The celebrations and the wins keep coming thick and fast for Canberra Olympic FC in what has been a memorable week for the North Canberra club in its 60th anniversary year.

After clinching the ACT NPL premiership by finishing top of the league in the final round of the season last weekend, the club made further history on Wednesday evening at Deakin Stadium, by becoming the first ACT club to ever make it through to the quarterfinals of the Westfield FFA Cup, when it defeated Queensland NPL club Redlands United 2-0.

Conditions favoured the locals as it hosted the visitors from up north in front of about 1000 spectators who braved the wet and cold weather.

Coach Frank Cachia’s Olympic team absorbed early pressure from the visiting Redlands, who adopted a bolder approach than in the necessarily cautious approach they employed in their last cup victory over A-League side Adelaide United.

But it was the home side that scored a valuable opening goal of the game in the 15th minute, and it came from an unlikely source. Olympic keeper Angelo Konstantinou beat his opposite number Brendan White with a left foot drive from the penalty spot after Redlands defender Michael McGowan fouled Olympic playmaker Robbie Cattanach in the box.

Olympic missed several excellent chances to extend its lead when forwards Phillipe Bernabo-Madrid and Jeremy Habtermariam failed to convert good opportunities. Fortunately for the home team Redlands also failed to capitalise on chances and when in late injury time, Cattanach was again fouled in the box, he was able to convert the penalty to seal the historic result for Olympic.

Olympic’s league win last weekend and Wednesday night’s cup triumph ensures the Canberra club will participate in two national competitions, namely the NPL National Finals competition, where they have been drawn away to Brisbane Strikers in mid September, as well as the FFA Cup.

It’s exciting times at a club whose fortunes in some ways mirror that of the dominant Victorian NPL club Bentleigh Greens, which has swept all before it this year. Both teams are the reigning champions in their respective league competitions, both have won their domestic knockout cup competition and finished top of the league, and both remain in the FFA Cup.

There’s no rest for Olympic this weekend as it begins its NPL finals campaign this Sunday in a semi against second placed Tigers FC. The team will be hoping to extend its seven match winning streak to qualify for the ACT NPL Grand Final.