Tigers keep finals series hopes alive with win over Sharks
Despite the Tigers home fixture being switched to Belmore Sports Ground, the Leichhardt side had much more fight than their opponents as Nick Rizzo?s 72? minute strike sealed the deal.
A.P.I.A. sit in eighth-spot – five-points outside the top-five – though could well be within two-points of fifth-placed Sutherland later this week when the Tigers meet Manly United FC in the re-scheduled Round 14 league match.
Robbie Younis opened proceedings with a shot from distance inside the opening 60?? seconds, though Sharks goalkeeper Nathan Denham comfortably collected the ball.
Denham was called upon again 2? minutes later as he bravely anticipated Anthony Hartshorn?s attempted header at the near post.
Sutherland?s reply was swift down the left-flank, though Chris Price?s cross from the byline failed to pick out Blake Powell at the back post.
A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt captain Franco Parisi showed all his class in the 10? minute when he picked up a loose ball on the edge of the penalty-area and beat two defenders with some silky touches. The striker created the yard of space to unleash his effort on goal, though blasted the attempt over the crossbar.
Parisi was again involved for his side 2? minutes later as he picked up the ball deep in the Sharks half and ran at the defence. After avoiding the challenges of two defenders, Parisi was dispossessed by a well-time George Souris tackle.
Sutherland?s best chance of the opening 20? minutes arrived via the feet of Price. Played through behind the Tigers defence via a tantalising Neil Jablonski through ball, Price went one-on-one with Matthew Nash, though with little space to play with ? due largely to the pressure from a retreating Tigers defender ? Price saw his effort smothered by the Tigers shot-stopper.
At the other end, Parisi and Younis combined well to create some space in the Sharks? penalty-area, though the latter went to ground following some contact with a Sutherland defender. Despite Younis? claims for a penalty, the referee waved for play to continue.
In the 22? minute, a scramble inside the Tigers? penalty-area following a low cross played in from the right courtesy of Blake Powell?s boot, saw Jim Bakis? snapshot ricochet off the crossbar. Powell?s follow-up effort carried a real punch though the Tigers defenders managed to steer the ball behind goal for a corner.
The Tigers should have taken the lead on 37? minutes as Parisi again showed his class with a tremendous flick over his marker ? on the halfway line ? that sent the Tigers number 10 towards goal. Parisi, under the close attention of Souris, closed in on the penalty-area before unselfishly squaring the ball to Younis, though the pass lacked the precision and the chance went begging.
Sutherland closed the half on the front foot as Matthew Nash was called upon to save the Tigers with a fine save down to his right to deny Sharks midfielder Nick Stavroulakis? attempt from the edge of the penalty-area.
A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt started the second-half much the same as the first, as Nick Rizzo saw his low-driven effort across goal, following a series failed clearances by the Sharks defence, saved by Denham.
Robbie Younis forced Denham into another save down to his right from a set-piece. The Tigers? number 9 hit a well-placed free-kick over the Sharks wall, though the attempt lacked the power to beat a well-positioned Denham.
The Tigers continued to control the pace of the match via the feet of Hirofuni Moriyasu. The Japanese player proved to be a real handful for the Sharks defenders, constantly forcing the visitors to commit fouls due to the midfielder?s speed and fine ball movement.
Sutherland rarely troubled the Tigers defence in the early stages of the half. Jim Bakis forced Nash into a routine save with a low-driven effort towards goal, though there was little concern for the Tigers rearguard.
On the hour Franco Parisi received a square ball inside the penalty-area, allowing the striker to shoot, though his powerfully hit left-foot effort across goal finished well-over the crossbar.
Nathan Denham kept the Sharks on level terms when he parried an Anthony Hartshorn effort from point-blank range. The Tigers midfielder was cleverly picked out by Younis from the left-flank, and after beating his marker inside the penalty-area, drove his effort directly at Denham, squandering a golden chance for the Tigers.
Against the run of play, Sutherland Sharks nearly took a surprise lead. Stephen McConalogue?s shot on the turn from the edge of the penalty-area appeared to be a routine save for Matthew Nash, though a bad bounce nearly left the goalkeeper red faced as Nash managed to get a glove behind the ball and divert away from his goal.
A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt deservedly found their goal on 72? minutes via the left-peg of Nick Rizzo. Served by Parisi down the right-flank, Rizzo?s sweetly struck effort from a central position finished in the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, much to the relief of the small, yet vocal, A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt supporters.
The Sharks best response arrived 5? minutes from time when McConalogue?s header from close-range was parried by Nash. The Scottish import had the time to pick his spot, though sent his effort directly at the waiting Tigers shot-stopper.
The Tigers nearly added a second in the 89? minute following a quick counter-attack. Moriyasu put his silky skills on display as he beat his marker before drilling an effort on goal ? denied by a deflection off a Sutherland defender.
The Sharks miserable afternoon was complete when Jablonski was shown his second yellow following an altercation with Marton Vass.
Following the match, A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt Tigers football manager Tony Raciti expressed his delight for the final result:
?This was without a doubt our best performance of the season.
?A flawless performance where we completely dominated from start to finish. I thought we should have won by 4-5 goals, though we are still in the race for a top-five spot.
?Our players were on their games, and we now look towards the catch-up match against Manly United FC at Cromer Park. If we can get the points in this fixture, I am confident that we can push on from there, though very happy indeed with this weekend?s result,? Raciti ended.
Sutherland Sharks boss Robbie Stanton was far from impressed with his side?s showing:
?We were poor, very lethargic and I don?t know where a number of our players? heads were today.
?We have had a great run over the past 8-9 weeks, collecting some good wins and performances, though today we were well off the pace.
Match Stats
A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt Tigers 1 (Nick Rizzo 72?)
Sutherland Sharks 0
Sunday, 20th June, 2010
Belmore Sports Ground, Belmore
Referee: Kurt Ams
Assistant Referees: Paul Faithfull and Alex Long
Fourth Official: Miles Allen-Scott
Crowd: 150 Approx.
A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt Tigers: 1.Matthew Nash; 2.Mark Byrnes, 3.John Kelso, 5.Michael West, 6.Marton Vass (18.Bishara Stephan 90?+2?), 8.Anthony Hartshorn, 9.Robert Younis, 10.Franco Parisi (C), 11.Nick Rizzo, 16.Hirofuni Moriyasu, 19.Danial Cummins.
Substitutes Not Used: 40.Terry Dal Broi, 7.Stephen Kayes, 15.David Dascal
Yellow Cards: Franco Parisi 86?, Marton Vass 90?
Red Cards: Nil
Sutherland Sharks: 1.Nathan Denham; 2.George Souris (C), 4.Michael Robinson, 6.Chris Price (16.James Lawrence 81?), 7.Jim Bakis, 8.Blake Powell, 10.Stephen McConalogue, 11.Ben Spruce, 12.Neil Jablonski, 14.Nick Stavroulakis (9.Ben Vidaic 75?), 20.Paul Kohler (22.Yianni Fragogiannis 65?)
Substitutes Not Used: 24.Jack Duncan, 31.Huseyin Jasli
Yellow Cards: Neil Jablonski 24?, 90?+1?, Paul Kohler 30?, Ben Spruce 35?
Red Cards: Neil Jablonski 90?+1?
-By Joseph Carlucci
