as ‘keeper Bianca Warrener produced a one-handed save to keep out Jazmyn Perin from inside the area.
Ai Matsuzaki next hit a shot straight at Warrener and Olympic’s fruitless efforts to pull one back proved costly on a warm morning with conditions taking their toll.
Sevil hit the crossbar from range in the closing minutes, but from the ensuing corner Tatsuoka sealed the 3-0 victory with an incredible effort bent into the top left corner.
Speaking after the match, Sharks captain Tayler Stevens praised her side’s determination to see off a fellow contender.
“It was a great game. It was tough to break Olympic down, they’re a great team, but our girls are very determined to win, we always want the three points and we have got to stay up in the top four,” Stevens said.
Olympic coach Phil Canham felt his side was simply outgunned after the restart.
“Palm Beach came out much stronger and hungrier in the second half. They were able to capitalise on a couple of moments of I guess bad fortune for us and they took control from there,” Canham said.
Listen to the full post-match interviews below.
Palm Beach SC Women 3 (Deanna THOMPSON 50’ Laura SEVIL 62’ Sachiko TATSUOKA 85’)
Olympic FC Women 0
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