Adelaide United will contest this year’s Asian Champions League after outclassing Indonesia’s Persipura Jayapura 3-0 in a cut-throat qualifier on Thursday night.
Adelaide, with goals to Nigel Boogard, Evgeniy Levchenko and Sergio van Dijk, dominated on home turf at Hindmarsh Stadium to secure their spot in the lucrative club championship.
The Reds will join fellow A-League outfits Brisbane Roar and Central Coast Mariners in the Asian competition after controlling their qualifier against Persipura.
Boogard scored in the 12th minute, pouncing on the scraps from a Dario Vidosic corner.
The central defender found himself in space and with ample time to convert a right-footer from three metres out.
After Boogard’s breakthrough, Adelaide routinely threatened an error-prone Persipura before 5013 spectators.
Vidosic and strikers Bruce Djite and Sergio van Dijk were thwarted by Persipura keeper Yoo Jaehoon when in prime scoring positions, while Reds winger Iain Ramsay also slammed a close-range shot into a side bar.
Adelaide deservedly increased their lead in the 57th minute when Levchenko scored his first goal for the South Australian club.
The Ukranian was the beneficiary of a sweet set piece from another Vidosic corner.
Vidosic found Osama Malik on the near post, who precisely flicked on a header to Levchenko who blasted into the net with a well-timed left-footer.
Spearhead van Dijk iced the victory in the 84th minute when, after slipping the disjointed Persipura defence, was found by a slick Zenon Caravella cross.
The Reds frontman made no mistake with a powerful five-metre shot which gave the keeper no chance.