APIA Leichhardt regain top spot after solid win over Olympic

APIA Leichhardt have gone outright top of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s ladder with a 3-0 victory over Sydney Olympic to end an exceptional Festival of Football.
An incredible 4123 people packed into a vibrant Lambert Park throughout the day, with the NPL NSW Men’s match being the last of a truly festive footballing celebration.
Thirteen minutes into the match, Olympic were presented with a golden chance to open the scoring.
Nick Fitzgerald stole in behind just inside the box on the right and squared the ball cleverly to Adam Parkhouse.
The winger looked to be in a good position to find the target, but lacked power in the strike, and Ivan Necevski was out quickly to smother the shot from close range.
The opening half an hour was an exciting, intense affair, but remained cagey, which was perhaps expected given the magnitude of the match.
In the 27th minute, Olympic had half-a-chance as Roy O’Donovan had time to measure a header in the middle but couldn’t find power in his effort.
A minute later, APIA had their first real chance as Jack Armson latched onto a loose ball just outside the box and after a poor touch forced a save from Nicholas Sorras with a low left-footed effort.
Armson’s left foot threatened in the 36th minute, as a stinging effort was blocked strongly by Olympic’s defence.
In that same minute, Fabio Ferreira stole in behind for Olympic in what was a massive chance but saw his effort in a one on one against Necevski, drag behind the far post.
In the 58th minute the deadlock was finally broken with a clinical sweeping move from APIA Leichhardt.
Armson picked up the ball in midfield and found Jack Stewart, who had drifted off to a pocket in between the lines.
Stewart drew in the defence before playing the ball back to Armson, who took a good first touch against a backtracking Olympic defence.
Armson took a touch wide of the narrow defensive line and unleashed a low effort which passed Sorras and found the back of the net.
In the few minutes after APIA’s goal, they had more chances than they had in the hour leading up to the opener.
Stewart hit the bar 60 minutes in after being set up by Armson, following a clever one-two between Sean Symons and Michael Kouta on the left flank.
In the 62nd minute, Stewart unleashed a powerful effort from range which was parried well by Sorras.
Off the rebound, Sean Symons, from a wide left position, found Armson with an accurate cutback, who was denied a brace by quick defending to deflect the effort over the bar.
The Jack’s combined once more, as Armson released Stewart in behind in a wide right position.
The winger cut inside onto his left foot and forced a spectacular save yet again from Sorras.
In the 72nd minute APIA doubled their lead thanks to a wonderful solo effort from Sean Symons.
The winger picked up the ball and dropped Michael Neill to the ground with some good footwork.
He then cut back onto his right, and supposedly weaker foot, before converting with power and precision into the bottom right hand corner.
Symons added a third for APIA in the 84th minute, again striking with his right-foot.
Cutting in once more, Symons unleashed a low effort past the arms of Sorras and into the bottom right-hand corner.
APIA coach Franco Parisi was proud of his sides formidable performance, while also articulating the beauty of the Festival of Football.
“We do obsess with a clean sheet so that was the first tick to get right.
“In the second half we did exactly what we asked for. In the first half we got caught up in the typical NPL long ball, but we corrected that at halftime.
“We played some good football, had some super players break the game and the result went in our favour.
“It was a tremendous weekend.
“The Festival of Football was well organised from both clubs and it was amazing to see the boys, girls, women’s and men’s all collectively part of the weekend. It was mostly in APIA’s favour, but when these occasions happen it’s about the football, it’s about the community and it’s about people coming together. We were proud winners but it’s about bringing people together for the game that we love, and we can’t wait for next year back at Belmore.”
APIA remain unbeaten in the NPL NSW Men’s competition, while the women’s side are also yet to lose in the NPL NSW Women’s, a highly impressive start to the campaign for the club following the festival of football.
Match Stats
APIA Leichhardt 3 (Armson 58’, Symons 72’, 84’)
Sydney Olympic FC 0
Sunday 23 April, 2023
Lambert Park
Referee: Craig Fisher
Assistant Referees: Matt Staples and Blake Sanchez-Cruz
Fourth Official: Sophie Allum
APIA Leichhardt FC: 1. Ivan Necevski, 4. Joshua Symons, 7. Jack Stewart, 14. Jack Armson, 15. Themba Muata-Marlow, 16. Sean Symons (30. Alex Denmead 85’), 18. Adrian Ucchino (C) (98. Franco Farinella 77’), 19. Fabian Monge, 21. Michael Kouta (23. Dakota Askew 85’), 25. Aedon Kyra (8. Diego Celis 77’), 38. Yianni Nicolaou
Substitutes Not Used: 3. Paul Galimi, 12. Anthony Bouzanis
Yellow Cards: Ucchino 50’
Red Cards:
Sydney Olympic FC: 1. Nicholas Sorras, 3. Michael Neill (12. Matthew Buettner 85’), 4. Benjamin van Meurs, 5. Zygmunt Gordan (C), 8. Sam Mcillhatton (24. Hagi Gligor 64’), 9. Oliver Puflett, 11. Adam Parkhouse, 22. Fabio Ferreira (10. Darcy Burgess 64’), 23. Jakob Cresnar, 29. Nick Fitzgerald (14. Michael Vakis 85’), 99. Roy O’Donovan
Substitutes Not Used: 6. Jack Simmons, 20. Christopher Parsons
Yellow Cards: Gordon 22’, Buettner 85’
Red Cards:
Player ratings:
3 – Sean Symons (APIA)
2 – Jack Armson (APIA)
1 – Themba Muata-Marlow (APIA)
By Jack George (@JackGeorge0004)