Marcelo Carrusca kept his cool from the penalty spot as his 95th-minute winner saw Adelaide United claim a 2-1 A-League victory over Sydney FC on Friday.
It looked as though visitors Sydney, who had seen Alex Gersbach given a straight red card just before the half-hour mark for a studs-up challenge on James Jeggo, would claim an impressive point until Carrusca's late intervention.
Having coped manfully with 10 men, Sydney fell behind to Jeggo's 62nd-minute opener and equalised eight minutes later through Filip Holosko, only for Adelaide to be awarded a stoppage-time penalty which Carrusca thumped into the top-right corner.
In a first half devoid of genuine quality, Gersbach could have few complaints over his dismissal but it took until just after the hour for Adelaide to make their man advantage count when Jeggo fired home from the edge of the box following Dylan McGowan's knockdown.
The lead did not last long, however, as Holosko showed excellent control on his chest before dinking a shot on the turn over the stranded Eugene Galekovic.
But just when it seemed both sides would have to settle for a draw, Jacques Faty was adjudged to have brought down McGowan and Carrusca expertly converted from the spot to hand Adelaide their second win of the season just a week after their first.
