APIA humbled by ruthless Sydney FC
Sydney FC have secured a vital win against APIA Leichhardt, prevailing 5-1 at Lambert Park to move off the bottom of the NPL Men’s NSW ladder.
Sydney FC began the match strongly against a rotated APIA Leichhardt side, with a large fanbase supporting them from the sidelines, featuring the Sky Blues’ active support The Cove.
The away side were responding to the loud atmosphere on the sidelines with an intense brand of football, and threatened in the opening stages.
However, APIA, had the first major chance of the match in the 11th minute, with a quick-thinking freekick from Sean Symons finding Rory Jordan on the edge of the box, who hit the crossbar with a stinging effort.
Alex Denmead was presented with the follow-up, but couldn’t find the target with a header from close range.
APIA’s rotated side featured an abundance of starting debutants as they continued a heavy period of fixture congestion, with their game before an Australia Cup tie in Brisbane on Wednesday.
This, combined with the addition of a few A-League Men players into the squad – namely Jaiden Kucharski and Mitchell Glasson, gave Sydney a strong opportunity to move off the bottom of the ladder and escape the automatic relegation place.
And Sydney made the most of this, taking a two-goal lead in the space of just two minutes to put a firm hand on what would be a pricelss three points.
The Sky Blues opened the scoring in the 26th minute with a clinical goal, created by a pinpoint pass in behind from Tiago Quintal.
Mitch Glasson, making a run beyond the defence, latched onto Quintal’s flick, and, after engaging in a one on one with Anthony Bouzanis, calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net, giving the away side a vital lead at Lambert Park.
Just a minute later, Sydney doubled their advantage in a ruthless transition.
After Lachlan Middleton won the ball in Sydney’s attacking half, he quickly found Wataru Kamijo, who drove forwards impressively before playing Kucharski in behind.
Running down the right flank, Kucharski subsequently cut the ball back to Quintal, who made no mistake in striking the ball home from just ouside the six-yard box.
In the 41st minute, the Sky Blues added a third as they continued their stunningly clinical first half.
A fantastic dribble inside from Quintal saw off multiple opponents, before he poked an inventive, perfect short pass in behind to Kucharski.
Receiving the ball in the box, Kucharski showed an incredible level of composure, sending Bouzanis to his feet before blasting the ball home.
However, the Sydney weren’t done for the first half, with Quintal netting a stunning goal in stoppage time to give the Sky Blues a four goal advantage going into the break.
Intercepting a pass inside, Quintal subsequently drove at APIA’s backline, working himself into a strong position on the edge of the box.
The attacking midfielder then released an electrifying strike, thundering his effort into the top left corner to not only earn himself a brace, but move Sydney closer to a victory to take them off the bottom of the table.
In the 57th minute, Sydney were presented with a chance to make it five, after Glasson dispossessed goalkeeper Bouzanis in the corner.
The striker, after winning the ball, quickly released a good effort from an awkward position, with Anthony Sparacino getting back to make a crucial clearance off the line.
But in the 62nd minute, APIA found a goal back, with Nicholas Azzone netting a stunning strike from distance to create an awkward last half an hour for Sydney.
Picking up the ball, Azzone faked his way around one player, before attacking the space he created with a few steps forwards.
From a good few metres outside the box, the right-back produced a stunning strike, with his lofted effort dipping to find the bottom left corner and reduce Sydney’s lead to three goals.
APIA were in charge of possession in the second half, aided by the additions of Adrian Ucchino and Jack Armson and later Ben Gibson, Seiya Kambayashi and Edward Caspers, but were struggling to create any meaningful chances with Sydney’s defence holding strong.
In the 74th minute, a quick pass in behind from Kambayashi found the feet of Gibson in the box, but the forward couldn’t find the target from close range.
Five minutes later, Sydney had a chance to make it five, with fantastic, direct run from Kucharski allowing him to engage in a one on one with Bouzanis, where the striker just couldn’t find a way around the shot-stopper.
The Sky Blues, however, had seen out APIA’s second half well, with their intensity out of possession key to restricting their opponents space in build-up and the ability to create chances.
And one minute into stoppage time, Sydney added a fifth to secure a much-needed win, with a stunner from Jacob Brazete adding the icing to a crucial three points.
Speaking on the victory, Sydney FC’s coach Jim Van Weeren praised his young troops for a massive victory in the club’s fight for survival.
“It was a result we needed at this time of the season.
“Especially in the first 45 minutes, the performance was first class.”
APIA will no doubt ring in the changes as the club hopes to clinch the Waratah Cup with their final set for next Wednesday against league leaders Rockdale Ilinden at Nestrata Jubilee Stadium.
Click here to purchase 2024 Waratah Cup Final tickets.
Match Stats
APIA Leichhardt FC 1 (Azzone 62’)
Sydney FC 5 (Glasson 26’, Quintal 27’, 45+5’, Kucharski 41’, Brazete 90+1’)
Sunday 11 August, 2024
Lambert Park
Referee: Kurt Ams
Assistant Referees: Matthew Harris and Arinath Gobinath
Fourth Official: Luke Chapman
APIA Leichhardt FC: 1. Anthony Bouzanis, 6. Anthony Sparacino, 11. Rory Jordan (14. Jack Armson 45’), 12. Sebastian Boffa (2. Seiya Kambayashi 62’), 13. Jared Macerola, 16. Sean Symons (C) (18. Adrian Ucchino 45’), 26. Sebastian Kiceec (9. Ben Gibson 62’), 29. Maksim Kasalovic (22. Edward Caspers 71’), 30. Alex Denmead, 41. Nicholas Azzone, 89. Jensen Vout
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Alexander Parkes
Yellow Cards:
Red Cards:
Sydney FC: 30. Gus Hoefsloot, 3. Tyler Williams, 4. Joseph Calusic, 8. Lachlan Middleton, 10. Tiago Quintal (33. Mathais Macallister 67’), 11. Jaiden Kucharski (29. Namory Conde 87’), 16. Pearson Kasawaya (13. Jacob Brazete 87’), 17. Ayouk Mow, 19. Mitchell Glasson (34. Blake Bolwell 82’), 22. Aaron Gurd, 24. Wataru Kamijo (32. Samuel Lancaster 45’), 30. Gus Hoefsloot
Substitutes Not Used: 1. Max Vartuli
Yellow Cards: Calusic 45’
Red Cards:
Player ratings:
3 – Tiago Quintal (SYD)
2 – Jaiden Kucharski (SYD)
1 – Mitchell Glasson (SYD)
By Jack George (@JackGeorge0004)
