A sensational atmosphere greeted players the last time the Wollongong Wolves and Sydney FC were involved in a game at WIN Stadium.
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Wolves coach David Carney is hopeful a similarly boisterous crowd shows up this Sunday.
The Wolves and Sydney FC will be playing at the Wollongong venue, but not against each other.
A-League outfit Sydney will battle reigning champions Central Coast Mariners in a round of 32 Australia Cup fixture from 3pm.
The match will act as a curtain-raiser to the Wollongong Wolves match against Sydney Olympic in the NPL, which is slated to start at 5:45pm.
The match comes at a good time for the Wolves, fresh of a last-start 3-1 win over Manly, and their newly re-signed coach Carney.
"It would be great if we get another great atmosphere like we did when we played them in the league about a month ago. I think there were about 3000 people at that game. I expect more people this time around as there is two quality games to watch," Carney said.
"Hopefully the crowd get behind us and support us. It should be a great day out for everyone."
No stranger to playing in front of big crowds with the Socceroos and Sydney FC, Carney would love for his Wolves players to experience a similar atmosphere on Sunday in Wollongong.
"When the fans are here and it's packed, there's nothing better," he said.
"I remember playing in the 2017 championship with Sydney FC at Alliance Stadium and it was packed. It was one of the best atmospheres I've had because the whole place erupts.
"We definitely got it in this country. It just needs occasions like this for the fans to come out."
Carney added the Wolves were keen to play their part in the 'occasion' and continue their good form of late with victory over Olympic.
"The boys just keep on improving and we're playing some good football at the moment," he said.
"The boys are enjoying it. Yesterday was excellent. It was 3-1 but it really could have been more, the stats showed we had 28 shots on goal and 20 on target, that's domination.
"Credit to the boys, we're playing to a system and we all believe in it, and we got young and fit players.
"It's a joy to watch. Hopefully the fans can come to the last home game of the season and support the lads."
Carney said his players didn't need extra motivation to play well and he expected them to rise to the occasion of playing in front of a big crowd.
"I'm sure they will be motivated to play well. Like I always say to them, you're on show all the time. I've got a young team and they all want to get to the next level.
"There's nothing better than knowing you have two A-League coaches watching the lads, so they'll be keen to impress."
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
