Shinji Ono gave the Western Sydney Wanderers something special to remember him by as he orchestrated the 2-0 win over Sanfrecce Hiroshima that carried the A-League club into the Asian Champions League quarter-finals.
The Japanese playmaker, who is returning home after two seasons with the Wanderers, set up both second half goals, as they got the scoreline they needed following a 3-1 first leg loss last week.
Substitute Shannon Cole lashed the ball home from near the penalty spot in the 55th minute, after Sanfrecce failed to properly clear an Ono cross.
The Japanese maestro and man of the match then supplied an 85th minute cross that was lashed home by Brendon Santalab.
The goal levelled the tie at 3-3, with the Wanderers advancing to the quarter-finals on away goals.
The Wanderers survived a couple of nervy moments near their own goal in the closing minutes, but held out to book their spot in August’s quarter- finals.
Coach Tony Popovic made five changes to the side that started last week’s game with Ono and another departing favourite, winger Youssouf Hersi, among the inclusions
Ono and Hersi did everything they could to try and and prise open the obdurate Sanfrecce defence and were responsible for most of their team’s brightest first half moments.
Ono fired just wide from outside the box, had a free kick blocked and set up Hersi, who scooped the ball over from close range.
Sanfrecce occasionally looked threatening on the counter attack, though they didn’t create many clear cut chances.
The Wanderers started the second half with urgency, with Labinot Haliti having two shots blocked and Iacopo La Rocca another, in just a handful of seconds, while an unmarked La Rocca headed over from an Ono corner.
Cole scored within three minutes of replacing Antony Golec.
Fellow substitute Tomi Juric shot just over the bar in the 76th minute and his acrobatic cross was somehow headed wide by Hersi from just a couple of metres out, as Wanderers pied the deep lying Sanfrecce back in their own half for much of the last 35 minutes.
P budd
Guest
AZ - tyranny of distance is probably the best expression that sums up the whole West / East Asian situation. We have been used to seeing large crowds and travelling support in Europe over the years where if you get drawn away in Turkey, you are up for 4-5 hours travel at the most by plane and many trips can be made by boat/ train/ bus etc as places are really accessible. If we are drawn against either of the Korean sides the flight to Incheon is 10 hours plus an hour into Seoul or a change and either long bus ride to Pohang or an internal flight from the old airport. Going to China will take even longer and it must take a lot out of the players, never mind the expense! Keeping the zones to try and minimise travel seems sensible to me, I always thought that FNSW should organise grassroots champion of champions in a different way so that we did not have to make under 12 players complete a 9 hour trip to Lismore or Griffith to play a 50 minute game of football! Personally I hope we meet the Koreans as I fancy a week's holiday to head up there and couldn't contemplate anything less......and that's ignoring the actual cost of such a venture. I hope there is a replacement of the talent that has just left the camp though!
ciudadmarron
Guest
Bondy you are right and Tyson knows this too. Although covic plsyed a few games he shouldnt have, including the last one in japan. Despite this he was happy to stay, prepared to stick around as long as he's getting some games.
Bondy
Guest
ciudadmarron Nothing wrong with Covic's form keepers can play 60 games a season on their ear. The boy wants regular first team football that's not going to happen yet,also I would've selected Covic over Galekovic in my National Team for Brazil, its a pitty something couldn't have been or still at least worked out. Its very hard to rotate keepers look at Langerak.
ciudadmarron
Guest
He was happy to not be no 1 as long as he got a few games. He wants to stick around - believe me, hed be happy to play out a career at wsw. But he can't do much if he's not offered a contract and an offer comes along. Can't blame him one iota if he goes, as looks likely. But popa and the club have missed a trick. And yes he was under utilized for sure.
AZ_RBB
Guest
I think he really wants to be No.1 more than anything else. Club has probably told him he might need to wait a season or two before that happens. Perth have told him he can be No.1 straight away. I still think he was very much under utilised this season which meant Covic played an enormous number of games and that his weariness was showing towards the end.
ciudadmarron
Guest
All signs pointing to Tyson leaving. Just don't get it. The man wants to stay, he is a good long term prospect, he's happy to deputise as long as he gets game time. Covic can't go on forever, there's a ready made club legend and he's going to walk away.
yewonk
Guest
Yes and despite what people my think there are many faimilies among the members
AZ_RBB
Guest
Cheers mate. If you closed your eyes it was hard to believe there were only 10k people in that stadium. Those 5mins of additional time were incredibly painful but thankfully Beauchamp and Spira dealt with the attacks calmly. Looks like Spira might be re-signing. Out of all the players he's the one I want to stay the most.
