Adelaide United defeated Brisbane Roar 2-1 on Sunday to book a place in the semi-finals of the A-League elimination finals thanks to a Tomi Juric first-half double.
The former Socceroo scored two well-taken goals early in the game to send the visitors into next weekend’s semi-finals and eliminate the Roar.
The home team had never lost at home in the elimination finals. Still, on Sunday, they could do little to stop Adelaide United from securing a historic first A-League finals victory outside South Australia.
The Reds started the brighter of both teams and were rewarded for their dominance early in the game when Juric chested down Ryan Strain’s searching long ball before coolly finishing past Jamie Young in the Roar goal. The goal was the striker’s first in six games and was well deserved for a brilliant start from the forward.
Four minutes after his first, Juric scored his second in the 19th minute. The number nine received a forward pass deep in his own half before knocking the ball past Roar captain Tom Aldred to make room and score his side’s second of the night.
The hosts responded better in the second half, throwing everything at their visitors for 45 minutes.
But all they could show for it was a 56th-minute equaliser from substitute Alex Parsons who nodded home from a freekick.
Despite the best efforts of Dylan Wenzel-Halls, Riku Danzaki and Golgol Mebrahtu, who all went close for the hosts, the visitors stood their ground to secure a historic win over Brisbane Roar.
The win means that Adelaide United will now face back-to-back champions Sydney FC in a semi-final at Netstrata Jubilee Oval on Saturday.
