The second matchday of the 2024 Australia Cup Quarter-Finals provided more extra time spectacle as Adelaide United emerged victorious over Western Sydney Wanderers, 2-1.
An early extra time strike by Ryan Kitto proved to be the winner, as Adelaide advanced to the next round following a tight contest in regular time.
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Adelaide United FC 2 (Austin AYOUBI 9’, Ryan KITTO 93’)
Western Sydney Wanderers FC 1 (Nicolas MILANOVIC 68’)
Western Sydney started the game quickly, creating several chances down the right within the first eight minutes.
In the seventh minute, Zachary Sapsford latched onto a bouncing ball over the top. He played it to his right for Nicolas Milanovic, who could only roll a shot to United goalkeeper James Delianov.
However, Adelaide opened the scoring with their first chance of the match nine minutes in. Ethan Alagich shifted the ball left for Austin Ayoubi, where the winger muscled his way inside and lashed a fierce shot into the top left corner from outside the area.
Adelaide asserted control after taking the lead, holding possession well and gaining territory down the flanks as they looked to get the ball into the box. In the 34th minute, the hosts struck the woodwork when Zac Clough’s left-sided free-kick curled onto the crossbar.
The side were thwarted by the post in the 39th minute as Ryan Kitto headed onto the right upright following a set piece.
Western Sydney could have been level three minutes later despite United’s dominant period. Milanovic chased down Sapsford’s long pass into the right channel and got into the box before chopping inside and shooting, with his effort striking the crossbar.
They then created a double chance where only some desperate Adelaide defending kept the visitors at bay.
Despite the late opportunities for Western Sydney to equalize, the visitors would enter the break behind against Adelaide.
The Wanderers had another opportunity just before the hour mark as Jesse Cameron took on a shot from the right of the box that Delianov was forced to bat away.
The away side’s second-half pressure paid off in the 68th minute with the equaliser. Jack Clisby stood the ball up from the left into the box, where it dropped to Milanovic, who tucked a shot away into the bottom left corner.
After this goal, the game picked up a frantic pace, with both teams generating plenty of shots at goal.
And deep into stoppage time, Luka Jovanovic could have won it for the hosts. His close-range effort from the left of the box was saved by Wanderers’ goalkeeper Tristan Vidackovic as the game went into extra time.
United retook the lead less than three minutes into extra time when Clough clipped a clever ball into the left channel for Kitto to drive a shot into the bottom right corner.
Western Sydney soon pushed their opponents back as they chased another equalizer. Adelaide, however, saw out the last nervy moments of persistent attack from the red and black to secure their place in the Semi-Finals of the Australia Cup.
This will be the club’s first appearance in the final four since they won the competition in 2019.