AZ_RBB
Guest
1. Not sure how much teams are making in the A-League. But so far in the ACL WSW have made $670,000 from just 8 games. That includes $290,000 in prizemoney, $130,000 in travel subsidies and $250,000 from shirt sponsor Visy. Plus gate receipts from the 40k+ who have attended home games so far. 2. Hardly see that as a serious problem. Has that situation come up in the past? 3. Teams already complain about the current travel time, imagine if they had to travel to West Asian countries several times. Asia would easily be 10-15 times the size of Europe.
Bondy
Guest
It was a great bl^^dy match you could really feel the players were playing possibly for the last time together as a unit and for their supporters and gaffa . I was quite surprised, Sanfrence didn't play to badly for the first 10-15 minutes, cup ties are strange for 80 odd min's the Wanderers through everything at them and the kitchen sink then had to hold for about 6-10 min's to not conceed. There where 5 min's of additional time in the match the Ref kept it going for just over 6'mins and they nearly scored in the 5'th min of extra time, which would've meant Sayōnara. Shinj's best game too. The Drive Byes roll on. Congrats AZ.
leon
Guest
FC Seoul
Matthew Skellett
Guest
It would be a big mistake to let Tyson go :-(
Mazzalenko
Guest
Three things that irritate me about the ACL is that 1) there is f**k all prize money; 2) the defending champions do not automatically qualify for the group stage next season and 3) this bullcrap east v west divide where teams from those regions cannot play each other in the tournament until a specific time. If the AFC can clear up those three things the comp will be more of a serious player amongst club comps on the planet and seem more fairer! I mean so what if WSW have to travel to Saudi Arabia or Iran during the knock out stages? At the end of the day its a two legged play off so if for example WSW was drawn to play Al Itihad then there will be travel for only one leg of the tie and visa versa for the other team. Also correct me if I'm wrong by didn't Gangzhou play Joenbuk in last years final?
onside
Guest
Me too, congratulations from a Brisbane Roar fan. Great result for the A-League. Everybody in the A- league wishes WSW well because WSW is now 'our' team . Absolutely everything about football in Australia is David versus Goliath.But one day, probably take twenty years, ( only 240 months) football will be a Goliath.
ciudadmarron
Guest
There's an FFA cup tie then, I wonder how accomodating they'll be. Expecting some announcements pretty soon. Polenz hasn't been offered a contract but is open. Tyson also. Spira will think about it.
Reginald Bomber
Roar Guru
They should have won it. They were the better team and were leading 2 - 0 and then an own goal by Aussies and a slip up in defence.
Reginald Bomber
Roar Guru
Quarter finals first leg not till 19 August. Hope you have a coach and some players by then AZ
Matthew Skellett
Guest
We were all banging on the hoardings at the end of the game just to add to the noise in the stadium ".....oh what a night late september 1963 oh what a special time for me late september what a night..." ;-)
AZ_RBB
Guest
The two regions remain separated til the final which will be between a West Asian and East Asian team. It's a system they've used the last couple of years to minimise travel. It would actually be pretty cool to play Guangzhou as they'll probably bring some noise with them albeit most made up of locals. I can see us beating FC Seoul
Mazzalenko
Guest
Congrats WSW from a Victory fan.......good result for Aus Football especially considering that you guys lost your very first game of the ACL 3-1 at home back in late Feb!!! Now with 8 teams remaining I feel that WSW have to avoid Ganghzhou but can someone tell me what happens when the draw is made later this month the for 1/4 pairings? Can WSW meet a West Asian team or is it East Asia only until the final itself? I would like think that regardless of how big the AFC is, that an Aussie team can meet a West Asian team, in either the 1/4 or semi-finals? Pretty sure Adelaide beat Bunyodkor in the 1/4 or maybe it was the semi-finals back in 2008?