Vital away goals from former Socceroos Steve Corica and Sasho Petrovski put Sydney FC in pole position to grab the A-League's first grand final berth after it forced a hot-tempered 2-2 draw with Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium.

Corica made sure Sydney would have something to count on after the first leg of the qualifying final when he tucked away a close range goal in just the ninth minute.

And fellow striker Petrovski made the task harder for premier Adelaide with a diving header from a Matthew Bingley cross in the 39th minute after United had recovered its composure with two goals in two minutes to take a 2-1 lead.

Speedy midfielder Travis Dodd electrified the 15,104 crowd and ignited the Reds with a weaving run in the 31st minute that took him past two defenders along the left byline and goalkeeper Clint Bolton before burying the ball into the net.

Then Chinese striker Shengqing Qu whipped over a curling corner two minutes later which Brazilian attacker Fernando Rech nodded in at the far post for 2-1.

With Rech's seventh goal of the season it seemed United would surge ahead but Sydney steeled itself with talisman Dwight Yorke continuing his superb form in midfield aided by new Socceroo squad member David Carney.

Yorke released another seasoned campaigner in Bingley on the right and he delivered a telling cross to the far post which Petrovski headed home unmarked from three metres out.

United failed to break down the hard-working Sydney FC defence, stoutly led by Mark Milligan and Mark Rudan, in the second half with Yorke's poise and Corica's industry keeping John Kosmina's side at bay.

Tempers flared late in the game after Adelaide midfielder Carl Veart was cautioned for a foul on Alvin Ceccoli.

An 80th minute stoush developed between a posse of players with Petrovski also being yellow carded by referee Matthew Breeze after apparently clashing with Veart.

Sydney FC coach Pierre Littbarski was also pelted with empty drink bottles by the crowd after he complained to the linesman about Ceccoli being fouled and then mouthing off at the crowd.

Breeze also cautioned Yorke, Milligan and Ruben Zadkovic for Sydney.

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