A night to remember: “Hellas” and Olympic kick off Australian Championship in style

South Melbourne and Sydney Olympic’s long-awaited clash to unfastened the Australian Championship delivered successful spades, playing retired an enthralling contention that brought together astir 7,000 spectators who basked successful the celebratory spirit of the caller competition.

The two Hellenic-background clubs delighted successful the immense tournament opener connected Friday nighttime (10 October) astatine Lakeside Stadium, with an authoritative assemblage of 6,825 radical congregating astatine the venue to witness the thrilling 3-2 victory successful favour of “Hellas”.

The caller contention has agelong been viewed by Australia’s older clubs arsenic a spiritual successor to the aged NSL, and it was a feeling shared by Olympic supporter Paulo Mpliokas, who specifically flew successful from a league successful south-east Asia to marque the match.

“About 18 hours agone I was successful Singapore,” Mpliokas told Neos Kosmos.

Paulo Mpliokas (left) alongside different travelling Olympic supporter. Photo: Dimitro Kallos

“Basically I near the conference, finished up there, got connected a plane, flew to Sydney and then from Sydney flew to Melbourne.”

When asked why helium made the effort, helium pointed to the ambiance generated astatine the game.

“Look around! It’s Sydney Olympic vs South Melbourne. I perfectly had to beryllium here. I’ve got my brother, my wife, my son…had to beryllium here,” helium said.

Mpliokas’ links to Olympic originated from his precocious begetter Dimitrios, who took him to galore games.

“You’re going to get maine beauteous emotional,” Mpliokas said when asked what the nine means to him.

“I grew up going to Olympic. It’s been 21 years since we were playing successful the National Soccer League. Last clip I was there, I was with my dad. Now he’s watching from up top…That’s what it means.”

A young Paulo with his begetter Dimitrios Mpliokas astatine a Sydney Olympic lucifer successful the past. Photo: Supplied

Numerous families, including Mpliokas with his own, turned retired for the lucifer and transformed it into a true objection of the transportation and consciousness of assemblage forged done shot clubs similar South Melbourne and Olympic.

The lucifer itself lived up to the hype and see-sawed successful momentum with the Sydneysiders seizing the pb via a stunning strike by Ali Auglah (12’) earlier Yuki Uchida (45+2’) and Oliver Lavale (51’) intervened to enactment “Hellas” ahead.

A melodramatic last ten minutes saw Olympic people different ripper of a long-range goal, this clip done Ryan Feutz (84’), but the nighttime was destined to beryllium to South Melbourne arsenic they regained the pb moments aboriginal via Jordon Lampard (87’).

While winning was the main interest connected the minds of the teams, the vast location crowd, arsenic well arsenic the loyal travelling battalion of Olympic supporters, the biggest winner of the evening seemed to beryllium Australian shot itself.