01.10.2014 13:58 h

Wanderers through to ACL final with 2-0 win over FC Seoul

Western Sydney Wanderers became the second Australian team to reach the AFC Champions League final with a 2-0 win over FC Seoul in Sydney on Wednesday.

Goals from Mateo Poljak and Shannon Cole in both halves sent the Wanderers through 2-0 on aggregate to the two-leg final against Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal.

Adelaide United in 2008 was the first Australian club to play in the final of the Asian football showpiece.

Wanderers got off to a dream start in just the third minute when Poljak's cracking volley off goalkeeper Yu Sang-Hun's punch out found the net from outside the goal area.

The home side had a couple more chances but Brendon Santalab squandered them, while the Koreans looked the more composed and purposeful on the ball.

FC Seoul dominated possession and had six corners to nil in the opening half, while Wanderers were struggling to keep possession.

The Wanderers took more of the game in the second half and grabbed the killer goal through defender Cole in the 64th minute.

He headed home Labinot Haliti's cross, leaving FC Seoul with the difficult task of scoring twice to reach the final.

FC Seoul's defeat after a 0-0 draw in the first leg at home ended a run of five consecutive appearances in the AFC Champions League final by South Korean teams.

Wanderers' victory was thanks largely to their impregnable defence. They reached the final with their eighth clean sheet in the competition.

The Wanderers also reached the Asian final after just two seasons in the A-League under coach Tony Popovic.

Saudi side Al Hilal reached their first Asian Champions League final in 13 years on Tuesday, despite losing 2-1 to Emirates hosts Al Ain in the second leg of their semi-final.

Al Hilal went through to the decider 4-2 on aggregate.