An embarrassing defensive blunder has cancelled out a sublime piece of Juninho magic as Sydney FC was held to a 2-2 draw by Adelaide United in an entertaining Hyundai A-League clash at the SFS on Saturday night.
Both teams held the lead at various stages of an end-to-end game, but it was the hosts who were hurting the most after throwing away two precious points.
Juninho's defence-splitting ball set up striker Alex Brosque for what appeared likely to be the winning goal after 74 minutes.
But merely two minutes later United was back on equal terms after a schoolboy error at the back.
Sydney goalkeeper Clint Bolton and Ruben Zadkovich failed to communicate as a ball was lobbed toward the FC goal, with the latter hurriedly launching a skyward clearance onto the head of Adelaide forward Bruce Djite.
Djite nodded the ball into Nathan Burns who headed past a disgusted Bolton.
Earlier Richie Alagich (Adelaide) and Ufuk Talay (Sydney FC) had traded first half goals before a vocal crowd of 14,233.
But for the second week running it was a slip-up in defence that was to cost Sydney FC, who now sit at the foot of the A-League table with a solitary point.
Former skipper Mark Rudan came close to giving Sydney FC an early lead, his side-footed volley clipping the crossbar after five minutes.
But it was the visitors who were to have the first say, thanks largely to some Burns' brilliance.
The teenage striker glided his way past three defenders and into the Sydney penalty box before pulling the ball back for Alagich, who stroked the ball into the net after just eight minutes.
Adelaide's joy was to be shortlived, however, as Alagich went from hero to villain in the space of three minutes.
He was adjudged to have brought down Robert Middleby in the box and Talay stepped up to take the penalty.
Goalkeeper Robert Bajic managed to keep the spot kick out with an out-stretched right arm, but the rebound fell neatly for a relieved Talay to hit the back of an empty net and make it 1-1.
Brosque had the chance to put Sydney ahead just after the half hour when Juninho slid him a pass inside the Adelaide box.
But Brosque's near post shot was well covered by Bajic.
Minutes later Brosque found himself in a similar position courtesy of a Steve Corica pass but again Bajic had his measure.
At the other end Corica was saving goals, with a miraculous goal-line clearance denying Djite at the 38-minute mark.
Djite rounded Bolton and let fly with a shot into a vacant net, only for a desperate Corica to somehow get back and flick the ball out with a trailing left leg as he tumbled over the line.
Sydney came close to taking the lead eight minutes after the interval, with Juninho's thumping drive from outside the box smacking against the crossbar.
Djite's frustrating night continued minutes later when he again rounded Bolton but found his pathway to the goal blocked by a sprawling Iain Fyfe.
The chances just kept on coming - and none better than the one which presented itself to Sydney FC new boy Patrick on the hour.
Brosque's inch-perfect pass found the Brazilian a metre out from the goal but he scuffed his shot and a golden opportunity was lost.
Juninho found the woodwork for the second time in the 66th minute, his free kick hitting the framework with Bajic beaten.
Brosque's 74th minute strike was cancelled out by Burns, leaving Sydney FC searching for its first win of the new campaign.