Ortiz Double Powers APIA to Sixth Straight Victory
APIA Leichhardt have surged into second place on the ladder following a commanding 4–1 victory over the Western Sydney Wanderers at Lambert Park.
Presley Ortiz was instrumental in the Good Friday triumph, netting a clinical brace as the hosts extended their remarkable winning streak to six consecutive matches. The result further underlines APIA’s strong form and growing momentum as the season progresses.
Despite the eventual scoreline, it was Western Sydney who threatened early. Just three minutes in, Harper Ryles broke into open space before laying the ball off to Tristan Arrarte, who was unable to capitalise on the opportunity. Moments later, the Wanderers came close again when Ryles delivered a perfectly weighted pass to Lachlan Sattout inside the box. However, APIA goalkeeper Oliver Kalac produced an outstanding save, getting down low to deny the effort under heavy pressure.
APIA gradually found their rhythm, and in the 12th minute a chaotic goalmouth scramble nearly resulted in the opener. Seiya Kambayashi saw his shot cleared by Tristan Vidackovic, while Ortiz’s follow-up lacked the power to trouble the defence.
Ortiz would not be denied for long. In the 25th minute, the forward punished a costly Wanderers turnover, showing composure and precision to fire into the bottom corner and open the scoring. He doubled the advantage just before halftime, finishing expertly from close range after an incisive and well-weighted pass from Stewart left him with a simple one-touch finish.
The second half began in explosive fashion, with Max Court extending APIA’s lead in the 48th minute. The goal capped off a scintillating team move that originated deep in their own half, with Court calmly sweeping the ball home from inside the box.
Court nearly added a second to his tally just minutes later, unleashing a powerful strike that rattled the underside of the crossbar as APIA continued to dominate proceedings with relentless attacking intent. The pressure persisted, and in the 59th minute Sean Symons came close, his effort flashing narrowly across the face of goal.
To their credit, the Wanderers responded in the 64th minute. Lachlan Sattout delivered a long ball across the face of goal, finding Johnny Pavlovic centrally, who finished with composure in a single touch to reduce the deficit.
APIA, however, remained firmly in control. Substitute Oscar Gonzalez made an immediate impact, forcing a strong save from Vidackovic, whose performance prevented the margin from growing even larger.
The result was sealed in stoppage time when Michael Konestabo added the finishing touch. Demonstrating experience and composure, he struck powerfully to put the game beyond doubt and cap off an emphatic 4–1 victory.
Speaking after the match, Franco Parisi praised both sides for their approach and reflected on his team’s performance.
“Both teams were committed to playing good football today, and in our case, we pressed aggressively, which was a key part of our game plan,” he said.
“We had a few early scares, but we regrouped and began working as a unit. That led to our pressing game improving, and we were able to take our chances.”
He also singled out Presley Ortiz for his standout performance.
“It certainly helped having Ortiz score twice—he led the line brilliantly. He’s been fantastic for us this season. Credit also to Vidackovic, who made several important saves and kept them in the game at times.”
Match Stats
APIA Leichhardt 4 (Presley Ortiz 25’, 45+2’, Max Court 48’, Michael Konestabo 90+2’)
Western Sydney Wanderers 1 (Johnny Pavlovic 64’)
Friday 02 April, 2026
Lambert Park
Referee: Adrian Arndt
Assistant Referees: Patrick Teleki and Oscar Waterson
Fourth Official: Wael Arabi
APIA Leichhardt:1.Oliver Kalac, 2.Seiya Kambayashi, 7.Jack Stewart, (8.Michael Konestabo 55’), 9.Presley Ortiz, 14.,Max Court, 15.Themba Muata-Marlow, 16.Sean Symons, 19.Fabian Monge, 22.Edward Caspers, (23.Levi Sciuriaga 83’), 24.Cameron Fong, (26.Oscar Gonzlalez 70’), 28.Kyle Shaw, (30.Alex Denmead 70’), (99.Franco Farinella 55’)
Substitutes not used: 4.Eijin Kishimoto, 20.Alexander Parkes
Yellow cards: Kyle Shaw 54’, Jack Stewart 57’
Red cards: None
Western Sydney Wanderers: 1.Tristan Vidackovic, 5.Jesse Cameron, 8.Julian Cop, (10.Johnny Pavlovic 54’), 13.Noah Ovens, 16.Tristan Arrarte, (17.Joshua Cetinic 54’), (19.Ewan Gasowski 54’), 20.Harper Ryles, 21.Rocco Macnamara, 25.Marko Radovancevic, 26.Bradley Marszal, 27.Lachlan Sattout, 30.Marcus Savic, (31.Emile Katrib 70’), (99.Ricky Fransen 54’)
Substitutes not used: 12.Lucas Sinnott, 29.Georgio Hassarati
Yellow cards: None
Red cards: None
Player ratings
3 – Presley Ortiz (APIA)
2 – Jack Stewart (APIA)
1 – Tristan Vidackovic (WSW)
-By Tobias Canning
