Blacktown City punish hapless APIA in statement win
Blacktown City have blown away 2023 Premiers APIA Leichhardt in an exhilarating match at Landen Stadium, defeating the star-studded side 6-3 in a game more than worthy of the match of the round.
APIA Leichhardt began the match strongly, with Dakota Askew firing a threatening effort just after the opening minute to force Tristan Prendergast into an early save.
The away side continued to tease an early opener, as a ball from Joshua Symons released Rory Jordan in behind, who looked to chip Prendergast from range, but as the crowd precariously held their breath, the effort looped just over the bar.
Blacktown snapped back with an opportunity of their own in the 10th minute, as a deep inswinging set piece found the head of Lachlan Campbell who cleverly flicked the ball towards goal, but Anthony Bouzanis was quick to read the danger and intercepted just before multiple onrushing opponents were moving to tap the ball into the back of the net.
In the 12th minute, Blacktown were inches away from opening the scoring; after a giveaway in APIA’s build-up, an inch-perfect cross from Jak O’Brien found the head of Joey Gibbs, who met the ball powerfully and rattled the crossbar with a fantastic effort.
However, four minutes later APIA opened the scoring with a scintillating attack.
After a giveaway in Blacktown’s defensive half, a clever pass forward pass from Dakota Askew found Rory Jordan who was cleverly positioned between Blacktown’s midfield and defensive lines.
Jordan turned with elegant efficiency and slid in the onrushing Jordan Segreto, who finished clinically across goal from a narrow angle on the right.
The opener only increased the electricity of the match, with the players feeding off the energy of the crowd and playing with quality and urgency to move forwards.
In the 23rd minute, a spectacular strike from Jak O’Brien furthered the energy of the crowd – latching onto a long ball, and from just wide of the box on the right, he shot an outrageous volley towards goal which thundered off the crossbar, being Blacktown’s second woodwork strike of the match.
Five minutes later, Blacktown found their equaliser with another sweeping, attacking move.
Some brilliant central interplay opened up the left flank, before the ball was switched back over to the right side of the field.
A good ball by Travis Major fed Tyren Burnie, who crossed cleverly to the far post, where Joey Gibbs was free.
Gibbs squared the ball across goal, with the pass met by O’Brien, and Blacktown had equalised within half an hour at Landen Stadium.
Blacktown looked set to find the lead for the first time in the match in the 32nd minute, with a quick transition releasing Gibbs in behind, but upon releasing a goalbound effort, Themba Muata-Marlow made a stunning block to deflect the effort from finding the back of the net.
However, two minutes later they did find the lead of the game, with O’Brien earning himself an early season brace.
An attempted backheel by Seiya Kambayashi was intercepted by Blacktown’s vigorous press, before Nicholas O’Brien fed his brother Jak.
The forward, in on goal on his weaker foot, made no mistake in finding the back of the net with a clinical finish across goal into the bottom right corner.
With the intensity continuing steadfastly as the first half drew to a close, APIA went close to finding an equaliser, with a intuitively-disguised pass by Eddie Caspers finding Rory Jordan in behind in the box, whose left footed effort drifted just wide of the far post.
The sides continued to trade chances, as a strong save from Bouzanis denied Gibbs who struck strongly from point blank range.
But Blacktown did find a third off the resulting corner, with a mix-up in the box seeing O’Brien make it a stunning first half hattrick with a rare direct goal from a corner.
Early in the second half, action man Jak O’Brien was so close to making it an astonishing four goals from him and Blacktown, as he ran onto a clever threaded ball by Gibbs and smashed a shot off the crossbar, as APIA narrowly avoided a goal that would’ve seen them all but dead and buried for their round one clash.
In the 60th minute, Blacktown did find that fourth goal to all but secure the three points in the first weekend’s match of the round.
An exquisite corner routine from Blacktown between three players opened up space for a cross to the back post, which was won by Campbell and directed towards goal.
Campbell’s strong header was matched by a fantastic finish from Grant Lynch, who leapt over both Josh Symons and Dean Bouzanis to nestle the ball into the net.
APIA almost clawed a goal back in the 70th minute, as clever movement and a skilful touch saw Ben Gibson in behind with the goalkeeper at his mercy, but his powerful shot was met by a strong save from Prendergast.
In the 74th minute, O’Brien made it an astonishing fourth for him and a fifth for Blacktown, as he pinched the ball off Josh Symons in the box before finishing stylishly with his left-foot into the top right-hand corner.
Just 10 minutes later, Blacktown made it an astonishing score of 6-1, with Joey Gibbs outrunning goalkeeper Bouzanis and squaring the ball cleverly to Travis Major, who converted his first of the season into an empty net.
With three minutes of the match remaining, APIA won a penalty, which Gibson converted with a central, side foot finish.
With the insanity of this match still yet to calm, APIA made it three less than a minute after scoring their second, with a sweeping move down the right being calmly dispatched by Jordan from close range.
Eventually, though, the final whistle brought a quality, chaotic and exciting opening match of the round to an end.
Match Stats
Blacktown City FC 6 (O’Brien 29’, 34’, 45+3’, 75’, Grant Lynch 60’, Travis Major 84’)
APIA Leichhardt FC 3 (Segreto 16’, Gibson 88’, Jordan 89’)
Saturday 17 February, 2024
Landen Stadium
Referee: Craig Fisher
Assistant Referees: Cameron Wright and Isaac Riggs
Fourth Official: Thomas Dale
Blacktown City FC: 1. Tristan Prendergast (C), 4. Lachlan Campbell, 5. Grant Lynch, 6. Adam Berry, 7. Travis Major, 8. Jak O’Brien (9. Reuben Awaritefe 75’), 12. Tyren Burnie, 16. Ben Berry, 18. Nicholas O’Brien (36. Sebastian Hayward 80’), 22. Jacob Manti (14. Mitchell Mallia 66’), 23. Joey Gibbs
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Cayden Henderson, 29. Zachary Butler
Yellow Cards: Campbell 28’, Manti 35’
Red Cards: None
APIA Leichhardt FC: 1. Anthony Bouzanis, 2. Seiya Kambayashi, 4. Josh Symons, 6. Anthony Sparacino (21. Michael Kouta 68’), 7. Jack Stewart (30. Alex Benmead 68’), 11. Rory Jordan, 15. Themba Muata-Marlow, 17. Jordan Segreto (8. Nick Sullivan 75’), 18. Adrian Ucchino (C) (41. Nicholas Azzone 75’), 22. Edward Caspers, 23. Dakota Askew (9. Ben Gibson 61’)
Substitutes Not Used: Evan Davis
Yellow Cards: Askew 31’, Symons 90+3’
Red Cards: None
Player ratings:
3 – Jak O’Brien (BC)
2 – Joey Gibbs (BC)
1 – Travis Major (BC)
By Jack George (@JackGeorge0004)
