APIA Leichhardt Tigers moved further clear at the summit of the NPL New South Wales when they beat Sydney Olympic 3-1 in regular season 26 on Saturday. The visitors took control early and never looked back, with goals at 15, 31 and 45 plus one minutes giving them a comfortable cushion before a fourth strike at 62 minutes put the game to bed early.
Sydney Olympic started with more energy than they have shown in recent weeks, but they were left flat-footed when the opening goal arrived at 15 minutes. To be fair, the hosts had been struggling to find their rhythm, having lost 3-0 to Brisbane Roar and 4-0 to Manly United in consecutive outings. The visitors made them pay for any hesitation.
The second goal at 31 minutes was the real turning point. By then, APIA Tigers were dictating the tempo and Sydney Olympic's defence was scrambling to find shape. A third goal just before half-time at 45 plus one minutes meant the break came with the visitors firmly in charge, and the momentum did not shift after the interval.
The fourth goal at 62 minutes was more about closing the door than anything else. Sydney Olympic tried to mount a response, but the visitors had already turned to the kids and brought on fresh legs to see out the result. The hosts never quite recovered from the early deficit, and the match was effectively over well before the final whistle.
The result leaves APIA Tigers eight points clear at the top with 68 points from 30 games, while Sydney Olympic remain rooted to 16th place with just 23 points. The visitors have now won 21 of their 30 matches this season, a run that includes victories over sides like Western Sydney Wanderers II and Peninsula Power. Sydney Olympic, with 19 defeats, have a long way to go to avoid relegation trouble.
Recent form tells you everything. APIA Tigers have been scoring freely, netting four goals against ANUWS and five against Western Sydney Wanderers II in their last two outings. Sydney Olympic have been finding their net harder to fill, managing only four goals across their last five matches. The gap between them is widening by the week.