Wollongong United showed why they’re the favourites to claim top honours in 2018 after a comprehensive 5-0 win over Bulli in the Fraternity Club Preseason Cup Final. The win sees United claim the preseason title for the third year in succession. United came into the match after beating Tarrawanna in a penalty shootout on Wednesday night. Bulli also needed a shootout to progress past Port Kembla in their semi-final and they came into this match on the back of a 36-hour turnaround after playing Coogee United in the FFA Cup.

Star striker Nathan Elasi got United off to the best possible start when he tucked the ball into the bottom right corner with less than three minutes on the clock. Stephen Dominic attempted a curling shot only a minute later that forced a smart save from Yuya Kuwata.

Wollongong United flooded the Bulli half and on the 12-minute mark, they doubled their lead after Maty Brennan found the byline before cutting back to Sam Munro who fired past a seemingly unsighted Kuwata. The match descended into a Bulli horror show when United netted their third goal inside the first quarter of an hour. This time Matthew McNab beating Kuwata at his near post after cutting through the lacklustre Bulli defence.

In the 25th minute, Wollongong United made it four after Bulli failed on multiple occasions to clear a corner only for Ben Brooks to tap home from inside the six-yard box. Bulli could not get out of their half and their only two shots in the first period came through Tobin Zoomers and Marcus Beattie but neither were close to testing Sam Nastic.

Bulli boss Matt Bailey rung in the changes at halftime, bringing on George Naylor Medalist Guy Knight, Dylan Lewis and David Abel but it was to no real avail. On the hour mark, United had their fifth with Japanese midfielder Kazuto Kushida intercepting a sloppy pass from Lewis before gliding towards goal, just before entering the area he curled a shot into the bottom right corner leaving Kuwata stranded.

With 15 minutes remaining, Bulli managed their first attempt on target through Nik Miceski but the arching effort was comfortably caught by Nastic. Youngster Zac Nicholas nearly got in on the action with ten minutes to go when he dispossessed a pondering Kuwata only for Kenji Takahashi to clear the loose ball and save his countryman’s blushes.

Since both sides knew the game was won and lost, the final ten minutes ticked over and the final whistle was greeted by celebrations from the United supporters. The clean sheet means United haven’t conceded in 390 minutes of football - the entire tournament. United are next in action on Tuesday night when they travel to Blacktown to play Doonside Hawks in their FFA Cup second-round match.

 

Click here to listen to the post match interviews.

 

Bulli - 0

 

Wollongong United - 5 (Elasi 3’, Munro 12’, McNab 15’, B.Brooks 25’, Kushida 61’)

 

Sunday the 11th of March at Memorial Park, Corrimal.

 

Bulli - Yuya Kuwata, Kenji Takahashi, Kyle Jackson, Lewis Clements, Blake Hewson, Ryan Emerton, Mitch Del Turco, Marcus Beattie, Nik Miceski, Harry Callahan, Tobin Zoomers Subs - David Abel, Dylan Lewis, Dylan Wray, Braeden Kludass and Guy Knight

 

Wollongong United - Sam Nastic, Maty Brennan, Ben Brooks, Matt Gordon, Kazuto Kushida, Stephen Domenici, Sam Munro, Matthew McNab, Nathan Elasi, Daisuke Yuzawa Subs - Jackson Brooks, Cody Waller, Jake Leighton, Zac Nicholas and Lachlan Theobald

 

Referee - Nick Ryan

Assistant Referees - Steve Bozic, Blake Herbert and Matt Theobald (4th official)

 

Report by Dylan Arvela, on Twitter @dylanarvela

Photo courtesy of Dana Guthrie