Seven meetings in 12 months. This one decides the Championship

The NPL NSW Grand Final is set, with APIA Leichhardt and Sydney United booking their places in Sunday’s decider.

Premiers APIA kept their bid for back-to-back Championships alive with a 3-0 semi-final win over NWS Spirit at Lambert Park.

After a goalless first half, Jack Stewart broke the deadlock from the penalty spot before joint-Golden Boot winner Presley Ortiz produced a brilliant solo finish to double the advantage. Substitute Levi Sciuriaga completed the victory late.

APIA will attempt to become the first club to win consecutive NPL NSW Championships since Bankstown City Lions achieved the feat in 2003-04 and 2004-05.

Waiting for them are Sydney United, who reached their first Grand Final in six years with a 3-1 victory over Manly United.

Julian Cop opened the scoring before Benjamin Koop equalised for Manly, only for Mason Wells’ wicked corner to restore United’s lead almost immediately. Tomislav Ozanic sealed the result in stoppage time.

The result ended a remarkable finals run for a young Manly side that defied expectations to finish fifth, while Spirit’s defeat brought Sergio Malfara’s tenure to a close ahead of his move into a full-time coaching role at Sydney FC.

APIA and Sydney United will meet at Jubilee Stadium on Sunday, remarkably their seventh encounter across the past 12 months.