Western Sydney Wanderers edge Seoul to revive ACL hopes

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:46 am

Western Sydney Wanderers celebrate after Terry Antonis finds the back of the net.
Western Sydney Wanderers celebrate after Terry Antonis finds the back of the net.
Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

Western Sydney Wanderers celebrate after Terry Antonis finds the back of the net.
Western Sydney Wanderers celebrate after Terry Antonis finds the back of the net.
Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

Western Sydney Wanderers celebrate after Terry Antonis finds the back of the net.
Western Sydney Wanderers celebrate after Terry Antonis finds the back of the net.
Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

Western Sydney Wanderers celebrate after Terry Antonis finds the back of the net.
Western Sydney Wanderers celebrate after Terry Antonis finds the back of the net.
Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

Western Sydney Wanderers survived a late onslaught to defeat FC Seoul 3-2 and resurrect their disappointing Asian Champions League campaign.

Terry Antonis assisted Lachlan Scott's debut ACL goal before adding his own name to the score sheet via a well-taken first-half penalty in South Korea, before Jaushua Sotirio scored after the break to secure a first win by an Australian club in this year's tournament.

The win did not come without a late test of nerves, though. Yun Il-Lok bagged a brace to put the defending K-League champions right back in it with nearly 20 minutes to play.

Both sides entered Wednesday night's group-stage clash armed without any points and in the knowledge that the loser could all but mathematically say goodbye to a knockout-stage berth.

The Wanderers, in stark contrast to their prior two defeats, looked comfortable and pressed diligently on the rough pitch.

A rare 11-day turnaround for them would have helped, so too that Seoul were off their game for a good chunk of the contest -- save for a bullet header from Montenegro striker Dejan Damjanovic that rattled the crossbar early on.

But the hosts' unhurried play from the back was soon punished when Antonis burst free and slipped a through ball to Scott.

The 19-year-old, coach Tony Popovic's third striker in as many ACL games, finished instinctively with a helping hand from the post and goalkeeper Yoo Hyun.

Demjanovic took an immediate but marginally high stab at a long-range equaliser, but it was not long before Seoul were down by another.

They had reason to feel aggrieved too, when Shin Kwang-Hoon was somewhat harshly adjudged to have handballed, but Antonis duly obliged from the spot.

Sotirio made it three just after the hour-mark following a terrific Mitch Nichols through ball, but almost as soon as he had lobbed over the on-rushing Yoo, Seoul awoke.

Yun wrongfooted Brendan Hamill and flicked the ball from an acute angle past Vedran Janjetovic at his near post.

He was not done there, soon nutmegging Kearyn Baccus before producing a superb finish from outside the area, as the hosts made the Wanderers work until the end.