APIA-Leichhardt hit Sydney United for four in entertaining battle
Michael Hawrysiuk, Adel El-Jamal, Ethan Gailbraith and youngster Nick Taneski scored to secure a fantastic result for Billy McColl’s side, whilst an own goal from Michael West and a header from Mitchell Speer saw Sydney United net twice but not do enough to secure even a share of the points.
APIA could have taken the lead in the 1? minute when a free-kick from Michael Hawyrsiuk found the head of Adam D’Apuzzo, but the APIA midfielder headed wastefully wide.
Sydney United thought they should have had a penalty in the 2? minute when the ball appeared to strike the arm of Brendan Reilly, but referee Kris Griffith-Jones waved play on.
APIA went on the attack immediately, but Adel El-Jamal smashed his long range shot wide.
A series of Sydney United corners in the 12? minute put the APIA defence under significant pressure, but the last of these was too close to goalkeeper Anthony Costa, who claimed easily.
APIA broke the deadlock though, with a goal from nowhere in the 16? minute. Bradley Bartels was set clear down the right hand side but with just Gailbraith to aim for in the centre, he delayed his cross and instead stood the ball up to the far edge of the penalty-area. Arriving with superb timing, Michael Hawyrsiuk showed excellent technique to volley low past Robert Kolak in the Sydney United goal.
Gailbraith was a constant menace up front for the visiting side and his movement behind was proving difficult to deal with for the Sydney United defence.
Hawyrsiuk caused United goalkeeper Robert Kolak some serious problems with a long throw-in from the right in the 24? minute, the shot?-stopper failing to deal with it. A scrambled clearance found its way back to Hawyrsiuk and APIA looked certain to score. All the midfielder had to do was square the ball to Gailbraith, but Hawyrsiuk’s cut back lacked quality and care as Kolak was able to claim.
Gailbraith continued to threaten and only the offside flag prevented him from racing on to a through ball from Stephen Kayes in the 29? minute, as APIA looked the more threatening side in the final third.
The home side were relying on their set piece threat, but APIA were showing great discipline in not conceding needless free-kicks and corners.
On the half hour mark, a half chance presented itself to Luka Glavas. A long throw from Jared Lum was only half cleared by the APIA defence and when the ball came back out to Glavas just inside the area, his first time volley flew over the crossbar.
It was a rare threat from the United striker who was starved of service as APIA shut down the home side’s midfield comfortably. The hard running Gailbraith was proving to be a worthy outlet as the Tigers counter-attacked with panache, with D’Apuzzo, Hawyrsiuk and Bartels all heavily involved.
Sydney United’s hopes were dealt a further blow in the 35? minute when Luka Glavas was forced off with another injury, replaced by John Krajacic. It was a bad piece of luck for the United striker, who had only just returned from a long injury lay off.
Against the run of play though, United found an equalising goal and true to form, it was a set piece that delivered it. Jared Lum delivered a threatening ball from the left hand side and it was APIA-Leichhardt attacker Gailbraith who got the final touch, diverting the ball past his own goalkeeper, much to the delight of the partisan crowd.
Bradley Bartels conceded a free-kick in a dangerous area in the 44? minute after he body checked the flying Krajacic. Lum sent in another swirling delivery that caught Anthony Costa out, his punch going straight up in the air and almost crossing the line before being scrambled clear.
Sydney United kept the ball though and a cross from the right found Daniel Barac unmarked in the area, with the APIA-Leichhardt defence in disarray. Barac was given the opportunity on a plate after a delightful delivery from Petar Markovic, but his header was straight at Costa who reacted well to save.
APIA went straight up the other end in what was a frenetic end to the first-half, with D’Apuzzo finding himself in space on the right hand side but his shot was well saved by Kolak, who made himself big and reacted well to keep the scores level going in to half-time.
Adam D’Apuzzo was proving a constant threat to the Sydney United defence and he again released Gailbraith down the inside right channel, though he was helped by a slip from Mitchell Stamatellis. Cutting back on to his left foot, Gailbraith could only shoot tamely at Kolak.
Jared Lum’s set piece delivery was proving to be a huge threat to APIA-Leichhardt and it proved to be the case again in the 56? minute, when his delivery found the head of Barac, but his header went wide of Anthony Costa’s far post.
APIA’s goalscorer Michael Hawyrsiuk was replaced on the hour mark by Gyu Re-Lee as APIA coach Billy McColl looked to influence the match from the bench.
