APIA edge out Sharks in exciting affair
APIA Leichhardt have picked up a crucial three points in a 1-0 win against Sutherland Sharks in an exciting National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s affair at Lambert Park.
The away side had a positive opening ten minutes – whilst not creating any chances, they consistently managed to draw in APIA’s winger within their press before finding the free fullback, which allowed them to control possession and keep the ball well.
A great run from Jack Stewart, featuring a clever feint, allowed him to shoot powerfully from just outside the box, but his effort was deflected and rolled out for a corner.
APIA found joy through direct high passes down the line, particularly on the left to Jack Stewart, who pressed well to force the ball out to gain territory for the home side.
Sutherland continued to defend positively through retaining possession of the ball to therefore not allow APIA’s star-studded side to provide attacking threat.
Their ability to keep possession was highly impressive, and they were very well coached and well-coordinated in their movement.
However, they rarely managed to enter the final third with a sense of danger, as they lacked drive and assertiveness to attack space ahead of them – from that sense APIA were defending solidly and doing well to keep their opponents away from goal.
The home side made uncharacteristic unforced errors with the ball and struggled to connect with possession as a side; they seemed tired due to the sustained press and covering of ground and under pressure due to Sutherland’s ability to keep possession.
But as half-time drew nearer, APIA showed, in a sweeping attacking move, what Sutherland lacked with the ball, as a good touch from Sean Symons freed Jack Armson to play a fantastic first time pass out to Stewart from midfield.
The winger twisted and turned on multiple occasions to drive towards goal, before finding Armson on the edge of the box in an elongated one-two – the attacking midfielder struck a shot but it was blocked actively by a sea of Sutherland shirts.
Off an error, two minutes later, Oliver Randazzo slid in Hamish Lamberton in behind, but on a tight angle the striker skewed his left-footed shot, not gaining proper contact on the effort.
On the occasions Sutherland managed to enter the final third, APIA showed their defensive quality through blocking paths towards goal and retrieving possession expertly, and despite their lack of possession, looking the more threatening in terms of chances created throughout the opening 45 minutes.
APIA began the first half by demonstrating their quality on the ball, as wonderful play in between the lines found Stewart who had held his width – a first-time squared pass was intercepted, but the home side demonstrated their qualities and threat moving forwards.
The home side were going strong from the start, as Stewart forced a save from Marko Bulic with a stinging near post effort.
Stewart continued to assert his influence on the match – cutting inside from the left, he slid a clever ball in behind to Sean Symons, who saw his shot saved by Bulic, who anticipated the pass well.
APIA opened the scoring in the 53rd minute with a scintillating piece of attacking play, in what was a fantastic start to the first half.
Upon winning back the ball, Armson played a quick pass out to Stewart, before stepping over a diagonal pass into Symons before collecting the ball once more.
The attacking midfielder then squared it to Yianni Nicolaou, who made no mistake in converting the ball high into the roof of the net from close range.
The inspired home side forced a mistake from Sutherland with a high intensity press; a pass from Symons freed Armson in behind, whose left-footed effort was saved well by Bulic.
Sutherland did well to eventually stifle the threatening energy from APIA after their goal, as they went back to keeping the ball.
However, a mistake in the 62nd minute allowed Stewart to drive into space, and the winger hit a straight shot just above the top left-corner upon reaching the edge of the box.
Sutherland continued to build-up well, but like the first half, couldn’t progress play, as players didn’t look to attack space once becoming free, and APIA did well to stifle chance creation from a defensive point of view.
In the 70th minute, Symons tested Bulic with a powerful, curling shot off a loose ball.
Three minutes later, Jason Romero, who returned to APIA this week after a sting with Macarthur Bulls in the A-League Men, twisted and turned in the edge of the box on the left, before magically hitting the post off a left-footed chip.
A minute after that, Stewart once more forced a save from Bulic with a powerful near post effort.
From the right, Lamberton cut inside an curled a left-footed strike towards the far top corner, but his effort lacked power as Necevski collected comfortably, while Levi Sciuriaga forced APIA’s shotstopper into a strong near-post save minutes later.
With five minutes of regulation time left, Sutherland had a golden opportunity to draw scores level.
Sciuriaga clipped a clever pass in behind to Lachlan Sattout, who chipped the ball over Necevski but also over the frame of goal in a heart-wrenching moment for the away side.
Within the last ten minutes, Sutherland were threatening consistently from an attacking perspective, firing shots on goal to test Necevski.
However, APIA held on well to gain an invaluable three points.
APIA coach Franco Parisi was pleased with the clean sheet and three points.
“Three points, clean sheet, it’s what we wanted”, he said.
“The way we came out in the second half probably deserved a few more, but it was good to see out the win at the end and I’m very happy.”
Meanwhile, Sutherland coach Damir Prodanovic was happy with the nature of the match, and the overall football that was played.
“We look forwards to this fixture, Franco’s (Parisi) got this APIA team playing some very good football”, he said.
“They had their chances – should have gotten a couple in the second half, but we missed a one on one there at the end.
“All in all, it was a good performance and it was an enjoyable game to coach in with both teams playing good football.”
Match Stats
APIA Leichhardt FC 1 (Nicalaou 53’)
Sutherland Sharks FC 0
Saturday 24 June, 2023
Lambert Park
Referee: Kurt Ams
Assistant Referees: Matt Staples and Aaron Bloch
Fourth Official: Charbel Geha
APIA Leichhardt FC: 1. Ivan Necevski, 4. Joshua Symons, 7. Jack Stewart (30. Alex Denmead 90’), 14. Jack Armson, 15. Themba Muata-Marlow, 16. Sean Symons, 18. Adrian Ucchino (C) (9. Joshua Romero 66’), 19. Fabian Monge (98. Franco Farinella 86’), 21. Michael Kouta, 23. Dakota Askew, 38. Yianni Nicolaou (6. Anthony Sparacino 86’)
Substitutes Not Used: 2. Harry Stavris, 12. Anthony Bouzanis
Yellow Cards: Monge 30’, Ucchino 45’
Red Cards:
Sutherland Sharks FC: 1. Marko Bulic, 2. Takahide Umebachi, 4. Mitchell Stamatellis (C), 5. Jesse Photi (3. Jordan Roberts 58’), 8. Alexander Brown (23. Lachlan Sattout 77’), 9. Hamish Lamberton, 11. Fumoto Kamada, 15. Nathan Grimaldi, 21. Antonis Martis (43. Ikko Ehode Arimoto 58’ (32. Levi Sciuriaga 72’)), 25. Oliver Randazzo, 33. Louis Khoury
Substitutes Not Used: 26. Jacob Garner, 29. Samuel Smith
Yellow Cards:
Red Cards:
Player ratings
3 – Jack Stewart (APIA)
2 – Marko Bulic (SS)
1 – Nathan Grimaldi (SS)
By Jack George (@JackGeorge0004)
