Craig Goodwin struck a sensational match-winning double as Adelaide United made history with a 2-1 triumph over Sydney FC in a pulsating FFA Cup Final 2018.

Beaten by the same opposition on this stage 12 months ago, the Reds exacted sweet revenge at Coopers Stadium on Tuesday night thanks to their born-and-bred South Australian hero.

The star 26-year-old, who returned to his hometown club from a spell in the Eredivisie in the off-season, crashed in a fierce 74th-minute winner to go with his sublime first-half free-kick that opened the scoring.

Adam Le Fondre equalised from the spot in between the winger’s brace but it was to be Adelaide’s day as they became the first club to lift the trophy on two occasions, having won the inaugural edition back in 2014.

Adelaide settled the quicker of the two sides and took the lead in extraordinary fashion in the 25th minute, Goodwin fizzing in his fourth of the tournament with an unstoppable dipping effort that whistled past Andrew Redmayne.

Incredibly, amid a fantastic first half, a rocking Coopers Stadium was silenced just three minutes later.

Alex Brosque harried Jordan Elsey into a poor back-pass and was tripped in the area by the advancing Paul Izzo, who could do nothing about Le Fondre’s emphatic spot-kick.

Goodwin flashed another menacing free-kick narrowly past the post soon after the restart and the tension grew greater on the hour with Izzo and Redmayne both producing vital saves.

But there was one man who always loomed large as the likely match-winner and so it proved late in a thrilling contest.

Goodwin needed no invitation to rifle Ben Halloran's deft pass into the top corner off his unfavoured right foot to complete an unforgettable night for the hosts and deliver boss Marco Kurz his first piece of silverware in Australian football.

Relive the entertainment with matchday blog!

Recap an enthralling contest as it unfolded.