Japanese star Shinji Ono produced one of the A-League's greatest goals to propel Western Sydney Wanderers into A-League Grand Final with a 2-0 win over Brisbane Roar.
The Wanderers came into Friday's semi-final at Parramatta Stadium on the back of a 12-game unbeaten run and continued their astonishing first campaign to deny the Roar a shot at a third straight championship.
Croatian striker Dino Kresinger set the ball rolling with an audacious back-heeled goal to give the Wanderers the lead in the 16th minute.
And Ono, who played for Japan 56 times and appeared in three FIFA World Cups, put the game beyond doubt with his magnificent goal in the 72nd minute.
The 33-year-old controlled Kresinger's flick-on with a feathered touch before unleashing a clever chip into the back of the net from outside the box.
Michael Theo in the Brisbane goal barely flinched, but all around him the 19,369 crowd leapt in raptures.
"What an outrageously brilliant goal by Ono," said Brisbane coach Mike Mulvey.
"I mean that was the nail in the coffin for us. Once they got that second one it knocked the wind out of our sails. We were sort of coming back into it making chances, and then he scores a goal like that. It was a moment of genius.
"We didn't give him that much space, we didn't back off too far and he just picked his moment.
"It's a terrible thing for me to witness for my team but it's a great thing for Australian fans to witness that somebody can do something like that in that game at that time."
Wanderers coach Tony Popovic added: "He's been out of the team for a few weeks now with his injury and to come in and pressure again with that intensity and to produce like that is why he's such a special player."
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| Shinji Ono celebrates with Western Sydney teammates after scoring against Brisbane Roar Photo: Getty Images |
The Wanderers came into Friday's semi-final at Parramatta Stadium on the back of a 12-game unbeaten run and continued their astonishing first campaign to deny the Roar a shot at a third straight championship.
Croatian striker Dino Kresinger set the ball rolling with an audacious back-heeled goal to give the Wanderers the lead in the 16th minute.
And Ono, who played for Japan 56 times and appeared in three FIFA World Cups, put the game beyond doubt with his magnificent goal in the 72nd minute.
The 33-year-old controlled Kresinger's flick-on with a feathered touch before unleashing a clever chip into the back of the net from outside the box.
Michael Theo in the Brisbane goal barely flinched, but all around him the 19,369 crowd leapt in raptures.
"What an outrageously brilliant goal by Ono," said Brisbane coach Mike Mulvey.
"I mean that was the nail in the coffin for us. Once they got that second one it knocked the wind out of our sails. We were sort of coming back into it making chances, and then he scores a goal like that. It was a moment of genius.
"We didn't give him that much space, we didn't back off too far and he just picked his moment.
"It's a terrible thing for me to witness for my team but it's a great thing for Australian fans to witness that somebody can do something like that in that game at that time."
Wanderers coach Tony Popovic added: "He's been out of the team for a few weeks now with his injury and to come in and pressure again with that intensity and to produce like that is why he's such a special player."
