Sydney FC have reached the quarter finals of AFC Champions League competition for the first time in history, after a fabulous 3-2 extra time win over Bangkok United in Thailand.
Fantastic goals from Joe Lolley and Adrian Segecic followed by an extra winner from Douglas Costa gave them a 3-2 win on the night and 5-4 on aggregate.
The win was Bangkok United’s first home defeat in 31 games and almost two years and puts Sydney FC into the last 8 of AFC Champions League 2.
It was even more impressive with the Sky Blues losing the likes of Patryk Klimala and Anas Ouahim to injury and illness.
Sydney FC 3 (5) (Lolley 2’, Segecic 88’, Costa 99’) def. Bangkok United 2 (4) (Al-Ghassani 18’, Eid 54’)
Moments That Mattered:
2’ | LOLLEY GOAL – Segecic feeds Lolley out right and the Englishman cuts into the box and strikes a left foot shot inside the near post.
8’ | LOLLEY GOAL DISALLOWED – Segecic latches onto the ball down the left and crosses to Lolley to tap home, but the young winger is declared just off-side from the initial pass.
18’ | AL-GHASSANI GOAL – A straight ball through the back line to Al-Ghassani who is just onside, and he runs clear to slot it under the out-coming Devenish-Meares.
54’ | EID GOAL – Sydney FC’s play out from the back is closed down and the home side win the ball back, square it and tap home.
67’ | SEND OFF THITIPHAN – Thitiphan is sent from the field for a second booking after denying a quick free kick from Sena.
88’ | SEGECIC GOAL – Costa plays the ball to Segecic on the edge of the box after a short corner and the youngster drills a shot home with precision from the edge of the box.
90’+7’ | VAR PENALTY CHECK – The referee appears to award a penalty to Sydney FC for a late handball in the box but is called to the monitor by the VAR and overturns the decision as it hits the defenders shoulder.
99’ | COSTA GOAL – A clearance from the Thai defence falls straight to the feet of Douglas Costa who curls a quality left foot shot inside the far post.
Match Report: Sydney FC has completed history by reaching the last 8 of an AFC Champions League competition for the first time in their history, coming back from 2-1 down to win 3-2 against 10-man Bangkok United in Thailand.
It took a sublime Douglas Costa strike in extra time to win the game after Adrian Segecic had scored a crucial equaliser in the dying stages following Joe Lolley’s opener.
The Sky Blues were in front inside the second minute when Lolley cut inside from the right hand side and drilled the ball inside the post.
It was a furious opening from Sydney FC who scored again in the 8th minute, again through Lolley, but the goal was ruled out for an offside to Segecic earlier in the play.
Bangkok were level on 18 minutes when Al-Ghassani latched onto a through-ball and slotted the ball underneath the keeper.
Few chances were created for the remainder of the first half but it was Bangkok who struck first early in the second half.
A mix up in the Sydney FC defence allowed the home side to win the ball back and with Devenish-Meares stranded the ball was squared and tapped home by Eid in 54 minutes.
The turning point in the game in the 67th minute when the Thai’s were reduced to 10-men with Thitiphan receiving a second yellow card for preventing a quick free kick by Sena.
That gave the Sky Blues the ascendancy and after a couple of near misses, it was Segecic the saviour firing in a long range effort with two minutes remaining.
Sydney FC almost had the chance to win it in normal time when the referee appeared to award them a penalty for handball but he was called to the monitor by VAR and overturned it.
To extra time they went and it was Douglas Costa who sealed the deal with a sumptuous left foot strike into the far corner from outside the box, after the ball was given away by the Brazilian Everton.
It was the Thai club’s first defeat at home in 31 matches and almost two years.
What They Said: Ufuk Talay: “I thought we started the game very well, scored an early goal then conceded a soft goal.
“We made it very difficult for ourselves with the second, but overall in tough, humid conditions I think the boys worked very hard and got themselves out of the game.
“So I’m pleased in the end with the result and it will take us to the next round.”
Adrian Segecic: “I’m delighted, I think we started well and conceded two easy goals but i thought the boys dug really deep and it just shows the character of the team we’ve got to dig deep and come back from 2-1 down.
Sydney FC: 12. Harrison DEVENISH-MEARES (GK), 4. Jordan COURTNEY-PERKINS, 5. Alex GRANT (21. Zac DE JESUS ), 6. Corey HOLLMAN (25. Jaiden KUCHARSKI 73’), 7. Adrian SEGECIC (24. Wataru KAMIJO 105’), 10. Joe LOLLEY (37. Will KENNEDY 115’), 11. Douglas COSTA (36. Mathias MACALLISTER 115’), 15. Leo SENA, 16. Joel KING, 17. Anthony CACERES, 23. Rhyan GRANT (C).
Unused Subs: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 29. Joe LACEY, 42. Kyle SHAW.
Yellow Cards: King 46’, Sena 67’, A. Grant 90′, Costa 100′, R. Grant 109’,
Red Cards: None.
Bangkok United FC: 1. Patiwat KHAMMAI, 2. Peerapat NOTECHAIYA (19. Chayawat SRINAWONG 104’), 3. Everton SATURNINO (21. Pratama ARHAN ALIF 104’), 4. Manuel TOM BIHR, 6. Nitipong SELANON (26. Suphan THONGSONG 75’), 16. Muhsen SALEH AL, 18. Thitiphan PUNGJAN, 27. Weerathep POMPHUN, 30. Richairo ZIVKOVIC (36. Jakkapan PRAISUWAN 84), 39. Pokklaw A-NAN (77. Luka ADZIC 117’), 93. EID (11. Rungrat PHUMICHANTUK 104’)
Unused Subs: 25. Supanut SUADSONG (GK), 25. Supanut SUADSONG (GK), 28. Thossawat LIMWANASATHIAN, 54. Shunta HASEGAWA, 55. Napat KUTTANAN, 90. Philip BIJAWAT, 96. Boontawee THEPPAWONG.
Yellow Cards: Eid 33’, Thitiphan 49’, Al-Ghassani 83′.
Red Cards: Thitiphan 67’.
Venue: Thammasat Stadium
Referee: Tantashev ILGIZ (Uzbekistan)
Attendance: 1,819
