Leading 3-0 from the first leg, the Australian club defended their lead from the first whistle to frustrate the Uzbekistan League table toppers, who rarely forced Reds goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic into serious action before substitute Bahodir Pardaev struck with 11 minutes remaining.

Adelaide survived the nervous closing stages to secure a 3-1 aggregate triumph and a meeting with Gamba, who had earlier beaten fellow Japanese side and defending champions Urawa Reds 3-1 to seal their place in November’s two-legged showpiece with a 4-2 aggregate victory.

Roared on by a capacity home crowd in Tashkent, Kuruvchi captain Server Djeparov volleyed over after three minutes before Jasur Hasanov fired across Galekovic’s goal two minutes later as Kuruvchi signaled their attacking intent early on.

United skipper Travis Dodd provided a rare surge for the Reds as he broke forward but with no avail as Adelaide, who boast the best defence in the competition, looked to defend deep with 10 men, often 11, behind the ball and Cristiano alone up front.

As the half progressed Kuruvchi’s pace slowed and although they rarely attacked in numbers, Adelaide began to frustrate the home side.

Djeparov came close to finding a breakthrough just before the half-hour mark as the playmaker met a far post cross from the dangerous Hasanov, but a host of defenders scrambled the ball off the line.

Kuruvchi’s cause was dealt a blow nine minutes before the break as Chilean striker Jose Luis Villanueva, who was declared fit before the game after limping off in the first half in Adelaide with a hamstring problem, was withdrawn.

In the last minute of the first half Adelaide’s Brazilians combined as Cristiano headed over a right wing cross from Cassio.

Galekovic helped a Djeparov free-kick over the crossbar before coming to Adelaide’s rescue six minutes after the break as he smothered a close range shot from Timur Kapadze with the midfielder looking certain to score.

Kuruvchi continued to dominate possession and forced a number of corners as the half progressed but found out why Adelaide had only conceded three goals in their previous nine games in the competition.

The home side were finally rewarded as Pardaev gambled on a long ball forward, which was flicked on by fellow second-half replacement Anvarjon Soliev, to race into the area and fire low across Galekovic.