Superb APIA put five past Mariners
APIA Leichhardt flexed their muscles with a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Central Coast Mariners on Saturday night at Lambert Park.
Michael Kouta put APIA in front within 15 minutes – a lead they took into halftime.
The side shifted gears after the break as Rory Jordan grabbed a brace while Presley Ortiz and Jack Stewart also got on the scoresheet.
However, the Mariners should have been in front within nine minutes. Oliver Kalac parried Luca Pecora’s shot towards Rose, who inexplicably skied the ball facing an open goal.
Four minutes later, the visitors were left to rue this missed chance as APIA took the lead. A left-sided corner came to Kouta, who blasted a volley in from close range.
Despite conceding an early goal, the Mariners remained threatening, particularly from set pieces, as they sought an equaliser before halftime.
With five regular minutes to go, APIA stepped up their pursuit of a second goal through Seiya Kambayashi, who drove into the left of the box before firing wide.
In the final minute of regular time, Pecora lined up a long-range free-kick for Central Coast, but Kalac managed to catch the ball.
Kouta’s early goal proved to be the difference between the teams as they went into the sheds, with APIA holding a narrow lead.
The hosts made a bright start to the second half as Alex Denmead made space for a shot from the edge of the box, with the ball bouncing just past the right post.
APIA made the most of this promise and doubled their advantage in the 53rd minute. Franco Farinella prodded the ball into the right of the area for Ortiz, who sent a clever finish inside the near post past Wade.
The momentum was with the home side, and they added a third goal two minutes after their second. Denmead used his speed down the left and delivered an accurate cross for Jordan to steer the ball into the goal.
Just after the hour mark, 16-year-old APIA debutant Max Court was denied a spectacular first senior goal by the woodwork. Court lashed an effort from the edge of the box that rattled the bar.
The chances kept coming for APIA as Ucchino forced Wade into a low save towards his right post moments later.
The side went for another goal in the 75th minute as Farinella drove through the pitch and fired from distance, with the ball sailing just over.
That fourth goal arrived six minutes later. Stewart, who had only been on for seconds, rifled a shot from the right of the box that crashed onto the far post before nestling in the goal.
Central Coast were still a sporadic threat with the lively Rose the team’s most potent attacker. In the 86th minute, Rose set off down the right and made it into the area, hitting a shot narrowly past the left post.
Rose came close again early in stoppage time as he rolled an effort towards goal from the edge of the box, which Kalac got down well to and saved.
The scoreline got worse for the visitors in the second minute of additional time. Wade’s misplaced pass fell to Jordan, who curled a first-time finish into the vacant goal.
Jordan’s goal was the final action in what became an increasingly straight-forward evening for APIA against the Mariners.
Match Stats
APIA Leichhardt FC 5 (Michael Kouta 13’, Presley Ortiz 53’, Rory Jordan 55’ 90+2’’, Jack Stewart 81’)
Central Coast Mariners FC 0
Saturday 31 May 2025
Lambert Park, Leichhardt
Referee: Rebecca Mackie
Assistant Referees: Anastasia Filacouridis and Matthew Harris
Fourth Official: Charlotte Flynn
APIA Leichhardt FC: 80. Oliver Kalac, 2. Seiya Kambayashi (14. Max Court 61’), 4. Josh Symons, 5. Dredon Kelly, 6. Anthony Sparacino, 9. Presley Ortiz (7. Jack Stewart 81’), 11. Rory Jordan, 18. Adrian Ucchino, 21. Michael Kouta (17. Jordan Segreto 70’), 30. Alex Denmead, 99. Franco Farinella (22. Eddie Caspers 81’)
Substitutes Not Used: 1. Anthony Bouzanis, 16. Sean Symons
Yellow Cards: Josh Symons 73’
Red Cards: Nil
Central Coast Mariners FC: 20. Joel Wade, 2. Luca Pecora (13. Logan Sambrook 57’), 3. Michael Paragalli, 4. Rocco Smith, 5. Ben Mewett (6. Jordan Small 57’), 11. Jai Rose, 17. Jesse Mantell (10. Ayouk Mow 57’), 19. Prayaag Thapa (15. Freddie Clunas 70’), 24. Kye Schumacher (22. Shumba Mutokoyi 79’), 32. Laurence Taylor, 39. Harper Ryles
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Jared Williams
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 – Rory Jordan (AL)
2 – Franco Farinella (AL)
1 – Anthony Sparacino (AL)
Report by Tim Gibson
