APIA?s Youth downed by two penalties

This mountainous region is famous World-wide for the quarrying of high class Italian marble.
In absolute freezing conditions that rapidly plunged to a zero level, caretaker-coach Tony Raciti elected to play two completely different teams in each half, to facilitate urgently needed match practice for his touring squad that has been severely starved of warm-up games due to Northern Italy’s ferocious, freezing conditions that has paralysed most of northern Italy.
For most of the Apia players, it was their first hit-out on a synthetic “Generation 2” pitch.
Despite Apia’s much younger-aged, (and obviously far less experienced) players against the semi professional Rosignano, the Sydney boys gallantly put up a defiant battle.
In fact it took two penalties, (one in each half) to lift the Italians to victory.
More surprisingly, it was Apia that hit the lead as early as in the 15th minute.
Outstanding slim centre-back, Paul Galimi engineered Apia’s goal.
Slicing through from the back, Galimi’s well-measured pass found the towering Apia sole striker Blake Armstrong.
Armstrong who just turned 20 last week, showed excellent composure to
blast from 14 metres out from the left, to nail the target in the bottom far right corner.
Five minutes later, team Rosignano seriously threatened to ‘balance the books’ when their central striker flashed into Apia’s box on a one-on-one situation with custodian Stefan Giglio.
But in a flash and from nowhere, Apia’s sturdy centre-back Bradley Bartels raced across in cover to make a fabulous, delicate tackle to clip the ball from the Italian striker’s control.
Seven minutes from the break, Rosignano was awarded a genuine penalty to score and draw level.
Coach Raciti for the second half fielded a fresh X1, also lacking match practice, which included no less than three players all under the age of 17.
Five minutes after the break Rosignano pulled ahead with a well-taken goal when their striker rounded Apia’s giant 17 year old custodian, Jarrod Unicomb who injured his hip as he dived across in vain to save the danger.
In the 61st minute Rosignano was awarded a very soft penalty from which they scored to seal the winning score line at 3-1.
Totally frozen, the Apia squad rigidly, (but quickly) marched back to their warm, heated team bus to rest at their Albergo Losanna team Hotel in Viareggio.
On the team bus Raciti evaluated Apia’s performance as:
“Look, both of Apia’s X1 that played in each half, did very well.
“They displayed exceptional shape and structure with almost total team unity.
“They all followed our instructions to perfection against the much more experienced semi-pros.
“In the second half the team included two players who are a mere 15 years of age plus another two who are just 17.
“We have never, ever experienced such severe cold conditions that left me and my staff very proud of the lads,” concluded Raciti.
Best performers in the first half were centre-back Paul Galimi, right midfielder Frank Primerano plus the courageous sole striker and goalscorer, Blake Armstrong.
In the second session, the stand-outs were central midfielder John Kanayama with central defender Adrian Vlastelica who turns just 17 next week.
-By John Economos