Northern NSW NPL side Newcastle Olympic sent a scare through A-League premiers Melbourne City with a stellar second-half performance in a 1-0 Australia Cup loss at No.2 Sportsground on Tuesday night.
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City, who fielded six starters from May's A-League grand final-losing side, led the round of 32 contest in the 41st minute when 19-year-old scholarship player Luke Oresti tapped in from close range.
Olympic had scrambled well in defence in the opening 40 minutes but a poor pass at the back gave City the opportunity. Florin Berenguer fired a ball in that keeper Adam Pearce couldn't handle and Oresti was there to finish on debut.
Down 1-0 at the break, Olympic came out firing in the second half and had a great chance in the 50th minute.
American Malik Thom, Olympic's biggest threat in attack, found space down the left side and crossed for Kent Harrison, whose header was tipped wide by Tom Glover.
Down 5-0 in corners early in the game, Olympic were level at 5-5 just after the close shave.
Glover was diving again to knock an Olympic chance wide in the 58th minute when Jared Muller's deflected strike looked set to bring the hosts level.
City were close in the 72nd minute when Max Caputo's touch from point-blank range went over the crossbar under pressure from Pearce.
But Olympic kept coming. Thom threatened in the 77th minute with a quality run and cross but Jackson Burston slipped at the far post.
Only the woodwork denied Olympic an equaliser in the 82nd minute when a skimming ball in forced a fumble from Glover which went onto the far post and out.
The home side, to crowd chants of Olympic, pushed everyone forward for a corner deep in stoppage time but City held on.
Olympic made their first round of 32 cup appearance last year when they hosted A-League side Macarthur and lost 3-0 after a COVID-marred preparation.
Coach Joel Griffiths had predicted a better attacking display this time around against elite company and they produced just that, especially in the second stanza.
Pearce, the only Olympic player with A-League experience, had been quick to make saves down low to deny Socceroo Jamie Maclaren in the seventh minute and Berenguer in first-half stoppage time. He had nervous moments when fumbling corners in the 26th and 66th minutes but recovered.
Curtis Good was just wide with a header for City in the 15th minute and Oresti likewise with a shot in the 29th.
Olympic had some bright moments with the ball in the first half, mainly with Thom as the target down the left side, but they didn't threaten goal.
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