Sydney Olympic 0–3 Brisbane Roar: Dominant A-League Side Cruise into FFA Cup Next Round

Brisbane Roar produced a commanding performance to overwhelm National Premier Leagues NSW side Sydney Olympic 3–0 in the Australia FFA Cup on 30 July 2026 at Belmore Sports Ground. The A-League outfit showed their class from the first whistle, securing a comfortable victory to advance in the knockout competition.

Match Overview

Playing away from home against a part-time opponent, Brisbane Roar controlled possession and created a host of chances throughout the 90 minutes. Sydney Olympic, the 2023 FFA Cup runners-up, struggled to contain the pace and movement of the Roar’s attack. The final scoreline reflected Brisbane’s dominance in all departments.

Key Moments

• 14th minute – Thomas Waddingham opens the scoring: A neat through ball from Jay O’Shea split the Olympic defence, and young striker Thomas Waddingham slotted calmly past the goalkeeper for his first FFA Cup goal.
• 38th minute – Henry Hore doubles the lead: Brisbane worked a short corner routine, and winger Henry Hore curled a precise left-footed shot into the top corner from the edge of the box.
• 67th minute – Florin Berenguer seals the win: French midfielder Florin Berenguer latched onto a loose ball 25 yards out and fired a low drive that took a slight deflection before nestling in the net.

Tactical Story

Brisbane Roar head coach Ruben Zadkovich set his team up in a fluid 4-3-3 formation, pressing high from the front and looking to exploit the width provided by full-backs Jack Hingert and Corey Brown. Sydney Olympic attempted to stay compact in a 4-4-1-1 shape, but the Roar’s quick interchange of passes in the final third regularly pulled their defensive line out of shape.

The key battleground was in midfield, where Brisbane’s trio of O’Shea, Berenguer and 16-year-old prodigy Joe Caletti dominated possession. Olympic’s midfielders were forced to chase shadows, and the visitors capitalised by creating overloads on both flanks.

Standout Performers

• Thomas Waddingham (Brisbane Roar): The young striker led the line superbly, scoring one and assisting another. His hold-up play and intelligent movement caused constant problems for the Olympic defence.
• Florin Berenguer (Brisbane Roar): The experienced Frenchman pulled the strings from deep and capped his display with a well-taken goal. His passing range was a key factor in unlocking the home side.
• Jack Hingert (Brisbane Roar): Bombed forward at every opportunity and provided the cross that led to the opening goal. His energy down the right flank was relentless.

Season and Cup Context

For Brisbane Roar, this FFA Cup victory builds momentum ahead of the new A-League season. The club has targeted a deep run in the cup after a disappointing league campaign last term. Sydney Olympic, meanwhile, will now switch their full focus back to the NSW NPL, where they sit fourth in the table with playoff ambitions.

The result also underlines the challenge faced by state-league sides when meeting fully professional A-League opponents in the FFA Cup. Despite a spirited effort, Olympic could not match the fitness and technical quality of the Roar.

Brisbane will discover their next round opponents later this week as the draw for the Round of 32 continues.