Western Sydney Wanderers were told how they were lucky, second best, propped up by the referee and did not deserve to win following their Asian Champions League success.

The 1-0 aggregate win over Saudi Arabian powerhouses Al-Hilal was an upset in every sense of the word and brought unkind reactions from local media, who quizzed coach Tony Popovic on whether he felt his side was fortunate.

The Wanderers know their historic victory was built on an unfashionable defensive effort and not attacking prowess.

None of which mattered to captain Nikolai Topor-Stanley, who summed up the mood of the group.

“I don’t care how we played, I’ve got this medal,” he said.

“All that matters is we are champions.

“The boys dug so deep, so many people stood tall.”

While only a young club, the Wanderers know more than most that football is not fair.

Two A-League grand final defeats in two seasons taught them that lesson.

But such is football, and over 180 minutes Al-Hilal has to accept most of the blame for failing to find a way through.

An obvious comparison to the Wanderers’ victory might be the Greek triumph in the 2004 European championships.

Greece were 50-1 winners, surprising Europe’s grandest teams with defensive steel and total commitment to their game plan.

In Riyadh, two players at the centre of controversial non-penalty decisions admitted they rode their luck.

Star goalkeeper Ante Covic said the team had “gotten away with a couple” and forward Brendon Santalab agreed a cross had struck his outstretched hand in the penalty box.

Antony Golec also brought down Nawaf al Abed in the box but now penalty was forthcoming, enraging opposing coach Laurentiu Reghecampf.

“We had bad luck and we had many chances. We were the best team over the two games,” Reghecampf told reporters.

“If you lose one game when you play bad, you can congratulate the other team, but when you play how we played and they play how they played, we feel very bad.”

If there was a key moment, it was Covic’s remarkable save in the 85th minute which he called the best of his career.

“There was only one thing I could do, push off and dive as strong as I could to my right,” the tournament MVP recalled.

“Even when I got a hand on it, I was a little bit doubtful but I looked up and saw it wide.

“It was a big relief and just at that moment I knew it deflated them a lot.

“I just had a feeling that this was going to be our night.”

Topor-Stanley said despite the deluge of attacks he always had confidence in his side.

“I never stopped believing that we would win that game,” Topor-Stanley said.

“Clearly they are a very good side, at home and here they put us under a lot of pressure but we’re champions.”

The Wanderers can look forward to another continental challenge at the FIFA World Club Cup in December, where they will represent Asia.

Before that though, a return to the A-League throws up consecutive road trips to the furthest points on the A-League map.

“Wellington and Perth, it couldn’t get any worse,” Covic said.

After their Saudi Arabian success, you suspect the Wanderers wouldn’t have it any other way.

Source: AAP