A goal in the eighth minute of stoppage time has salvaged a point for Adelaide United in a thrilling 3-3 A-League Men draw against Perth Glory at Coopers Stadium.
The Reds led 2-1 at half time on Friday night, before Perth scored two second half goals to lead 3-2 with eight minutes remaining.
Stefan Mauk had an 87th minute penalty saved by Oli Sail, before Panagiotis Kikianis, in just his second game, bundled home an Isaias corner deep into injury time to ensure the Reds took a share of the points.
United coach Carl Veart acknowledged it was a game of two halves for Adelaide.
“I think the first half was what we were looking for,” he said.
“The second half we got a little bit lost and allowed Perth to dictate a little bit more to us.”
United made the perfect start, breaking the deadlock on nine minutes.
Ryan Kitto cut inside from the left and whipped in a delightful cross which was met by Hiroshi Ibusuki.
The towering Japanese striker glanced a header past Sail, leaving the Glory keeper no chance.
Perth almost snatched an equaliser against the run of play on 13 minutes when Adam Taggart lifted a ball over the Reds’ defence for Daniel Bennie.
The young striker stuck out a foot to knock it past United keeper James Delianov, and raced to try to poke it in, but his shot from the byline hit the upright.
In the 16th minute the Reds were awarded a spot kick at a Zach Clough corner, when Ibusuki was wrestled to the ground by Aleksandar Susnjar. Clough stepped up and slammed the penalty past Sail, shooting to the keeper’s right.
Glory pulled one back on 31 minutes through their captain, Taggart.
Giordano Colli whipped in a corner which skimmed off a host of bodies inside the area towards the back post, where Taggart ran through to turn the ball in.
United had a great effort just before half time when Clough drove in a low, powerful cross only for Ibusuki's back-heeled effort to be well saved by Sail.
On 61 minutes, Glory equalised from another Colli corner. As the ball came in, Delianov punched clear but the loose ball fell to David Williams.
With his first touch off the bench, Williams drove it low and hard through a crowded penalty area and down the middle of the goal under Delianov.
Bennie almost put Perth in front with a long mazy run, but hit the upright from close range for a second time.
In the 82nd minute, Josh Rawlins make it 3-2. Bennie was involved again, teasing the United defence with another dangerous run before the cut back to the top of the area was lashed home by Rawlins.
The Reds had the opportunity to level the scores just minutes later, when the ball hit Perth substitute Luke Bodnar’s hand inside the area.
Mauk pulled rank over Ibusuki and took the penalty, but it was expertly saved by Sail.
United eventually found an equaliser, eight minutes into stoppage time. A corner from Isaias was headed on by Giuseppe Bovalina before it was eventually bundled over the line by Kikianis.
Glory coach Alen Stajcic felt Perth were the better side in the second half and should have held on for maximum points.
“It was poor discipline on that last corner to concede the goal but ultimately we’ve got no one else to blame but ourselves,” he said.
