May 26, 2025
2025 NSW NPL MENS 1 ROUND 16
WOLLONGONG WOLVES v APIA LEICHHARDT
WOLVES UNDONE BY A PENALTY GOAL AND A LONG DISTANCE ROCKET
The fifth placed APIA Leichhardt took on the eighth positioned Wolves in this Round 16 fixture at WIN Stadium with the away team ultimately taking the three points with a 2-0 victory. However, despite the scoreline, the Wolves were certainly not outplayed in the contest having a couple of gilt-edged chances that were somewhat squandered. Both APIA’s goal were scored in the second half.
An indiscretion by a defender narrowly inside the penalty area led to the awarding of a penalty kick. Presley Ortiz back in the line-up after a few weeks out, took the spot kick, dispatching the ball with confidence and precision to the left of the Wolves’ custodian, Daniel Solsky. This was Ortiz’s ninth goal of the season.
The second arrived in the sixth-eight minute, a corner kick taken by substitute Alex Denmead was swung in. The ball was cleared by Alex Masciovecchio. Cameron Fong took possession and slotted the ball to his right for his captain, Adrian Ucchino, about thirty metres out and midway between the centre circle and the penalty area border. He subsequently let fly. His right footed shot torpedoed into the goal off Solsky’s right post, giving the custodian no chance of preventing. Ucchino’s became his team’s thirteenth scorer of the campaign.
The game began with the Wolves kicking off and running towards the northern end. Early on, Dylan Ryan and Nicholas Olsen combined twice with balls played down the left. The first time the ball ended up in touch and the second time APIA pushed it out.
APIA’s Nicholas Azzone made sterling progress on the right to mount an attack. However, he unfortunately made an early exit due to being injured in a tackle and he fell heavily.
Five minutes in, the Wolves went undeniably close to scoring Woon Sub Sim corner kick traversed to the far post. Captain Banri Kanaizumi headed back across with Ryan enacting a diving header that flashed wide of the target by a narrow margin. He showed his defensive mettle when he slid in to stop Eddie Caspers from fashioning a shot.
Sixteen minutes in, Olsen, who was proving to be a dangerous and difficult to handle proposition throughout the match, from a tight angle shot. APIA custodian, Oliver Kalac threw himself at the ball to prevent. Teammate Jack Stewart looked and found space for an effort from outside the penalty area that flew over the bar. Stewart and Ryan had a few tussles on the grandstand side of the ground in the first half with honours even between them.
Twenty minutes in, Olsen expertly kept the ball in play then crossed but nothing emanated from his enterprise. At the other end, the Wolves custodian, Daniel Solsky made a top save to deny Ortiz. APIA had ball in the net three minutes courtesy of Ortiz, but the offside flag negated his effort. Apia’s Joel Bertolissimo tried a speculator from distance that zoomed high above the goal frame.
Round the half hour, the Wolves were pressurising the APIA defensive resolve. A Raphael Le’Ai cross flew across the face with Alex Masciovecchio rushing in to get a touch but arrived just short of getting a touch.
A corner kick to APIA saw Stewart taking, propelling the ball into the danger zone. The ball went back and forward with headers before Stewart again put the ball in. This time, Solsky took possession with precision.
At the other end, Olsen set up Beattie. However, his effort was lifted over, and later Le’Ai followed up with a skyscraper of a shot. Ryan from the left sent the ball to Olsen. He turned with a defender in tow, but his effort was high.
With five minutes remaining before half time Le’Ai blasted over with supports at the far post calling for the ball. The last plays before the forty-five minutes were up, Solsky made two great saves, denying a low Ortiz shot and a Caspers’ header down from close vicinity.
At the break, it was scoreless despite a plethora of opportunities. The Wolves were snatching at their chances somewhat with both Kalac and Solsky guarding their domains with aplomb.
Very early on in this second stanza, the Wolves had a gilt-edged opportunity with Masciovecchio bursting through, but his effort was left wanting and wide of the target alas. Olsen later hit one over. Harrison Buesnell took matters in his own hands with a marauding run from his own half to near the box with his cross being taken by Kalac to thwart. This enterprise from Buesnell deserved better.
Scant time later the penalty conversion arrived to knock the wind out the Wolves’ sails. The Wolves were not going to lie down as earlier in the season had come back from 3-1 down to draw with this opposition. Masciovecchio stung the hands of Kalac with a strong delivery then Solsky saved as the game was beginning to open.
An acute angled Olsen effort from left did not bring up the desired outcome and later APIA went ahead once again.
