Perth Glory sensationally scored twice in the late stages to maintain their long unbeaten streak with a come-from-behind 2-2 draw away to Melbourne City on Sunday.
Diego Castro’s audacious stoppage-time shot completely deceived Eugene Galekovic and added to Joel Chianese’s 84th-minute header as the visitors rallied from two goals down to snatch a point at AAMI Park, preserving what is now a 12-match undefeated run.
City had seemed destined to secure a first win in six following the in-form Jamie Maclaren’s first-half double but were left to despair over a result that keeps them from climbing into the top four.
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The home side’s misery at full-time contrasted sharply with the joy their star striker had earlier provided by boosting his tally to five goals in four games inside the opening 35 minutes.
Maclaren’s first came assisted by a fellow ex-Perth player as he ghosted between two markers and expertly nodded in Scott Jamieson’s superb left-sided delivery.
The Caltex Socceroo made it a double nine minutes later, sending Liam Reddy the wrong way from the spot after Shane Lowry handled Florin Berenguer’s cut-back.
Castro poked wide with a chance to quickly halve the deficit before Galekovic, questioned for his performance in last weekend’s Melbourne Derby draw, diverted a Chris Ikonomidis header over the crossbar late in the first half.
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The veteran gloveman further redeemed himself by blanketing an Andy Keogh chance at close quarters after the restart.
Glory, though, continued to probe City’s depleted defence and found a way through when Jason Davidson dinked a cross into the box for substitute Chianese to head home.
Jamieson’s crucial block on Castro looked to have helped Warren Joyce’s side across the line but, in the 91st minute, Perth’s talismanic Spaniard unleashed a long-range effort which bamboozled Galekovic and cost City what would have been a first win in this fixture at AAMI Park since April 2016.
Recap the action as it unfolded in our LIVE BLOG below!
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