A 90th minute Bul Juach goal has seen the Wollongong Wolves open their NSW National Premier Leagues season with a victory on Sunday afternoon.
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The Wolves were below their best in the clash with Sydney Olympic, however goals to Juach and Lachlan Scott were enough to see the side home 2-1 at Belmore Sports Ground.
Wollongong coach Luke Wilkshire was pleased his side was able to secure the three points, however he said the Wolves must improve on the performance.
"They were probably two of the worst goals we've scored since I've been here," Wilkshire said.
"We found a way to win, which is important away from home, but we were nowhere near the level that we can be at.
"From that perspective, it's disappointing, but when you can win when you're not performing well, it's a sign of a good team."
The Wolves were cruising at the midway point of the match, a 10th minute Scott goal handing the side a 1-0 advantage at the break.
The home side returned from the sheds determined to cut the deficit and it didn't take Olympic long to achieve that goal.
Jason Madonis was the man to level the scores, the midfielder delivering a stunning strike from outside the box in the 48th minute.
The goal sparked a frenetic 10-minute period, with Olympic desperate to hit the front. Eventually their intensity waned and Wollongong were able to regain the ascendancy.
While Wollongong dominated possession for much of the second half, Sydney Olympic's well-organised defence held firm.
The Wolves had plenty of attacking opportunities, however their execution was below their best and very few chances resulted in genuine shots.
That all changed in the 90th minute, when Thomas James stepped up to take a corner.
The striker sent the ball into the box, a mad scramble ensuing before Juach put it into the back of the net.
The substitute had been dangerous since entering the match in the 61st minute and he was confident he'd break through eventually.
"When I went on, I knew I would score," Juach said. "Sometimes you just know you will score, it just depends on when.
"I felt I would score and in that moment I gambled and the ball fell to me. It was good to score, we deserved the win."
Wollongong started the second stanza without their new captain, James Stojcevski leaving the game at half-time with hamstring soreness.
The midfielder carried the injury into the match and Wilkshire decided it best not to risk the club's 2019 player of the year in just the first game of the new season.
"James had a little bit of a problem with his hamstring before the game," Wilkshire said.
"He felt it again in the first half, so it was precautionary to take him off and don't go any further with it.
"The physio will have a look at him and we'll see how it is in the next 48 hours."
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