Interim coach Arthur Diles has hailed Melbourne Victory's togetherness and professionalism after the A-League Men club fought out a 1-1 draw with Melbourne City in their first game since Patrick Kisnorbo walked out.
Former City boss Kisnorbo quit Victory on Sunday, with his departure announced two days later, and assistant Diles named interim coach.
Yonatan Cohen handed City the lead on Saturday night with a wonderful finish in the 17th minute at AAMI Park but Victory equalised when Roderick Miranda pounced on a goalkeeping error from Patrick Beach in the 65th.
Beach, backed by coach Aurelio Vidmar after a howler that cost City victory against Auckland FC last week, pulled off several big saves including denying Bruno Fornaroli a winner in the 79th minute.
Victory had 23 shots (eight on target) to City's 11 (five) and Diles was proud of their response to a tough week, saying his players "dealt with everything".
"It's a fantastic playing group and they showed that tonight," Diles said.
"They came back, which is always very pleasing. It shows character, it shows togetherness. And they had that tonight in abundance, and they kept fighting to the end, and you can't ask more than that.
"When situations like this happen, it can go one of two ways. - it can be a complete disaster, or it can be a disciplined performance.
"The togetherness that they showed, I think they did that quite well, and they showed that as a group they're very mature, they're very professional, and they're very together. And I'm really proud."
Victory (17 points) could have leapfrogged leaders Auckland FC (19) on goal difference but instead sit third, between Adelaide United (18) and City (14).
City lost midfielder Jimmy Jeggo to a suspected achilles injury in the warm-up but took the lead when Steven Ugarkovic brilliantly launched a cross-field ball into the path of Cohen.
The Israeli winger left Kasey Bos in his wake, then drove a wonderful rising shot past Jack Duncan.
Cohen ran to the Victory fans, shushing them before throwing out his arms in celebration as his teammates mobbed him.
Cohen had received boos from sections of the Victory crowd before the goal but both Diles and Vidmar were adamant that was because he was a top opposition player, not because he was Israeli.
Medin Memeti should have doubled City's lead three minutes after the break but turned his a golden chance wide.
Diles turned to Fornaroli and Nishan Velupillay, on his return from injury, just after the hour mark.
Victory scored when Beach failed to claim a Teague corner and in the subsequent chaos, Miranda scrambled home.
Beach was adamant he had been fouled by Zinedine Machach.
"Again, a learning moment for him, but he kept us in the game at some of those moments," Vidmar said.
Velupillay hit the post in the 77th while Beach denied Fornaroli with an incredible diving save two minutes later.
Callum Talbot forced a spectacular stop from Duncan with a fierce long-range effort in the 82nd.
In the 94th minute, Kai Trewin and Beach combined to stop Fornaroli.
"What I really liked was we spoke about those moments when it's not exactly on on our terms that we just have to dig deep," Vidmar said.
"And they certainly did that."
