One of Sydney FC's rising stars has combined with an established one to keep their Asian Champions League 2 campaign alive.
A late equaliser from Adrian Segecic forced extra time against Bangkok United in Thailand. Then Douglas Costa lifted the Sky Blues to a 3-2 win that sealed a 5-4 aggregate success.
Having thrown away an early lead due to all-too-familiar defensive errors, Sydney looked set to be bundled out of Asia heading into the final five minutes of the second leg of their Round of 16 clash on Wednesday evening. Trailing 2-1 they seemed unable to break down the host's defensive block despite their reduction to ten men.
But just as Bangkok's thoughts were beginning to turn to a quarter-final meeting with Korean outfit Jeonbuk Hyundai, a tie that now awaits Sydney, a long-range laser from Segecic pushed the game to extra time.
It was the 20-year-old's 12th goal across all competitions this season, seven coming in the final 20 minutes of games.
With both sides increasingly exhausted in the humid conditions, a moment of magic from Costa then broke Bangkok's hearts ten minutes into extra time. The Brazilian snatched an attempted clearance from countryman Everton and curled an effort home.
Securing Sydney a place in its first continental quarter-final, the win ensured Australia still has representation in Asian competition after Central Coast concluded a winless Asian Champions League Elite campaign on Tuesday evening.
Cutting inside and firing in a deflected effort, Joe Lolley had given Sydney a dream start less than two minutes into the contest. But Muhsen Al-Ghassani restored parity in the 18th minute and Mahmoud Eid then gave Bangkok the lead following a disastrous attempt to play out from the back in the 54th.
Thitiphan Puangchan's needless second yellow card in the 65th minute, however, set the scene for a dramatic conclusion.
