(Reuters) - Adelaide United set up a semi-final meeting with A-League champions Melbourne City as Carl Veart's side defeated Central Coast Mariners 3-1 at Hindmarsh Stadium on Sunday to keep alive their hopes of a place in this year's grand final.
Craig Goodwin scored the opener before setting up Kusini Yengi to claim the second for Adelaide. Storm Roux's late effort gave Mariners hope of keeping their season alive until Bernardo Oliveira hit Adelaide's third in injury time.
Adelaide will host City in the first leg of the semi-finals on Wednesday before travelling to Melbourne to take on Patrick Kisnorbo's team four days later.
Goodwin put the home side in front 26 minutes into the game when he slid his low effort past the advancing Mariners keeper Mark Birighitti.
Adelaide's top scorer this season then turned provider midway through the second half, curling a cross in from the left for Yengi to steer the ball in from just inside the six-yard box.
Roux slammed home Max Balard's cutback to halve the deficit with 19 minutes remaining only for Oliveira to score from 20 yards out two minutes into added time.
Melbourne Victory, who finished second in the league table, will meet Western United in the other semi-final as the John Aloisi-coached side downed Wellington Phoenix 1-0 in Melbourne on Saturday.
"It's huge for the club, another home final against Victory," said Western's Aloisi. "That's massive.
"The players deserve it and the club deserve it because through the whole year we've been in the top two or three, so we deserve to be there along with Victory and along with City."
Aleksandar Prijovic claimed the only goal in the 10th minute at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium when he smashed an unstoppable volley into the top
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