25.10.2014 12:50 h

Wanderers edge Al Hilal in ACL final first leg

Australia's Western Sydney Wanderers beat Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal 1-0 to take the early advantage in the two-leg AFC Champions League final on Saturday.

Substitute striker Tomi Juric's 64th-minute goal gave the Wanderers a precious lead to take into the second leg in Riyadh next week.

Juric, who had a dynamic effect coming off the bench in the second half, almost gave the Wanderers a two-goal cushion but his shot rebounded off an upright with goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Sudairy well beaten.

Wanderers, in only their third season, are bidding to become the first Australian side to win the Asian showpiece after Adelaide United lost to Japan's Gamba Osaka in the 2008 final.

The expensively-assembled Al Hilal dominated the opening half and with Nasser Al Shamrani going close to breaking the deadlock in stoppage time.

But the match turned with the introduction of Juric, who scored seven minutes after coming on for Brendan Santalab.

Defender Antony Golec's teasing cross from the left was met by Juric whose shot went through the legs of Al-Sudairy into the net amid wild scenes from the 20,000 full house at Sydney's Parramatta Stadium.

Al Hilal were feeling the pressure and Juric almost made them pay when his volley came back off the left post with the goalkeeper sprawled on the ground.

The Saudis had a couple of late chances to score a crucial away goal but goalkeeper Ante Covic made a point blank save to deny Salem Al-Dosary and then made a diving save to prevent Yasser Al-Shahrani from scoring moments later.

It was Western Sydney's sixth straight win at home in this season's ACL and their defence has now kept a clean sheet in over 10 hours of football.