Although not directly related to the substitution, it seemed to have some effect, as APIA went ahead just 2? minutes later. Adam D’Apuzzo, so influential in this match, curled in a beautiful corner form the right hand side and with Robert Kolak unconvincing under the high ball, Adel El-Jamal rose at the back post to head the ball into the back of the net.
Sydney United skipper Ivo Bosnar tried to take matters into his own hands in the 67? minute, trying an audacious volley from 20-yards out after Bartels half cleared a long throw from Lum, but Bosnar’s effort flew well over the bar.
Night was descending on Edensor Park and with 20? minutes to go the match was very much still up for grabs.
Both goalkeepers Robert Kolak and Anthony Costa were struggling under the high ball. D’Apuzzo’s corners were causing Kolak all sorts of problems, whilst Costa was struggling to deal with Lum’s long throw-ins.
Kolak was found wanting in the 70? minute when he failed to get his fists to an attempted punched clearance, but Gailbraith headed over the bar.
Sydney United found an equaliser in the 78? minute with their second set piece goal of the match. This time it was a Mario Simic corner from the right hand side that caught APIA out, with United centre half Mitchell Speer rising highest to nod home past Costa.
Just minutes later though, APIA Leichhardt went back ahead in what was turning into a classic match. APIA were readying Grade 20s hotshot Nick Taneski to be introduced in place of Gailbraith, when the visitors were awarded a free-kick.
Gailbraith signalled to the bench to hold the substitution so that he could take the free-kick, and he duly delivered, sending a gem of a strike past Kolak and in off the post to restore APIA’s one goal lead. The striker celebrated with the bench before taking his seat on it, as Taneski was introduced.
Danial Cummins replaced the excellent D’Apuzzo with 3? minutes remaining, as APIA looked to shut up shop and take all three points.
Instead, a sensational 40-yard pass from Brendan Reilly released the livewire Taneski who showed beautiful feet in beating the two defenders in his way, before smashing a confident finish past Kolak.
It was the icing on the cake for APIA-Leichhardt, who were able to close out an excellent victory.
Sydney United 58 FC striker Daniel Barac was understandably frustrated at full-time:
?It was pretty sloppy today. There were a lot of long balls and the movement was slow,” he said.
“The boys at the back for APIA gave us a pretty hard time, it was pretty physical and it was hard to match them,” he added.
By contrast, APIA’s ?Mr Fix It? coach, Billy McColl, was elated:
“I thought we played well. I thought we dominated and we played some beautiful soccer today,” McColl said.
“To score four goals away from home is a credit to the team,” he added.
“Every win is important (in terms of the Club Championship) and when I came in the plan was to go undefeated (for the rest of the season). We’re looking forward to playing the Wolves next week,” McColl concluded.
Match Stats
Sydney United 58 2 (Ethan Gailbraith 38′ (og), Mitchell Speer 78′)
APIA Leichhardt Tigers 4 (Michael Hawyrsuik 16′, Adel El-Jamal 62′, Ethan Gailbraith 81′, Nick Taneski 89′)
Sunday 19th August, 2012
Sydney United Sports Centre, Edensor Park
Referee: Kris Griffith-Jones
Assistant Referees: Craig Fisher and Lee Corey
Fourth Official: James Meechan
Sydney United 58 FC: 30.Robert Kolak; 2.Mitchell Speer, 6.Mitchell Stamatellis, 7.Mirjan Pavlovic, 8.Jared Lum, 10.Stephen Hayes (34.Stephen Drewery 74′), 11.Luka Glavas (38.John Krajacic 35′), 18.Mario Simic, 22.Daniel Barac, 23.Ivo Bosnar (C), 14.Petar Markovic (36.Mark Cindric 83′)
Substitutes Not Used: 20.Ian Johnson
Yellow Cards: Mitchell Speer 81′
Red Cards: Nil
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers: 21.Anthony Costa; 2.Mark Byrnes, 3.Adel El-Jamal, 4.Mun-Soo Gil, 5.Michael West (C), 7.Stephen Kayes, 8.Adam D’Apuzzo (6.Danial Cummins 87′), 9.Ethan Gailbraith (19.Nick Taneski 81′), 15.Bradley Bartels, 16.Michael Hawyrsiuk (20.Gyu Re Lee 60′), 18.Brendan Reilly
Substitutes Not Used: 22.David Bradasevic, 12.Paul Galimi
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
-By Matthew Connellan
