Brisbane and Western Sydney stunned twenty thousand onlookers, scoring nine goals between them.
The people came, in their thousands, and the match they saw was a white-hot, spitting crucible of A-League Finals entertainment. The Wanderers and the Roar semi-final exploded into life, with five goals in the opening half.
The home crowd, suffice it to say, were not happy that it was their team that conceded three of the aforementioned five goals that flew in in the first half. A penalty, correctly given and dispatched, a free kick that flew in off a Wanderer backside, and a looping deflected shot caused the Wanderers to shudder horribly.
But then, in utterly, utterly sensational fashion, Romeo Castelen smashed in a free kick – through a nearly nonexistent Brisbane wall – and Brendan Santalab slotted home a streaking counter-attack. Suddenly, a 3-0 domination was yanked back into a healthily contested 3-2 grapple, crackling and fizzing. And it wasn’t even half-time yet.
Ten minutes into the second half, Western Sydney equalised. 3-3, and the red and black crowd erupted, writhing and spraying themselves into a dizzy euphoria. And then, Castelen delivered the divine, a goal smacked in from the edge of the area to give the Wanderers the lead. The match twisted and contorted, and then Brisbane scuffed in an equaliser of their own, as Maclaren tapped in a mishit Henrique shot.
To extra time it went, and as the game-clock ticked over 100 minutes, Dario Vidosic struck, twanging home from close range. 5-4 now, and the home crowd bellowed again. The game ran on, as the players fatigued. The final whistle went, and Western Sydney were through to the Grand Final.
Here are some of the best reactions from Twitter.
#RBB March through the streets of Parramatta #WSWvBRI #WSW #RBB #ALFinals @wswanderersfc pic.twitter.com/LMyX8lyPY3
— Daniel Carr (@danieljcarrr) April 24, 2016
only twice before has a team from outside the top two even made it to the grand final. history not in Brisbane's favour #ALFinals #WSWvBRI
— Marissa Lordanic (@maridanic_) April 24, 2016
Wanderers to be docked 3 points and foned $50k for pyro #WSWvBRI pic.twitter.com/vmVtopbEpZ
— fake matt camp (@mattiecamp) April 24, 2016
Decision – a good one – and conversion. 1-0 to @brisbaneroar #ALFinals #WSWvBRI pic.twitter.com/9DCLppv5LK
— Evan Morgan Grahame (@WWofSport) 24 April 2016
Andreu's game so far:
1 penalty conceded
1 own goal scored#WSWvBRI #ALFinals pic.twitter.com/9W3QUKWsB2— Unibet Australia (@UNIBETAustralia) April 24, 2016
Second goal #Buttgate #ALFinals #WSWvBRI pic.twitter.com/rpKJ81uPYR
— Evan Morgan Grahame (@WWofSport) 24 April 2016
This is great, there's one WSW chick in the pub who was vocal pre game. Pretty sure she's crying now.#ALFinals
— Zachary King (@kingzac) April 24, 2016
THIRD GOAL #ALFinals #WSWvBRI pic.twitter.com/JtqKihX6Ym
— Evan Morgan Grahame (@WWofSport) 24 April 2016
#WSWvBRI #ALFinals pic.twitter.com/NALW2IxwIu
— Sacha Pisani (@Sachk0) April 24, 2016
AND NOW @wswanderersfc PULL ONE BACK #ALFinals #WSWvBRI pic.twitter.com/iXvm7dKlUM
— Evan Morgan Grahame (@WWofSport) 24 April 2016
The @brisbaneroar wall in urgent need of some spakfilla! 1-3. @ALeague #WSWvBRI #ALFinals
— Craig Berkman (@cberkman) April 24, 2016
Who ever said the A-League is boring? #ALFinals #WSWvBRI
— Luke Henry (@lukehenez) April 24, 2016
?? Wow. Absolute craziness at Wanderland. #WSWvBRI #ALFinals pic.twitter.com/t3ChzdPAaP
— Jess Norton (@nortonjc) April 24, 2016
Feels. #WSWvBRI #ALFinals pic.twitter.com/GDiXkOBlZB
— Alen Delic (@AlenDelic) April 24, 2016
AND THEY PULL ANOTHER ONE BACK #ALFinals #WSWvBRI pic.twitter.com/ReZBgtrewZ
— Evan Morgan Grahame (@WWofSport) 24 April 2016
If the second half remotely resembles the first this place is going to come unglued #WSWvBRI
— Kane Milne (@MilneyK9) April 24, 2016
Can see Brisbane Roar bottling it and losing 4-3. Unsure what Ross Aloisi will throw in the change rooms though. Maybe a Table #WSWvBRI
— CHRISTOPHER (@Kurisu210) April 24, 2016
3-3! They've come roaring back! Or… wandering back! #ALFinals #WSWvBRI pic.twitter.com/KfPbN8ax94
— Evan Morgan Grahame (@WWofSport) 24 April 2016
Aloisi trying to look calm but actually cracking up worse than Leland Palmer. #WSWvBRI
— Russell Jackson (@rustyjacko) April 24, 2016
Castelen, delivering a divine scrap of destiny, snatches the lead for WSW. Amazing. #WSWvBRI pic.twitter.com/kSBZMMUty4
— Evan Morgan Grahame (@WWofSport) 24 April 2016
Anybody else noticed the flooded part of the pitch in the far right corner? Reported that it's all of those Brisbane fans tears #WSWvBRI
— Nick G (@nickgrch) April 24, 2016
Yawn. #ALFinals #WSWvBRI pic.twitter.com/MIwidtIvw7
— Evan Morgan Grahame (@WWofSport) 24 April 2016
We are witnessing something pretty special. @ALeague #WSWvBRI
— Dwayne Signal (@DwayneSignal) April 24, 2016
.@PirtekStadium in full voice after that goal! #WSWvBRI #ALFinals pic.twitter.com/AjVX41uOOB
— Hyundai A-League (@ALeague) April 24, 2016
Super Dario! 5-4! #WSWvBRI #ALFinals pic.twitter.com/5WSlZiICSU
— Evan Morgan Grahame (@WWofSport) 24 April 2016
Game of the Season #WSWvBRI
— Josh Fox (@Josh_fox16) April 24, 2016
What a time to be alive #WSW #ALFinals pic.twitter.com/lYslCwh8B7
— WS Wanderers FC (@wswanderersfc) April 24, 2016
Sensational. That's why football is the greatest game in the world. #WSWvBRI
— Dave Burgess (@Daveburgess13) April 24, 2016
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