Late Percevski Goal Earns Dramatic Win For Spirit
A late winner from Jamie Percevski has given NWS Spirit FC a 1-0 win over a ten-man APIA Leichhardt FC in a thrilling Saturday evening game at Christie Park.
In typically chilly conditions, the game started with a hot tempo, similar to last month’s Hahn Australia Cup game between Spirit and APIA at the same venue.
The first effort on goal came in the 7th minute when Spirit’s Bradie Smith fired wide, followed up shortly afterwards by an off-target shot from home captain Grant Cornwell.
On 13 minutes, Percevski went close for the hosts, heading wide after rising high to meet a Frankie Ljucovic corner.
APIA had to wait 25 minutes for their first shot on goal, a dipping Jack Stewart strike that Christopher Marques saved comfortably.
Spirit continued to pile the pressure on, but the APIA backline was working well together and defending admirably.
In the 40th minute, another Spirit set piece led to a chance, with APIA shot stopper Oliver Kalac making a point blank save to deny Cornwell.
Four minutes later, Cornwell was back at the other end, lunging to block Eddie Caspers after a strong run from the APIA midfielder.
The second half started in frenetic fashion. On 49 minutes, Spirit’s Michael Konestabo linked brilliantly with Ljucovic and Simon Nicholas, but skied his finish.
Then on 52 minutes, Spirit won a penalty when Konestabo was felled inside the area, with Dredon Kelly being sent off. However, Takumi Ofuka blazed his penalty over the crossbar, and a minute later Ofuka even had a goal ruled out for offside.
Kalac came up big for APIA with another excellent save in the 58th minute, getting his angles spot on to deny Ofuka.
With APIA now trying to hit on the counter, they nearly got the breakaway chance they were looking for on 69 minutes when Stewart crossed towards Kambayashi, but Cornwell saved the day for the hosts with a timely intervention.
APIA then had Kalac to thank in the 79th minute, as he made a brilliant stop to deny Yu Okubo’s header after Bradie Smith picked out Spirit’s number nine.
The visitors nearly found an against-the-odds winner on 89 minutes when Rory Jordan found fellow substitute Alex Denmead in a crowded penalty area, his shot going inches wide.
Instead, it was Spirit who came away with three points, as Percevski met a Corey Kavanagh corner and scored with a thumping header in the second minute of time added on.
Post-game, Spirit head coach David Perkovic stated that an in-game adjustment helped his side earn three valuable points.
“We didn’t need the back five after the red card, so we made a quick change to go to a back four and get that extra attacker on the field.
“We did it the hard way. I felt that we deserved the three points for sure. I’m super happy that Ollie Wiggin’s back after his ACL injury as well.”
Match Stats
NWS Spirit FC 1 (Jamie Percevski 90+2’)
APIA Leichhardt FC 0
Saturday 7 June 2025
Christie Park
Referee: Karl Davies
Assistant Referees: Blake Eastwood and Isaac Riggs
Fourth Official: Joshua Kermond
NWS Spirit FC: 1. Christopher Marques, 3. Kyah Williams (21. Harry Keys 86’), 4. Bradie Smith (11. Ollie Wiggin 79’), 7. Frankie Ljucovic (6. Corey Kavanagh 62’), 8. Grant Cornwell (c), 9. Yu Okubo, 10. Michael Konestabo, 13. Simon Nicholas, 15. Jamie Percevski, 19. Zayne Ahluwalia (14. Marco Arambasic 62’), 22. Takumi Ofuka
Substitutes Not Used: 17. Jacob Chidiac, 51. Christophe Chen
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
APIA Leichhardt FC: 80. Oliver Kalac, 2. Seiya Kambayashi, 5. Dredon Kelly, 7. Jack Stewart, 9. Presley Ortiz (8. Joel Bertolissio 57’), 16. Sean Symons, 17. Jordan Segreto (30. Alex Denmead 88’), 18. Adrian Ucchino (c) (99. Franco Farinella 57’), 21. Michael Kouta, 22. Eddie Caspers (11. Rory Jordan 83’), 24.Cameron Fong (4. Josh Symons 83’)
Substitutes Not Used: 1. Anthony Bouzanis
Yellow Cards: 17. Jordan Segreto 36’, 7. Jack Stewart 81’
Red Cards: 5. Dredon Kelly 53’
Player ratings:
3 – Oliver Kalac (APIA)
2 – Michael Konestabo (Spirit)
1 – Grant Cornwell (Spirit)
By Eric Subijano (@eric_subijano)
