The Olympic Sharks kept the flame of a national soccer league first place finish flickering with a 3-0 win over Adelaide City at Toyota Park.

To snatch the top spot and a six-point bonus going into next weeks finals, the Sharks rely on the improbable - a win by bottom placed Marconi over league leader Perth on Sunday.

More likely, they'll have to settle for second and a three point bonus ahead of the 10-week competition.

Olympic coach Lee Sterrey defended the ordinary first half display after the match, saying his side was never going to run away with the game.

"I thought we dominated possession and had three or four good chances," Sterrey said.

"You have to pace it. You are not going to beat the team with the best coach in the league 10-0."

Adelaide coach Zoran Matic was more to the point.

"We got slaughtered, what can I say," Matic said.

City, currently fifth, will drop to sixth if Northern Spirit beats Parramatta on Sunday.

Olympic is expected to have a full squad at its disposal next week while forward Claudio Pelosi may be in doubt for Adelaide.

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