Tuesday, 15 March 2011 3:09 PM
By John Kyrou
South Melbourne FC has won its first point at the Olympic Village since 2006 following a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Heidelberg United on Sunday evening. Marinos Gasparis’ late headed goal salvaged a point for South in a match that could have been three gifted points for the Bergers.
The Olympic Village presented an adequate playing surface that suited South’s passing game. However the away side started the match off slowly and were subsequenty punished by the Bergers through Osagie Ederaro, who cut in from the left side before laying the ball off for Saso Alexovski to score. This sparked South into life, with the away side creating several half chances before equalising just before the half hour mark through Jesse Krncevic. The big forward received the ball from Fernando De Moraes before he got around his marker and toe-poked the ball past the oncoming Griffin McMaster and into the back of the net.
South were clearly the better side in the contest but Ederaro was always presenting problems with the South defence. The away side’s defensive problems were exposed yet again by Ederaro early in the second half, when a Stefaan Sardelic save fell in between three South defenders. Each stopped momentarily, expecting someone else to clear the ball, and Ederaro took advantage by shooting past Sardelic to restore the Bergers’ lead. Once more, South were on the back foot and were chasing one point instead of three.
Substitute goalkeeper Zaim Zenelli made his League debut for South, replacing Sardelic after the big custodian suffered a head injury. Zenelli was kept reasonably quiet as South did most of the attacking, with Heidelberg determined to hold onto their lead and defending strongly for the rest of the game. South were constantly denied, firstly with a clearance off the line from a Steven Topalovic shot fom outside the box, then from an excellent save by McMaster with his left leg from a Krncevic shot following excellent build-up play by substitute Kamal Ibrahim.
With the match into injury time, Gasparis snuck in at the back post to head De Moraes’ cross from the right into the back of the net to salvage a draw for the away side. It was South’s first point at the Village since late goals from Jonas Salley and Tansel Baser won the derby for South in the opening round of the 2006 Victorian Premier League season.
South Melbourne FC next travels to Jack Edwards Reserve to play leaders Oakleigh on Friday night, with kick-off scheduled for 20:30.
FINAL SCORE: HEIDELBERG UNITED 2-2 SOUTH MELBOURNE (HT: 1-1)
Goals Scorers
1-0: Saso Alexovski (8′)
1-1: Jesse Krncevic (28′)
2-1: Osagie Ederaro (47′)
2-2: Marinos Gasparis (90′)
Heidelberg United
1. Griffin McMASTER, 2. Yared HAILEMELKOT, 7. Hamlet ARMENIAN (8. Andrew NABBOUT 57′), 10. Adrian CACERES (4. John LAZARIDIS 63′), 11. Evan CHRISTODOULOU, 14. Craig ELVIN, 16. Steve MARTIN, 18. Osagie EDERARO, 20. Saso ALEXOVSKI (23. Takanori NISHIMOTO 76′), 21. Richard GREER, 22. Ben WARING
South Melbourne FC 1. Stefaan SARDELIC (21. Zaim ZENELI 72′), 3. Rhodri PAYNE, 4. Steven O’DOR, 5. Daniel VASILEVSKI, 6. Steven TOPALOVIC, 8. Carl RECCHIA, 11. JESSE KRNCEVIC, 15. Fernando DE MORAES, 18. Marinos GASPARIS, 23, Sebastian PETROVIC (33. Bobby RUSSELL 76′), 25. Kyle JORYEFF (14. Kamal IBRAHIM 57′)
SMFC Player of the Match: Marinos Gasparis
Venue: Olympic Village
Date: Sunday 13 March 2011