Missed Chances Cost Us in Defeat to APIA

We faced a tough afternoon at Lambert Park on Sunday, going down 5–0 to APIA Leichhardt, who kept their Premiership hopes alive with a clinical display.

The home side started brightly and opened the scoring in the 9th minute. A ball in behind from Jack Stewart released Cameron Fong, whose cross from the right found Rory Jordan at the far post. Jordan controlled well and finished into the bottom corner.

APIA pushed hard for a second, with Presley Ortiz missing narrowly in the 16th minute after some sharp interplay inside the box. Fong also went close, dragging a shot just wide after being found by Franco Farinella.

In the 34th minute, APIA doubled their lead. After winning the ball, they countered quickly through Jordan, whose cutback found Farinella. The midfielder struck first-time from close range to make it 2–0.

Just two minutes later, we created our best chance of the half. Maki Petratos showed great vision to release Richard Shoueiki, who drove at goal and squared for Brendan Gan. Gan’s effort from inside the box was inches too high, skimming over the bar when a goal could have changed the flow of the game.

Franco Parisi consoling Steve Zoric after their last meeting.

We came out stronger in the second half, pressing higher and showing more attacking intent. In the 56th minute, Jordan rattled the crossbar for APIA, but we responded with a spell of momentum.

In the 72nd minute, Petratos unleashed a powerful strike from distance that clipped the bar on its way out, agonisingly close to halving the deficit. Moments later, Tye McGowan’s low drive came back off the post as we continued to build pressure.

A total of 3 crucial chances missed that could’ve turned the tide of fortune our way.

Our fight kept their keeper Oliver Kalac busy, forcing him into several stops, but in the 80th minute, APIA struck again. A counterattack ended with substitute Seiya Kambayashi unleashing a thunderous strike that went in off the bar to make it 3–0.

Shortly after, APIA were awarded a penalty, which Ortiz converted to extend their lead. The striker added his second minutes later with a tidy left-footed finish. In stoppage time, Ortiz almost completed his hat trick, only for Danijel Nizic to produce a superb save at the back post.

It was a difficult result for us, but there were still positive moments, particularly our response early in the second half, where we struck the woodwork twice and pushed APIA hard. While the scoreline was disappointing, our focus now turns to regrouping quickly and preparing for another big challenge next week.