Western Sydney Wanderers into Asian Champions League semi-finals after aggregate win over Guangzhou Evergrande
The Western Sydney Wanderers have remarkably progressed to the Asian Champions League semi-finals on away goals after a 2-2 aggregate draw against Chinese super club Guangzhou Evergrande.
The Wanderers lost 2-1 on the night, but the 2-2 aggregate draw was good enough to see them through on away goals after last week's 1-0 win at home.
They are the first A-League club to reach the Asian continental competition's semi-finals since Adelaide United in 2008.
There were early penalty heroics as Ante Covic kept the Wanderers in the match, diving to his right to punch away Elkeson's spot kick in the first half as the Parramatta side kept its aggregate lead at half-time.
Tomi Juric then scored the crucial away goal from the spot after Cheng Zheng fouled last man Mark Bridge in the box.
Italian striker Alessandro Diamanti then equalised for the hosts with a neat right-foot finish in the box just five minutes later.
Elkeson finally got on the scoresheet as he poked home a finish in injury time to put Guangzhou 2-1 up on the night, but the Wanderers grimly held on for the away-goals aggregate win.
With the scores level late on, Guangzhou had a late chance to make it 2-1 on the night when Diamanti's cross from the left was nearly turned in by substitute Xuesheng Dong, but the forward's finish flashed wide of the post.
Elkeson then prodded wide in the 90th minute from close range in a congested penalty area, before scoring again moments later to make the visitors sweat for the result.
The Wanderers will play FC Seoul, which beat Pohang Steelers on penalties after the two legs finished goal-less.
