Three interstate NPL clubs with the Olympic moniker, are looking to get back on the winning track this weekend after each suffering narrow early season losses last round.

Last season’s beaten Queensland NPL grand finalist Brisbane Olympic lost a tight game to undefeated Peninsula Power 1-0 after playing most of the Rd 4 NPL match with 10 men following a red card to Matt Mundy in the 24th minute. Former Olympic player Sam Cronin scored the winning goal against his former club from the resulting free kick.

Despite the loss, Olympic coach Ben Cahn said post match, “The players were outstanding tonight, every single one of them. I couldn’t be prouder of the performance.”

“To play with 10 men for 70 minutes against one of the best teams in the league is extremely difficult, but to have the courage to take the game to them like we did was exceptional.

“It obviously hurts that we’ve got nothing to show for it but sometimes football is about more than the result and today I’m so proud of the players. They gave everything and deserved more.

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“Peninsula are a good side and they deserve credit as well. It’s up to us now to put some results together and start catching back up to the teams ahead of us. Last night gives me every confidence that we’ll be able to do that.”

The result made it back to back losses for Olympic after they lost the previous week to Gold Coast Knights. On Sunday 9th placed travel to take on 6th placed Moreton Bay Jets.

Like their Brisbane namesakes, Sydney Olympic is also looking to bounce back from a loss last week when they play traditional rival APIA Leichhardt at Lambert Park on Sunday. Olympic lost its season opener last week to reigning minor premiers and National NPL Champions Wollongong Wolves 2-1 at home. Olympic paid the price for some poor defending at set pieces conceding two soft goals. Skipper Jason Madonis scored their first goal of the season with a well taken first time effort from outside the box to equalize. Unfortunately for the home team they conceded from a late Wolves corner to miss out on a share of the points.

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Meanwhile, in the South Australian NPL, Adelaide Olympic was also hoping to bounced back from their 1-0 loss against Adelaide Comets in their Rd 2 NPL SA match last weekend, with the team due to take on 7th placed Para Hill Knight in a Friday evening fixture. Unfortunately for Olympic, they’ll have to make do without senior keeper Nik Harpas over the next few months whilst he recovers from a broken bone in his lower leg suffered in the loss to the Comets. Going into Friday’s match against Para Hills, Olympic were in sixth place on the ladder after their 3-0 opening round win against the Metro Stars.