Thriller at Lambert Park as APIA and United 58 share the spoils
Two iconic Australian football clubs APIA Leichhardt and Sydney United 58 have drawn 2-2 in an exciting NPL Men’s NSW match at Lambert Park on Sunday.
It was an intense opening fifteen minutes to the match, with both sides looking to ease into the game by feeling each other out.
The biggest chance of the opening quarter of an hour came 14 minutes in, where a deflected freekick from Carlos De Oliveira fell into the path of Michael Glassock, who was free to find the target from just outside the six yard box, but couldn’t do so.
It was a major chance for United 58, and the only one of the first half hour for either side.
Both teams looked sharp in possession, particularly when getting into the final third, but couldn’t find the space or quality for a decisive action.
But in the 31st minute, the visitors found just that, opening the scoring at Lambert Park with a clinical counter-attacking goal.
The move was begun by Leroy Jennings, who beat Cameron Fong to the ball, before classily breezing past another APIA player.
He then slid a pass out to Marco Arambasic, who touched the ball onto Mason Wells, who had time to drive at the defence.
Wells picked his moment, before playing in an overlapping Carlos De Oliveira, who had made a motoring run from deeper in midfield.
With one touch to beat Oliver Kalac, he made no mistake, sliding the ball into the bottom to give his side the lead.
Three minutes later, United 58 had a chance to double their lead, with some slick play down the left flank finding Wells on the top of the box, but the winger timed his shot wrong.
Right on the stroke of halftime, APIA had a chance to equalise, with a brilliantly-weighted pass from Seiya Kambayashi finding Cameron Fong in behind.
From the touchline, the right-back lofted a ball to a free Eddie Caspers at the back post, but the midfielder couldn’t connect on the volley, incidently sending the ball back where it’d come from.
Moments later, APIA had their first significant shot on target, with Presley Ortiz driving down the line and cutting the ball back across goal.
His pass connected with the boot of Kambayashi, who poked the ball towards the near post, but Vedran Janjetovic had positioned himself well, making an accidental, yet crucial stop.
And just after halftime, United 58 doubled their lead with another clinical transitional goal.
A clearance from Anthony Tomelic led to a battle on halfway, which was won strongly by Arambasic.
Now facing forwards against a retreating defence, the forward spotted a clever run from Finn Ballard McBride, and played in a perfectly weighted pass.
Off a first-time shot, McBride slid a shot through the legs of Kalac – the perfect finish to make it two in this crucial top-six fixture.
APIA had to respond following the goal, and almost did so in 49th minute.
After some sharp pass and move football on the right flank, a good ball from Joel Bertolissio found Rory Jordan in behind inside the box.
The winger was able to take a first-time shot, but couldn’t find the top-left corner, striking just short of what would have been a much-needed goal at Lambert Park.
In a weekend where APIA could move to just one point off the top-two, the hosts were crumbling, and needed a moment of magic to kickstart a comeback and keep them in touching distance of Premiership contention.
And in the 66th minute, the home side found just that, with substitute Jack Stewart setting up a beautiful Rory Jordan goal.
Receiving the ball on the right, Stewart drove forwards with assertiveness, finding space against his man to whip in a sensational cross.
His ball found the right boot of Jordan, and the winger produced a fantastic finish, finding the bottom corner on the volley.
All of a sudden, APIA were back in it, and just a minute later, found their equaliser in a stunning turn of events at Lambert Park.
After winning the ball off his own misplaced pass, Stewart found Fabian Monge in a pocket of space, who took a touch before passing the ball onto Presley Ortiz.
On the edge of the box, the striker took a lovely first touch to bamboozle his marker, before finishing clinically on the second, striking the ball across the face of goal and into the bottom-left corner.
Out of nothing, APIA were now level, and it was all to play for between the two juggernaut sides.
In the 82nd minute, after a strong period of possession, APIA were denied their go-ahead goal by a stunning save from Vedran Janjetovic.
It was once again Stewart who created the danger, taking his man on and whipping in a good cross towards the far post.
Ortiz was first to the ball, and couldn’t connect properly with his shot, but still managed to direct an effort on target.
It looked like it had beaten United 58’s experienced goalkeeper, but Janjetovic got across just in time, making a last-gasp save to keep scores level.
The last ten minutes saw neither side manage to create a significant chance, and the game finished 2-2 at Lambert Park.
“They’re a tough team to play, especially at home,” said United 58 coach Ante Juric.
“So I’m sort of pleased with the point, but in saying that, when you’re 2-0 up you can’t throw that a way.
“So one minute of poor defending cost us the two goals, but as a whole I’m pretty happy.”
Match Stats
APIA Leichhardt FC 2 (Jordan 66’, Ortiz 67’)
Sydney United 58 FC 2 (De Oliveira 31’, McBride 46’)
Sunday 20 July, 2025
Lambert Park
Referee: Stephen Lucas
Assistant Referees: Amirhossein Hosnani and Patrick Teleki
Fourth Official: Harriet Gee
APIA Leichhardt FC: 80. Oliver Kalac, 2. Seiya Kambayashi, 8. Joel Bertolissio, 9. Presley Ortiz, 11. Rory Jordan (30. Alex Denmead 66’), 16. Sean Symons (C), 19. Fabian Monge, 21. Michael Kouta, 22. Eddie Caspers (99. Franco Farinella 60’), 23. Dredon Kelly (29. Maksim Kasalovic 54’), 26. Cameron Fong (7. Jack Stewart 60’)
Substitutes Not Used: 1. Anthony Bouzanis, 18. Adrian Ucchino
Yellow Cards: Jordan 57’, Kouta 90’, Kasalovic 90’
Red Cards: None
Sydney United 58 FC: 21. Vedran Janjetovic, 3. Bailey Rule, 4. Adrian Vlastelica, 5. Anthony Tomelic, 10. Carlos De Oliveira, 16. Anthony Krilic, 17. Michael Glassock, 19. Aidan Milicevic (14. Liam McGing 56’), 23. Mason Wells, 28. Marco Arambasic (22. Stephan De Robillard 77’), 32. Leroy Jennings (13. Finn Ballard McBride 38’)
Substitutes Not Used: 12. Richard Darko, 29. Joshua Attard, 31. Josip Orlovic
Yellow Cards: Milicevic 45’, De Robillard 87’
Red Cards: None
Player ratings:
3 – Fabian Monge (APIA)
2 – Marco Arambasic (SU58)
1 – Jack Stewart (APIA)
