Hellas History | South Melbourne defeat Sydney Olympic in opening Aus Championship match

Over 6,000 people can say “I was there” as South Melbourne won the inaugural match of the Australian Championship in an all-Hellenic encounter against Sydney Olympic.

Clichés forgiven, it was a game of two halves. The first a cagey affair with limited chances where Sydney Olympic scored first, followed by an equaliser against the run of play, on the stroke of half-time from South Melbourne.  The second half was much more open where, overall, South Melbourne Hellas were fair value for the win.

It was Olympic’s number eight, Ali Aughal, who scored in the eighth minute as South Melbourne failed to clear and attack. He picked up the ball, some 40 yards out, followed what were likely his manager Labinot Haliti’s instructions and looked to test the keeper early. The gamble paid off and arguably Javi Lopez should have done better but South’s response was a resilient one.

They sat in, regrouped and re-established shape. When the front three finally started to click, Hellas’ confidence lifted and it all started to happen for them. Ten minutes before the break Nahuel Bonada had green grass before him and galloped into it. His cross, low along the six-yard line, was a dangerous one, but Ollie Lavale unfortunately found his feet tangled.

Hellas forced a corner and it was Lavale at the back post who lanced the ball over the bar with a venomous volley that had it gone in, would've been one to feature on highlight reels of this tournament for years to come.

It was enough to spruik the confidence of the home crowd and the home side and moments later in a goalmouth scramble, Yuki Uchida, who'd been industrious for most of the half, managed to swivel and slap the ball home for the equaliser right on the stroke of half-time.

The momentum stayed with Hellas after the break too. It was another attack down the left side that caused Olympic problems and this time they couldn't clear the danger.

Lavalle gut-busted to fight two defenders off and prod it home to get his name on the score sheet. Whilst for most of the first half, Olympic controlled the ball, they did so with little threat in the end.

They only registered three decent chances at goal, and all of them were from range. The scoreline suggests a close game, and at times it was, but if Hellas can restrict opponents to a smattering of shots from distance and attack as they did here, they could go far.

Olympic’s first long-range effort opened the scoring, and the other two would come a little later as South Melbourne continued to create chances. Marco Jankovic found himself on the corner of the box and arrowed one through the crowd, but goalkeeper Jack Gibson was equal to it and parried with strong hands.

Olympic tried to get back into the game, and Ryan Fuetz had a decent effort hit the upright from range. It should've been a warning sign for Hellas.

Fuetz again, just moments later, found himself in space and curled a great finish home to level the scores, and once again, the team behind had equalised against the run of play.

It made for an exciting and agitated last 10 minutes at a balmy Lakeside. Both of these teams have a great history and heritage at the National Soccer League level, before that division went defunct in 2004. They’ve six national titles between them, and almost as many state-based Premierships too. The last couple of years the teams have had, respectively to their longer-standing success, leaner times. South Melbourne found themselves finishing in the bottom half this season, Sydney Olympic mid-table, but they'll use this tournament as a chance to restore former glories and that certainly seems to be the case for South Melbourne, who were eager to pick up three points in this inaugural match.

That moment came when Jordan Lampard grabbed the winner once again after a set piece wasn't cleared, and just moments after the scores were levelled.

From a really tight angle on the right-hand side, he pushed the ball across onto his favoured left foot and flashed it cross goal and into the inside netting. The atmosphere was rapturous, and for the third time in the evening, the flares were going off, billowing into the now-dark night sky.

Uchida was a constant threat throughout, tenacious in the first half, creative in the second whether on the right or deployed in a more central role, and the fans certainly recognised his endeavours and gave him a standing ovation as he was made way just before the end. He’d got Hellas back on a level footing and that lit the touchpaper for the win.

Tonight wasn't just a football match, though.

It was a moment in Australian soccer history that’s been waiting to happen for over 20 years.

These teams have been denied the opportunity to play on the national stage as AFL has dominated the sporting landscape nationally throughout the winter. They’ve played second fiddle in their respective state-based leagues to a sterile, cookie-cutter feel of an A-League that plays out during the summer months, leaving little room for this level of the game to flourish.

This gives families and fans an alternative, with over 6,000 present tonight— people from all demographics, all backgrounds; mums, dads, kids, teenagers. This really could be the start of something for Australian soccer and a chance at a genuine pyramid structure with promotion and relegation.

The crowd drawn is not to be sniffed at, and it's also not a one-off. Over 9,000 saw South Melbourne at Preston Lions in the third round of the NPL, and a figure just shy of that in the reverse fixture. About 10,000 who turned out for the NPL final here at Lakeside Stadium just a couple of weeks ago as Heidelberg United won the Victorian NPL, and thus qualified for this Australian Championship.

From a personal perspective, there is no English heritage club at this level in Australia, and it's easy to be mistaken that these clubs have such a strong affinity for their ethnic heritage that other fans might not be welcome. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The atmosphere tonight was one that was inclusive and welcoming, as these clubs recognise that growth at this level of football is going to rely on bringing new fans into the game. If half of the remaining 54 games in this tournament are as successful as tonight’s, this tournament is going to be a great success.