A 94th minute winner from Adrian Segecic has fired Sydney FC into the top six at the expense of Adelaide United as the Sky Blues defeated the Reds 3-2 in a thriller at Coopers Stadium.
The home side looked much the more dangerous of the two sides at Coopers Stadium but found themselves behind in the 18th minute as Sydney striker Patryk Klimala was gifted the opening goal after goalkeeper Max Vartuli failed to clear a ball over the top.
Behind at the break, Adelaide restored parity less than a minute into the second-half as striker Archie Goodwin bagged his 11th goal of the campaign, slotting home Jonny Yull’s pinpoint cross.
Sydney FC though looked the much more dangerous going forward and re-took the lead six minutes later as Klimala found the back of the net from close range after goalkeeper Vartuli parried Jordan Courtney-Perkins’ cross back into the danger zone.
However back came Adelaide in the 73rd minute as Goodwin grabbed his second of the game with a towering header after leaping highest to connect with a brilliant cross from substitute Yaya Dukuly.
Sydney FC thought their chances of winning it had gone when substitute Segecic wasted a glorious chance to win it in the 91st minute however the attacking midfielder then came up with the goods in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Picked out inside the box, Segecic slammed an effort towards goal which was well saved by Vartuli however the keeper couldn’t get enough of a hand to Segecic’s follow-up as the 20-year-old sealed the most dramatic of late wins.
The result means Sydney FC climb into the top six via goal difference in what is a huge boost to Ufuk Talay’s side with four games left to play.
As for Adelaide, Carl Veart’s side drop out of the top six for the first time since the early weeks of the season and have now not won in their last seven matches.
Looking to put an end to their rough patch of form which has seen them go winless in six, Adelaide started brightly in front of a packed out crowd at Coopers Stadium.
Played through on goal, in-form striker Archie Goodwin failed to capitalise on some hesitation from goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares as the striker sent a low shot towards goal which was comfortably saved.
Despite breaching the Sky Blues’ backline on numerous occasions though Adelaide found themselves behind, and it’s a moment Isuzu UTE A-League debutant Max Vartuli won’t want to see again.
Coming out to the edge of his box to mop-up a long ball forward from Joe Lolley, Vartuli made a mess of his clearance under pressure from both defender Bart Vriends and Klimala and the Polish striker was given the simplest of tap-ins from inside the box.
The Reds responded well though and would have been level but for a good save from Devenish-Mieres, who got down well to deny defender Dylan Pierias from close range.
The Sydney shot-stopper was then called into action again, this time producing an excellent save to deny Goodwin the leveller as he closed down the striker inside the box to smother a powerful shot.
Brazilian star Douglas Costa almost made it 2-0 to Sydney FC as he followed up a mesmerising piece of skill with a vicious low effort which, after taking a deflection, appeared to be squeezing in at the near post only for a good reaction save from Vartuli.
With the first leg of their ACL Two semi-final to come next week in Singapore, Sky Blues boss Ufuk Talay was dealt what could be a big injury blow before half-time as central defender Alex Grant was forced from the field with what looked to be a calf issue.
Down at half-time but Adelaide took less than a minute to find the back of the net in the second-half.
Timing his run to perfection, Yull sprang the offside trap to latch on to Panagiotis Kikianis’ long ball over the top and duly squared for Goodwin to smash home and level the scores.
However, while Adelaide may have dragged themselves level Sydney star Costa was beginning to find more time and space on the ball and he soon weaved his magic.
Toying with the Adelaide defenders, the Brazilian bided his time before picking out the unmarked Jordan Courtney-Perkins on the edge of the area and while the defender’s drilled cross was palmed away by Vartuli it fell straight to Klimala who promptly rifled home Sydney’s second.
Now on a hat-trick, Klimala thought he’d sealed himself the match ball before the hour mark but he was denied by an excellent stop from Vartuli who tipped the Pole’s curling effort round the post.
Sensing the home side were on the ropes, Sydney were then inches away from making it 3-1 as substitute Corey Hollman’s first-time effort fizzed wide of the near post after he was picked out by Leo Sena’s cutback from the byline.
With both sides intent on attacking rather than defending, Goodwin almost had his and Adelaide’s second of the evening but was again thwarted by the impressive Devenish-Meares when one-on-one.
Goodwin would grab his second of the game though in the 73rd minute and it came as a result of some excellent work from Dukuly down the left.
Receiving the ball, Dukuly toyed with and teased De Jesus in the right full-back area before beating his man, hitting the byline and standing up a brilliant hanging cross which was headed home by the leaping Goodwin who moved top of the Golden Boot standings with his 12th goal of the season.
Both sides flew forward in search of a late winner and Sydney thought they were about to find one in the 91st minute however Segecic somehow steered his shot wide of the target after spinning his defender inside the box.
However the Sky Blues and Segecic would have the last laugh at Coopers Stadium.
With a minute remaining of the five minutes added on, Segecic was picked out by Anas Ouahim inside the box and while the 20-year-old’s initial shot was saved by Vartuli, the substitute fired off another effort which proved to be too powerful for the keeper to deny as it squeezed into the far corner to send the travelling Sydney FC fans into ecstasy.
