The Western Sydney Wanderers have secured their second consecutive appearance in the Foxtel Y-League Grand Final after a thrilling 2-1 win over Sydney FC at Marconi Stadium on Sunday night.
After Benjamin Koop opened the scoring for the opponents, goals from Mohamed Adam and John Roberts ensured the Wanderers passage to the Grand Final.
The Red & Black started well and Andrea Agamemnonos flashed an early shot wide of the target.
Yet it was Sydney FC who took the lead against the run of the play when Koop scored from close range.
As the game began to open up, Agamemnonos and Thomas Aquilina had shots saved while at the other end Wanderers goalkeeper Elliot Carwardine did brilliantly to tip a shot by Koop onto the crossbar.
There were further chances for Aquilina and Marley Peterson before the Wanderers equalised on the stroke of half-time.
Aquilina was involved again, capping off an excellent first half performance with a pinpoint cross for Adam, who couldn’t miss from six yards out.
The Wanderers continued their momentum into the second half, and Daniel Wilmering shot inches over the crossbar after a lovely short corner routine.
The Red & Black were then close to going in front after Roberts showed great vision to pick out Peterson, but Sydney FC goalkeeper Duro Dragicevic was able to make the save.
Midway through the second half, Adam went on a powerful run, beating a number of defenders before his shot was blocked.
As the Wanderers pushed for a winning goal, Sydney FC had their own set of chances, but Carwardine stood tall, pushing a deflected effort by Marco Tilio wide before making another good save a minute later.
The action became frantic in the closing stages as shots from Adam and Samuel Silvera were blocked before the Red & Black finally took the lead with eight minutes left.
Kosta Grozos whipped in a dangerous corner kick and from the resulting scramble, Roberts reacted quickest to head the ball home.
With the game about to enter stoppage time, the players were ordered off the field by the referee due to lightning in the area.
With the weather showing no signs of clearing, the Wanderers endured a nervous wait of over an hour before the match commissioner declared that the 2-1 result would stand.
The Foxtel Y-League Grand Final will be held at ANZ Stadium this Friday, prior to the Hyundai A-League match against the Jets. Kick-off is at 4:20pm.
Wanderers members get FREE entry to the match.
Western Sydney Wanderers 2 (Mohamed Adam 45’, John Roberts 82’)
Sydney FC 1 (Benjamin Koop 19’)
Western Sydney Wanderers: Elliot Carwardine, Thomas Aquilina, Mathieu Cordier, Noah Pagden, Daniel Wilmering, Fabian Monge, Rashid Mahazi (c), Andrea Agamemnonos (Samuel Silvera 71’), John Roberts (Lochlan Constable 83’), Marley Peterson (Kosta Grozos 64’), Mohamed Adam
Unused substitute: Oliver Kalac
