Tags
Shinji Ono (centre) of Australia’s Western Sydney Wanderers celebrates victory against Sanfrecce Hiroshima in Sydney yesterday. (AFP)
Departing Japanese star Shinji Ono inspired a dramatic comeback by Western Sydney Wanderers as they scrambled into the AFC Champions League quarter-finals on away goals against Sanfrecce Hiroshima yesterday.
Ono, in his final game before returning to Japan, created two second-half goals—one five minutes from time—for a 2-0 win and 3-3 aggregate score, enough for the Wanderers to scrape through by virtue of their away goal in last week’s 3-1 defeat.
In the South Korean capital the 2013 runners-up FC Seoul also went through on away goals despite losing 2-1 to Kawasaki Frontale for 4-4 on aggregate, following last week’s 3-2 win.
The Wanderers looked headed for the exit in the round of 16 but the tie turned 10 minutes after half-time, when Shannon Cole smashed in a volley after being teed up by Ono.
And following waves of attacks, the decisive goal came on 85 minutes when Brendon Santalab blasted home after more deft work from Ono, who will now leave for Consadole Sapporo.
The Wanderers saw out the five minutes of stoppage time to preserve their advantage and go into the draw for the two-legged quarter-finals in August.
“I believe in this team and we believe in ourselves and that’s why we have a good result tonight,” Ono said afterwards.
Wanderers coach Tony Popovic, who steered his team to the A-League grand final, is also losing Dutch midfielder Youssouf Hersi to Perth Glory.
“It’s been a great year and I’m really pleased for the players,” said Popovic, who played five seasons as a defender for J-League champions Sanfrecce.
“It’s great to send the players who are leaving out on a high and I’m just honoured to be head coach of this club.
It is only the third time an Australian team has reached the AFC quarter-finals after Adelaide United in 2008 and 2012.
In Seoul, Sergio Escudero put the hosts 1-0 up after eight minutes only for Kawasaki to keep the tie alive through Yu Kobayashi’s equaliser on 29 minutes.
Late substitute Yasuhito Morishima curled a sumptuous shot into the net in stoppage time. But it was too late for Kawasaki to rescue the tie after they shipped two late goals in last week’s first leg.
Seoul and the Wanderers join holders Guangzhou Evergrande, Pohang Steelers, Al Ain and Al Ittihad in the quarter-finals draw, with two more ties still to be settled in the Western zone.
Results
Western Sydney Wanderers (AUS) 2 (Cole 55, Santalab 85) Sanfrecce Hiroshima (JPN) 0 (Western Sydney Wanderers win 3-3 on aggregate - away goals)
FC Seoul (KOR) 1 (Escudero 8) Kawasaki Frontale (JPN) 2 (Kobayashi 29, Morishima 90+2)
(FC Seoul win 4-4 on aggregate - away goals)
There are no comments.
SPORT Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when you are saying farewell to those that have left a positive impression. That was the case earlier this month when Canada hosted Mexico in a friendly at BC Place stadium in Vancouver.
TECHNOLOGY Some 60mn primary-school-age children have no access to formal education
CULTURE Lekhwiya’s El Arabi scores the equaliser after Tresor is sent off; Tabata, al-Harazi score for QSL champions
ARABIA The Yemeni Minister of Tourism, Dr Mohamed Abdul Majid Qubati, yesterday expressed hope that the 48-hour ceasefire in Yemen declared by the Command of Coalition Forces on Saturday will be maintained in order to lift the siege imposed on Taz City and ease the entry of humanitarian aid to the besieged
ARABIA Some 200 teachers from schools across the country attended Qatar Museum’s (QM) first ever Teachers Council at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) yesterday.
ARABIA The Supreme Judiciary Council (SJC) of Qatar and the Indonesian Supreme Court (SCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on judicial co-operation, it was announced yesterday.
ECONOMY Sri Lanka is keen on importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar as part of government policy to shift to clean energy, Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Rauff Hakeem has said.
