Western Sydney have let a one goal lead slip deep into normal time and couldn't hold on for a shootout in Brisbane tonight.
The Wanderers opened the scoring in the 58th minute, as Matthew Spiranovic attacked a corner at the near post, making sweet contact with the ball and getting it over the head of the Roar defender on the near post.
The 66th minute saw the Wanderers championship hopes take a diabolical turn. The almost ever-present Nikolai Topor-Stanley cut a disconsolate figure as he succumbed to an injury sustained while attempting a tackle. It forced a reshuffle as Iacopo La Rocca moved to take up Topor's position, with Aaron Mooy coming on to fill the gap in midfield. While La Rocca continued to excel at the back, the Wanderers were pegged back into their own half.
The Red & Black held out until the 86th minute. Thomas Broich delivered a free kick into the Wanderers penalty box, Ante Covic was caught in no-man's land as he came out then stopped in his tracks. Besart Berisha, in his last game for the Roar before his move to Melbourne Victory, took full advantage to equalise to the delight of the majority of the 51,000 strong crowd.
The killer blow came courtesy of substitute Henrique in the 18th minute of extra time. James Donachie was able to reach the ball near the byline, and he smashed a cross into the centre along the ground that the diminutive Brazilian couldn't and didn't miss.
Iacopo La Rocca was named joint winner alongside Broich for the Joe Marston medal for player of the match.
Brisbane are now the most successful club in terms of A-League Championships, with three. Hopefully this means the FFA will give them the 'toilet seat' to keep and go out and buy a proper trophy. The Wanderers will be flying out to Japan to play the first leg of their ACL knock-out stage tie against Sanfrecce.
The Wanderers next match is against Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the Asian Champions League on Wednesday the 7th of May.
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