APIA Leichhardt have defeated Wollongong Wolves 3-0 at Lambert Park to continue their dominance on top of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s ladder.
The home side had a significant chance to open the scoring 11 minutes in, showing their quality in attacking transitions which had been prevalent over the season.
Pouncing upon a bouncing ball, Diego Celis struck a clean first time, volleyed pass out to Rory Jordan on the left, who found himself in a one on one.
He quickly made up ground and engaged Tomas Butkovic, but the goalkeeper stood strong and made an important save to prevent APIA from finding an early opener.
Inside the first fifteen minutes, Wollongong Wolves controlled possession of the ball, but like many sides struggled to create chances and break down a resolute APIA defence.
The home side looked to play on transition with their quality, clinical front four, and looked the more dangerous of the sides despite struggling to keep possession and progress the ball from their own sequences.
In the 25th minute, APIA were presented with a golden chance to open the scoring, as Jack Armson won a penalty after being quickly after a freekick with a run in behind.
After being brought down in the box, Celis calmly slotted the ball into the right side of the net to give the home side the advantage.
APIA had a chance to make it two, as a positive forward touch and cross from Yianni Nicolaou found the foot of Celis, but the goalscorer couldn’t find a second as a volleyed effort stretched just wide of the far post.
Wollongong kept the ball impressively when looking to create against a deep APIA defence, but the league leaders prevailed in their efforts, as the away side still struggled to find the killer pass to create a goalscoring opportunity.
APIA themselves weren’t at their best with the ball, struggling to play through Wollongong and often conceding possession to long balls due to a lack of options and offering in between the lines, but they prevailed in their defence structure and ability in transition.
Symons began to cut in from the right and present between Wollongong’s defence and midfield, which allowed Nicolaou as the right back to advance into more advanced areas to stretch Wollongong’s defence and open up passing options, which allowed APIA to begin to control possession more.
In the 38th minute, Celis was millimetres away from adding a second, but astonishingly rattled the post and crossbar with a shot that couldn’t have gone any more towards the top-right.
As the game began to progress, APIA improved with the ball, and began to exert more control of the ball in the first 15 minutes of the second half.
However, neither side were able to create any significant opportunities beyond shots from range.
Wollongong Wolves were presented with a golden opportunity to go level in the 71st minute.
Lachlan Scott picked up the ball in midfield and drove forwards positively, before finding Jake Trew in behind with a good pass.
The forward took a good touch to consolidate his position in behind APIA’s defence, but struck his effort in a 1v1 against Necevski wide of the post.
Jordan was released in behind again for APIA against a stranded Butkovic in the 75th minute after a defence splitting pass from Fabian Monge, but the winger cut back in onto his right foot and was dispossessed in the process.
Monge had been superb for the majority of the match, controlling and progressing possession well and actively moving without the ball, as well as defending assertively with intent.
In the 81st minute, APIA found a second through Armson.
The Jack’s combined as Stewart ran down the left flank and cut back the ball threateningly with his left foot.
Armson made a darting run across goal and was first to the ball at the near post and made no mistake in tapping home to double APIA’s lead.
In the last kick of regular play, Armson made it two braces in two games to continue his red hot form.
After receiving the ball from a clever disguised pass from Symons, he took his time before finishing clinically into the bottom left corner, to ensure the three points for the home side.
APIA coach Franco Parisi was proud of his side’s performance and the clean sheet:
“Three points were critical as we start the second round of the season, and of course we obsess over the clean sheet.
“We had added motivation coming into the game; Wollongong had seven clean sheets and we had six, so we’ve now levelled that out.
“It was a very, very close game and credit to Wollongong – they’ve been consistently playing that football and doing well and kept themselves in the game for a long period of time.”
Match Stats
APIA Leichhardt 3 (Celis 26’, Armson 81’, 90’)
Wollongong Wolves FC 0
Saturday 20 May, 2023
Lambert Park
Referee: Sebastian Andrews
Assistant Referees: Andrej Giev and Liam Smith
Fourth Official: Ayad Naji
APIA Leichhardt FC: 1. Ivan Necevski, 6. Anthony Sparacino, 8. Diego Celis (7. Jack Stewart 64’), 14. Jack Armson, 15. Themba Muata-Marlow, 16. Sean Symons, 17. Rory Jordan (98. Franco Farinella 77’), 18. Adrian Ucchino (C) (4. Joshua Symons 87’), 19. Fabian Monge, 21. Michael Kouta (23. Dakota Askew 64’), 38. Yianni Nicolaou
Substitutes Not Used: 3. Paul Galimi, 12. Anthony Bouzanis
Yellow Cards: Monge 23’, Symons 83’
Red Cards:
Wollongong Wolves FC: 3. Harrison Buesnel, 5. Banri Kanaizumi, 6. Senna Stevenson, 7. Marcus Beattie, 13. Tomas Butkovic, 21. Ethan Beaven (11. Nav Darjani 71’), 23. Walter Scott (17. Jake Lavalle 82’), 24. Lachlan Scott (C), 25. Alex Masciovecchio, 29. Ben Giason (14. Jake Trew 45’), 88. Christopher Mcstay
Substitutes Not Used: 1. Nenad Vekic, 4. Dax Kelly, 12. Ryan Mrvcic,
Yellow Cards: Buesnel 41’
Red Cards:
Player ratings:
3 – Jack Armson(APIA)
2 – Fabian Monge (APIA)
1 – Diego Celis (WW)
By Jack George (@JackGeorge0004)
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