Australian club Western Sydney Wanderers prevailed over last year's AFC Champions League runners up, FC Seoul of South Korea, with a 2-0 win in the second leg of the semifinal to secure an historic berth in the final against Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal.
The A-League side's win brought to an end the winning streak of Korean clubs in the Asian club competition for the past three years. Western Sydney Wanderers became only the second Australian club -- after Adelaide United in 2008 -- to reach the showcase match.
Tony Popovic's side will take pride in having defeated last year's champions, Guangzhou Evergrande, in addition to five-time K-League winners Seoul in their march to the final.
After a goalless first leg at the Seoul World Cup Stadium two weeks ago, the second leg at the Parramatta Stadium in Sydney lived up to its pregame billing with a nuanced tactical battle in the midfield interspersed with attacks from both ends.
Defensive midfielder Mateo Poljak opened the scoring for the home team in the fourth minute with a long-range strike. Fellow midfielder Shannon Cole -- back after missing the first leg through suspension -- doubled the advantage in the 64th minute when he headed in a cross from the left wing.
Both teams had fielded significantly altered lineups for the second leg. FC Seoul coach Choi Yong-Soo brought in key attackers, Colombian Mauricio Molina and Brazilian Everton Santos, as well as experienced Spaniard Osmar Barba. Western Sydney's Popovic used striker Brendan Santalab in addition to Cole's welcome return to the squad.
The Wanderers made a dream start with Poljak's opening goal, and three minutes later Santaleb's strike was stopped heroically by the Korean club's goalkeeper Yu Sang-Hun.
FC Seoul came close to levelling things after half an hour but the Australian club's defender Brendan Hamill made a goal-line clearance from a deflected shot from Seoul's Germany-born right midfielder Cha Du-Ri.
The tactical battle stepped up a gear in the second half until Cole scored Western Sydney's second, much to the delight of the home fans.
FC Seoul desperately tried to find a way back into the contest by earning a succession of corners and delivering numerous crosses into the box, but the hosts survived to extend their clean-sheet record to six home games in the competition.
Wanderers will meet Al Hilal in the final, who beat Al Ain 4-2 on aggregate. The two-legged final will be played on Oct. 25 [Australia] and Nov. 1 [Saudi Arabia].