Newcastle’s fairytale season ended in heartbreak at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday night when Sydney FC prevailed in a penalty shootout.
With a grand final berth on the line, the visitors claimed the honours 4-2 after the combatants were locked 1-all at the end of 120 minutes of regular time.
The enthralling showdown, in front of 25,082 fans, had everything you want in a play-off.
But, for the Jets, Mark Milligan’s troops fell just shy of a rare treble following success in the Australia Cup as well as securing the prestigious Premier’s Plate.
The Sky Blues opened the scoring through Piero Quispe’s 64th minute goal, before a relentless Eli Adams sent it into overtime with a thunderous strike.
When neither side could score the match-winner, Sydney goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares held his nerve to deny Kosta Grozos and Xavier Bertoncello in the shootout, before defender Ben Garuccio converted the victorious spot kick.
The tie ended 2-all on aggregate, but Sydney FC will head across the Tasman to face Auckland FC in next weekend’s decider.
Led by interim coach Patrick Kisnorbo, the Sky Blues reach their first grand final appearance since their 3-1 loss to Melbourne City in 2021.
Missing out on play-offs last year under Ufuk Talay, the Sky Blues vie for a record sixth championship after just seven games with Kisnorbo.
It was a shattering end to Newcastle’s remarkable campaign under first-year coach Milligan.
They haven’t played for a championship since finishing runners-up to Melbourne Victory in 2018.
Peruvian international Quispe silenced the crowd after Jets goalkeeper James Delianov spilt the ball in denying Sydney teenager Akol Akon’s goal attempt.
Newcastle was gifted a golden opportunity to level in the 83rd minute when Garuccio fouled Bertoncello in the box.
Adams took the kick but sent the ball into the wall of Sky Blues defenders.
The relentless young winger eventually found redemption six minutes into added time after making the most of Daniel Wilmering’s cutback to score.
Sydney was lucky to avoid giving away a penalty in an evenly-paced first half.
Garuccio had downed Adams by throwing himself at the goal-bound attacker, however referee Shaun Evans let the moment go.
Jets striker Lachlan Rose blew a golden opportunity to open the scoring in the 24th, failing to get to the ball in time after a superb cross from Taylor.
He couldn’t conjure any magic on return from a calf injury, replaced by Ben Gisbon in the 80th.
- With AAP
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