WOLVES CONCEDE TWO GOALS FOR APIA TO WIN

2024 NPL MENS ROUND 9

 

                       WOLLONGONG WOLVES v APIA LEICHHARDT

 

               WOLVES CONCEDE TWO GOALS FOR APIA TO WIN

The Wollongong Wolves suffered their third defeat on the trot when APIA Leichhardt scored two goals in a four minute period of time to defeat the Wolves 2-1. The home scored first and held the lead for some sixty-two minutes only to falter in the final quarter of an hour.

The match kicked off with the Wolves running toward the northern goal. It did not take long for the away team to mount an attack only for the Wolves’ Takumi Ofuka to get to the ball in defence before Jordan Segreto could.  APIA was applying the early pressure and Ben Gibson got in close, only for the Wolves’ custodian, Vedran Janjetovic to position himself perfectly to take.

At the other end, Andre Takami made a teasing run forward but was stopped in his tracks a fair way along.

It was in the fourteenth minute that the Wolves went to an early advantage. Takami lifted ball down the right side to Yagoub Mustafa. He in turn went to byline and played the ball as Bouzanis came out of his goal with two defenders in the vicinity. Mustafa squeezed the ball to Chris McStay in the centre, and he swept it into the goal. The Wolves were now in the lead.

Banri Kanaizumi made a fully stretched interception to move the ball out of harm’s way when his team was under intense pressure as APIA looked to strike back quickly. Takumi Ofuka burst forward to apply intensity at the other end but APIA’s Themba Muata-Marlow was in the way.

Sean Symons, an APIA attacker of some years standing with plenty of goals to his credit, fired over following a back pass. Dakota Askew made inroads only for McStay to block his attempt at goal. A free kick on the Wolves’ penalty arc gave the Tigers a set piece. Segreto dinked the ball over the defensive wall. Janjetovic dived to his right and made the save.

Twenty-five minutes in, the Wolves went looking for a second. Striker Jake Trew set up his captain and fellow striker, Lachlan Scott. His attempt travelled wide of the target.  Trew later deceived Muata-Marlow down the left, but the defender recovered and a corner kick was applied. There were two McStay corner kicks in successions. Neither had the desired outcome.

The speedy Mustafa looked to score his initial goal for the Wolves when he traversed down the left on the half hour.  He put in a good targeted effort. Bouzanis was there to take. Mustafa is edging ever closer to scoring with each match.

Harrison Buesnel tussled for the ball with Segreto, before Eddie Caspers placed an offering in the box only for Janjetovic to grasp safely.

Samuel Riak intercepted perceptibly to defuse an attacking foray and later Mustafa pulled off another good effort that zoomed towards goal. Bouzanis made a top save to deny.

As half time ensued, Janjetovic came out to punch the ball away. The Wolves had the half time lead but the APIA team were still searching and the sitting Premiers could never take for granted.

The Tigers made a statement of intent when Adrian Ucchino tried a speculator from distance which brought no elation. Gibson got in on the act, though Janjetovic repelled his effort. An Askew powerhouse shot zoomed in with Janjetovic thwarting once again. Sean Symons was being his ever-dangerous self, though Takami negated his presence ten minutes after the half time re-start.

With sixty minutes of the match over, the Wolves looked to sure up their position. Scott was in space on the right side. He in turn played it back to Ofuka who was in a central place. He had good vision of the target and shot. Bouzani pulled a top effort to save, thereby conceding a corner kick.

Nine minutes later, Buesnell closed down Louis Ditroia as he looked to cause havoc before Janjetovic punched out an Armson threat.

A host of substitutions took place in the second half.  On many occasions a timely substitution can change the outcome of matches in the affirmative but can also have the opposite effect. The Wolves on seventy-five minutes, decided to stack the defence and midfield in an effect to stifle the opposition and keep their advantage intact.  However, it all went pear shaped for the Wolves. APIA benefitted and scored one minute later.  Josh Symons threaded the ball up to Ditroia who further played it into space for Armson to score to even up the proceedings.  This was Armson’s third goal of the campaign.

Four minutes later, Seiya Kambayashi was on the left and he played an inward pass to Rory Jordan. He then pushed the ball to Sean Symons. He had time despite a host of Wolves players being in the vicinity to trap the ball.  He then pushed it to his left and subsequently fired home with his left foot. Madden and Kanaizumi did their utmost to block the attempt but were in vain. Prior, Nick Sullivan brought out a top Janjetovic save.

Ditroia curled the ball into the Wolves’ box with a flying Janjetovic denying him.  The Wolves tried to gain a point with two forays. From a McStay corner kick, Alex Masciovecchio produced a good attempt, but the result  was not was required. From a McStay free kick, Ofuka unfortunately headed wide.

The Wolves had capitulated late in a match once again and this is a concerning feature. Nine goals out of twelve have been conceded in the final fifteen minutes of assignments.  However, APIA continue on their merry way. The Wolves and the Tigers now occupy eighth and third positions on the points table and Round 10 is another opportunity.

Banri Kanaizumi – ‘it is hard to take and I have to think about what happened. It is very disappointing‘

MATCH STATISTICS

WOLLONGONG WOLVES F.C……..……..1  

Chris McStay 14’

APIA LEICHHARDT…………………..……2

Jack Armson 76’ Sean Symons 80’

@ WIN Stadium

SUNDAY  7^th APRIL

3.00 p.m. kick off.

WOLLONGONG WOLVES

Coach: David Carney

20. Vedran Janjetovic GK 2. Harrison Buesnel 4. Dylan Ryan 5. Banri Kanaizumi 6. Samuel Riak 7. Takumi Ofuka, 8. Andre Takami 9. Jake Trew (27. Damon Gray 70’) 10. Yagoub Mustafa (25. Alex Masciovecchio 81’) 24. Lachlan Scott (Capt.) (3. Darcy Madden 75’) 88. Christopher McStay

Substitutes Not Used: 1. Max Cunial  15. Dax Kelly 29. Thomas Dunn

Yellow Cards: Alex Masciovecchio 90+3

Red Cards: nil

APIA LEICHHARDT

Coach: Franco Parisi

1. Anthony Bouzanis 2. Seiya Kambayashi 4. Josh Symons 5. Jordan Segreto (11, Rory Jordan 68’) 9. Ben Gibson(19. Louis Ditroia 68’) 14. Jack Armson (8. Nick Sullivan 78’) 15. Themba Muata-Marlow 18. Adrian Ucchino( 41. Nicholas Azzone 78’) 22. Eddie Caspers 23. Dakota askew 25. Sean Symons 930. Alex Denmead89’)

Subs. not used: 20. Alex Parkes

Yellow Cards: nil

Red Cards: nil

Referee: Logan Jones

Assistant Referees: Matthew Harris and Hayden Michlmayr

Fourth Official: Mayson

By Malcolm Rowney