Ilinden slump continues as APIA pounce on home victory
National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s Round 14 saw APIA Leichhardt defeat Rockdale Ilinden 2-0 in a game that truly showcased two of the best teams in the league at Lambert Park on Saturday evening.
APIA secured the win thanks to two goals from set piece corners in the first half – one to Michael Kouta and the other to Sean Symons – before Rockdale Ilinden were forced to play a man down in the second half after Nikola Kuleski was sent off for a second bookable offence .
In the end APIA deserved to win as the home side had more clear-cut opportunities that were presented on a cold night at Lambert Park.
The opening salvo of the game arrived in the 10th minute when Alec Urosevski ran down the left flank for the visitors and fired a thunderbolt just wide of the mark.
Shortly afterwards APIA Leichhardt thought that they had scored when Themba Muata-Marlow met a corner at the back post with a powerful header that was majestically cleared off the line by Brayden Sorge.
APIA Leichhardt did indeed take the lead in the 18th minute. Another corner found Muata-Marlow at the other back post and his header across the face of goal was perfect for Michael Kouta, who simply headed in from close range.
In the 21st minute a cross from the right by Sean Symons was well saved by goalkeeper David Bradasevic who knocked it away from danger as the visitors breathed a sigh of relief.
In the 27th minute Rockdale Ilinden had their best chance so far of the encounter and it also arrived from a corner. It was met by the powerful header of the well-positioned Jamie Percevski and the ball sailed narrowly over the crossbar.
Rockdale Ilinden came close again in the 36th minute. Urosevski played the ball back from the by-line to Sorge who then fired it across the box for Chris McStay who headed just wide of the mark.
APIA Leichhardt replied a few minutes later with an Adrian Ucchino volley from just outside the box that was well saved by Bradasevic.
Just prior to the break APIA Leichhardt doubled their lead when another corner produced some scrappy play in the box, but poking the ball through the mess into the back of the net was Sean Symons and the home side then ran in jubilation towards the bench to celebrate.
The first stanza of play, which produced some excellent end-to-end action, finished shortly afterwards.
The second half didn’t start with the same high tempo and it was not until the 65th minute that the first real chance arrived.
It was the home side that came close when Sean Symons sprinted wonderfully down the left flank and found Jack Armson in the middle, but goalkeeper Bradasevic sprinted off his line and blocked the attempt with his feet in what was a really courageous save.
Rockdale replied in the 71st minute when substitute Peter Kekeris curled one in from outside the box only for Ivan Necevski to make a routine save.
Diego Celis managed a strike from outside the box a few minutes later, which would have gone in had it not been for the reliable Bradasevic who turned it away for a corner.
Rockdale Ilinden were then forced to play the last 15 minutes of the encounter with ten players as Kuleski was given his second yellow card of the match and thus forced to take an early shower.
It was probably in frustration that he committed the foul but referee Christian Verdicchio, who had an excellent game in the middle, had no other option except to brandish the cards.
In the 83rd minute Jason Romero from just outside the box rattled the crossbar with his shot and APIA Leichhardt could well have had their third goal there and then.
Right at the death a cross by Yianni Nicolaou from the right found Romero at the far post and the super sub, with his strong header, was denied by Bradasevic who saved with his feet in what was another outstanding block.
In extremis it was APIA Leichhardt that nearly scored again when Franco Parisi, with his first touch of the game, drove towards goal only to find Daniel Petkovski on the goal line who cleared.
After the game APIA Leichhardt coach Danial Cummins was delighted with his team and their overall win but paid tribute to David D’Apuzzo who is recovering from a midweek heart attack.
“We dominated tonight from start to finish but it has been a tough week for us,” he said.
“One of our own, David D’Apuzzo, had a heart attack and we did it for him tonight. The furthest thing from our mind during the week was football and today Sean’s [Symons] celebration after the goal was for David.
“It was a tough night for us but I am really proud of the way the boys got stuck in. We are near the top of the table but we have a tough one next week against Blacktown. However, we are in the right frame and we train well, so we just have to make sure that we execute and take all of our chances.”
His counterpart at Rockdale Ilinden Steve Zoric was disappointed with the defeat and emerged from a sombre dressing room.
“It’s disappointing to concede from two set pieces,” he said.
“We were pretty solid all year from set pieces but it will be something that we need to work on.
“They pressed us hard in the first half and we did have a game plan for that but obviously we didn’t execute it. We changed things around in the second half and looked a lot better. They were dangerous on the counter-attack because we had to throw people forward and it became more difficult for us once we were a man down.”
Match Stats
APIA Leichhardt 2 (Kouta 18’, S. Symons 44)
Rockdale Ilinden 0
Saturday, 4th June, 2022
Lambert Park, Leichhardt
Referee: Christian Verdicchio
Assistant Referees: Bradley Wright and Patrick Teleki
Fourth Official: Chloe Gray
APIA Leichhardt: 1. Ivan Necevski, 5. Nick Azzone, 8. Diego Celis (10. Franco Parisi 91’), 14. Jack Armson, 15. Themba Muata-Marlow, 16. Sean Symons, 18. Adrian Ucchino, 20. Nathanael Blair (9. Jason Romero 57’), 21. Michael Kouta, 23. Walter Scott, 38. Yianni Nicolaou
Substitutes Not Used: 22. Luke Turnbull, 3. Paul Galimi, 4. Josh Symons, 6. Simon Nicholas
Yellow Cards: 51’ Azzone, 56’ Blair, 67’ Nicolaou, 78’ S. Symons
Red Card: Nil
Rockdale Ilinden: 1. David Bradasevic, 2. Daniel Petkovski, 4. Mitchell Stamatellis, 5. Will Mutch (10. Tomoki Wada 51’), 6. Daniel Araujo (11. Peter Kekeris 51’), 7. Alec Urosevski, 8. Nikola Kuleski, 14. Brayden Sorge, 15. Jamie Percevski (9. Bai Antoniou 84’), 23. Jaden Casella, 88. Chris McStay.
Substitutes Not Used: 16. Mo Ahmed, 25. Alex Masciovecchio, 31. Matt Morran.
Yellow Cards: 12’ & 76’ Kuleski
Red Card: 76’ Kuleski
By National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s reporter Joe Russo