As the match wore on, the Wolves were desperate to score and threw everything at APIA. An Olsen free kick was just over the far post, a Ben Giason header was taken by Kalac and a wild attempt by from substitute Lucas Trajcevski went high after Olsen had provided the assist. A Giason cross was met by Masciovecchio, but his effort traversed high.
APIA were not satisfied with their two-goal margin aa Ortiz looked to achieve his brace. Solsky, with Ortiz from close range, thwarted his chance. Very late in the ninety minutes period, a header from Ortiz smacked against the post,
In time added on, Solsky plucked the ball off the bootlaces off an attacker bravely.
APIA had won the game and now the Wolves had suffered defeat in two games on the trot, even though in both matches were not outplayed, as a 2-0 loss might suggest. However, scoring goals is the name of the game and unfortunately this has not eventuated for the home team. There was no comeback this time but there is still much to play for.
Wolves’ coach, Warren Grieve – ‘the message at half time in the sheds at 0-0 and the message was as long as we don’t concede we will be alright. We will continue to create chances, and we need to stick to the game plan. The boys executed it well and did enough to create the chances, but unfortunately if you don’t put the ball into the net against a top-quality team, then you will pay the price, Unfortunately, this is what happened…. We had two guilt-edged before (they scored) and we could have been 2-0 up. At the edge of the box, there was a bit of a scramble and a silly mistake which we paid the price for it, and their second goal, well what do you do with that.. So, at 2-0 down, you are always chasing the game. We needed a spark and the rub of the green and we did not get that tonight…. It is definitely a tough one to take. We can’t lick the wounds for two long, as we have work to next week and basically put the wrongs right.’
Wolves’ goalkeeper Daniel Solsky – ‘it seems like in the last two weeks where we have played well in the first half and had a lot of chances, and we haven’t put them away. In the second half tonight, we had two really good ones. Credit to their keeper who made a good save and when you don’t score, it comes back to bite us. With teams like APIA if you give them opportunities they will take and that’s what they did. Our aim is the top six and we must get things right in the last fourteen games of this season…..I have put a lot of work in the last few years overseas and there have good set-ups there. I have been pleased by the way that I have played. and I have been confident in my game. It has been disappointing in the last two games picking up no points at home and there have been no clean sheets as well. For me, personally, that hurts, but as a ‘keeper there was so much I can do. I am confident we will get it right. When we score the first goal, we really put it on the teams……I will watch it back. It was good pen into the corner, but it was disappointing for me, copping a pen. I like to save these and make them work getting one past me. We had two or three chances beforehand that we were not able to put away. but it is football and that is why we love the game.
MATCH STATISTICS
WOLLONGONG WOLVES F.C………………..0
APIA LEICHHARDT…………..………,,,,……2
Presley Ortiz 50’ pen., Adrian Ucchino 68’
@ WIN Stadium, Wollongong.
SATURDAY 247h MAY 2025
7.00 p.m. kick off
WOLLONGONG WOLVES
Coach: Warren Grieve
13. Daniel Solsky GK 2. Harrison Buesnel 4. Dylan Ryan, 14. Banri Kanaizumi, 7. Woon Sub Sim,10. Liam Ball (3. Darcy Madden 58’), 17. Marcus Beattie 21. Nicholas Olsen, 29. Ben Giason 25. Alex Masciovecchio 77. Raphael Le’ai
Substitutes not used: 1. Oliver Yates 6. James Anagnostopoulos, 8. Sebastian Duarte, 15. Dax Kelly
Yellow Cards: Liam Ball 83’
Red Cards: Nil
APIA LEICHHARDT
Coach: Franco Parisi
- Oliver Kalac, 4. Josh Symons 6. Anthony Sparacino 7. Jack Stewart (30. Alex Den 46’), 8. Joel Bertolissio (Jordan Segreto 65’) 9. Presley Ortiz 11. Rory Jordan, 16. Sean Symons (21. Michael Kouta 46’), 17. Jordan Segreto, 18. Adrian Ucchino (Capt.) 22. Eddie Caspers, 41. Nicholas Azzone (23. Cameron Fong 5’) (2. Seiya Kambayashi 79’’)
Subs not used: mead, 1. Anthony Bouzanis RGK,
Yellow Cards: Jordan Segreto 88’, Josh Symons 90+1’
Red Cards: nil
Referee: Brodie Merchant
Assistant Referees: Matthew Harris, Thomas Gellaty
Fourth Official: Sophie Allum
By Malcolm Rowney
