Stewart brace silences Sydney FC
APIA Leichhardt extended their winning streak to five after overcoming Sydney FC, with Jack Stewart proving the chief protagonist as he scored both goals in their 2-0 win at Ilinden Sports Centre on a chilly Friday night.
The visitors’ experience won out against the young Sky Blues as they moved temporarily into second while simultaneously extending Sydney FC’s losing streak to four.
The Sky Blues had a golden chance just two minutes after a well-worked move saw Jordan Graorski get played through, though APIA’s custodian Oliver Kalac advanced well and made a pivotal save.
APIA nearly broke through themselves in the tenth minute when Presley Ortiz managed to pounce on a failed control of the ball by defender Reef Farias, though Sydney goalkeeper Gus Hoefsloot was alert to the danger and intervened before Ortiz could get a shot off.
Ortiz proved influential again for the visitors’ next chance in the 13th minute, with the forward unleashing a strong shot from range which a diving Hoefsloot was just able to tip away.
APIA eventually found the game’s first goal in the 28th minute through right winger Jack Stewart who, after switching to the left flank, took the ball and dribbled into the left side of the box before cutting and knocking it into the top right.
Stewart then doubled their lead in the 37th minute following an effective counter-attack wherein captain Sean Symons found the winger free on the right side, who then drove the ball forward into the box before drilling it into the bottom left.
Stewart went for the hat-trick in the 64th minute with an ambitious shot from a tight angle just inside the right side of the box, though Hoefsloot was more than capable of making the save.
Michael Konestabo tested Hoefsloot with a first-time shot from distance in the 78th minute, with the keeper again intervening well with a calm diving save to his right.
APIA’s Cristian Lombardo had a fantastic chance to make it three in the 81st minute, though his effort went just wide on the right side as it rattled into the side netting.
The visitors again edged close to their third in the 84th minute when a short corner eventually led to Max Court unleashing a solid strike while off-balance into the bottom left, with Hoefsloot once more making the save.
APIA coach Franco Parisi was quick to praise both sides’ performance, stating he saw great football from each team.
Addressing Stewart’s brace and the overall performance from APIA, he told Football NSW.
“He (Stewart) can score goals that not many people can do. It was nice for him to get two on his return to the starting line-up which he has been eagerly awaiting.
“I was really happy with everyone that took the park today, even everyone behind the scenes. Everyone is doing the right thing.”
Parisi stressed it is still early into the seasons though the results and performances of late are an example of what they should aspire to moving forward.
“The consistency of the effort and the football we are playing is probably our standard at the moment,” he said.
“When you can make the right decisions at the right times on an often basis, you’re going to win more games than not and that is where we are at right now.
“We have got a lot of good players making great decisions.”
Match Stats
Sydney FC 0
APIA Leichhardt FC 2 (Jack Stewart 28’, 37’)
Friday 27 March
Ilinden Sports Centre
Referee: Rowan Fisher
Assistant Referees: Alexandar Zastavnikovic and Marco Saalmans
Fourth Official: Damien Delovski
Sydney FC: 1. Gus Hoefsloot, 3. Reef Farias, 7. Jordan Graorski (9. Zac Fowler 76’), 8. Samuel Lancaster, 10. Taye Headley, 14. Jared Middleton, 15. Zinadein Ardiansyah (5. Jay Maltz 68’), 16. Miles Milliner (4. Caelan Marshall-Witte 81’), 18. Ethan Dyer, 19. Mitchell Glasson, 27. Lachlan Middleton (11. Junior Conde 81’)
Substitutes Not Used: 6. Nicolas Calder, 30. Alexander Zaverdinos
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
APIA Leichhardt FC: 1. Oliver Kalac, 2. Seiya Kambayashi (30. Alex Denmead 65’), 7. Jack Stewart (31. Cristian Lombardo 78’), 9. Presley Ortiz (26. Oscar Gonzalez 74’), 15. Themba Muata-Marlow, 16. Sean Symons, 19. Fabian Monge (Michael Konestabo 74’), 22. Edward Caspers, 24. Cameron Fong, 25. Kyle Shaw, 99. Franco Farinella (14. Max Court 65’)
Substitutes Not Used: 4. Eijin Kishimoto, 20. Alexander Parkes
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3: Jack Stewart (APIA)
2: Fabian Monge (APIA)
1: Gus Hoefsloot (SFC)
-By Dimitri Kallos
