Sharks slaughtered by ruthless APIA

APIA Leichhardt FC secured the three points in its Round 8 National Premier Leagues Men’s NSW match with a smashing 7-0 victory over a hapless Sutherland Sharks outfit at Seymour Shaw on Saturday.
APIA began the match strongly, demonstrating the threat of their quality, close combinations and one-twos.
In the 9th minute, a clever one-two between the active Ben Gibson and Jack Armson released the former in behind; the forward poked a precarious pass across the face of goal.
Whilst there was no APIA player ready to tap it home, it was a sign of what’s to come.
In the 12th minute, the reigning Champions opened the scoring with yet another remarkable Jordan Segreto strike, which was set up off the back off a one-two with Edward Caspers.
From just outside the box, Segreto produced a stunning trivela, slicing across a bouncing ball and seeing his sensational strike bounce off the underside of crossbar and into the back of the net.
However, Sutherland went close to equalising nine minutes later with a well-worked sustained period of possession.
Baiting in APIA’s press well, the home side found a strong aerial presence in Mitchell Stamatellis free – thanks to a clever move from Mason Fernandez to pull Adrian Ucchino to the opposite flank.
With both of APIA’s other midfielders advancing to press, Stamatellis was able to win the header and play a one-two with Samuel Gulisano.
The fullback drove assertively at the backtracking APIA defence, elegantly beating two players before squaring the ball across goal.
James Cakovski was presented with a golden chance to equalise, but saw his effort fall over the crossbar from just outside the six yard box.
APIA then capitalised on Sutherland’s lack of poise with another high-quality, clinical goal to double their advantage at Seymour Shaw.
With a trivela involved once more, a searching pass from Josh Symons found the run of Edward Caspers.
From just inside the box, Caspers smoothly chested the ball to gain control, and before letting it bounce, he volleyed a strike clinically into the bottom left corner with a sense of classy sophistication.
After their second, APIA were presented with a plethora of chances to put the game to bed early at Seymour Shaw.
In the 27th minute, a bouncing ball in the Sutherland box was capitalised on by Armson, who forced a good save from Nenad Vekic, before Ben Gibson went close off a low-cross from Segreto, who was released in behind by yet another J. Symons trivela pass.
An inviting wide cross from S. Symons in the 35th minute also threatened, with his cross narrowly avoiding both Ben Gibson and Armson; a meaningful touch from either would have almost certainly resulted in a third.
However, APIA did make it three in the 42nd minute, with Ben Gibson getting his name on the scoresheet courtesy of a Seiya Kambayashi assist.
A good, patient move saw a one-two between Kambayashi and S. Symons released the winger turned fullback in behind, and Kambayashi made no mistake in producing a strong square pass, allowing Gibson to tap the ball home.
Minutes later, Armson made it four with another fantastic move which highlighted Sutherland’s defensive issues both in terms of their intensity and quality.
A switch from Kambayashi towards the right-flank found the feet of Segreto, who played the ball back to Dakota Askew.
The fullback incisively found Armson in the box, and the attacking midfielder made no mistake – with far too much time in the box – in turning and converting with a sharp shot into the bottom left corner.
At the beginning of the second half, Sutherland were presented with a good chance to claw a goal back, as Maxx Green latched onto a pass and breezed past both of APIA’s centre-backs, but the striker lacked composure after finding himself in a goalscoring position, rushing the final shot.
In the 50th minute, APIA duly made it five, with Ben Gibson receiving a block from his own attempted cross, casually dropping the shoulder to make space for himself and rifling a shot across goal and into the top-left corner.
Sean Symons was presented with two good chances to earn himself a goal, but a good save from Vekic in a one on one and a missed header from point-blank range kept the score line to five.
APIA went close in the 60th minute, with Jacob Garner just reaching a square pass from Gibson which would’ve found the feet of S. Symons to tap home.
However, off the resulting corner APIA did add a sixth, with a floating ball finding the head of J. Symons, who flicked it forwards to Themba Muata-Marlow, with the centre-back finding the net with a towering header.
Sutherland had a chance to find a consolation a minute later, but a good cross from Stamatellis couldn’t be converted by Green.
APIA added a seventh to their tally in the 72nd minute, with a strong run in behind and cutback from Gibson allowing him to find substitute Luigi Ditroia, who sidefooted a shot past Vekic and into the back of the net.
Alex Denmead was presented with a late chance to add his name to the scoresheet with a counter-attack off a Sutherland set-piece, but the winger couldn’t convert against Vekic.
Franco Parisi was understandably pleased with the performance, with APIA rebounding strongly from a disappointing draw to St George FC last weekend.
“Three points, clean sheet, it’s what we came for so we’re happy with that,” said Parisi.
“It’s good to see we continued from the second half of last week, and the efforts in attack and in defence from the team was united.
“We talk a lot about those things and today that came together.
“There was some world class goals early on and some good team goals – there was good football but there was also good teamwork.”
Match Stats
Sutherland Sharks FC 0
APIA Leichhardt FC 7 (Segreto 12’, Caspers 24’, Gibson 42’, 50’, Armson 45’, Muata-Marlow 61’, Ditroia 72’)
Saturday 30 March, 2024
Seymour Shaw
Referee: Logan Jones
Assistant Referees: Aaron Bloch and Luke Chapman
Fourth Official: Jackson Mackie
Sutherland Sharks FC: 1. Nenad Vekic, 3. Jordan Roberts (C) (27. Matthew Jackson 45’), 4. Mitchell Stamatellis, 6. Samuel Gulisano, 7. James Cakovski (9. Maxx Green 29’) (14. Chris Lindsay 76’), 10. Mason Fernandez, 11. Jay McGowan, 21. Luke Sauer (5. Takahide Umebachi 45’), 23. Ethan Beaven (8. Mohamed Ahmed 76’), 26. Jacob Garner, 91. Jonty Busch
Substitutes Not Used: 99. Jacob Cremen-Cowan
Yellow Cards: Roberts 15’, Stamatellis 50’
Red Cards: None
APIA Leichhardt FC: Anthony Bouzanis, 2. Seiya Kambayashi, 4. Josh Symons (41. Nicholas Azzone 68’), 9. Ben Gibson, 14. Jack Armson (30. Alex Denmead 76’), 15. Themba Muata-Marlow, 16. Sean Symons (11. Rory Jordan 61’), 17. Jordan Segreto (19. Luigi Ditroia 68’), 18. Adrian Ucchino (C), 22. Edward Caspers (8. Nick Sullivan 61’), 23. Dakota Askew
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Alexander Parkes
Yellow Cards: Muata-Marlow 81’, Kambayashi 87’
Red Cards: None
Player ratings:
3 – Ben Gibson (APIA)
2 – Jordan Segreto (APIA)
1 – Seiya Kambayashi (APIA)
By Jack George (@JackGeorge0004)