Nick Carle spoiled the party of former Socceroos stars John Aloisi and Josip Skoko with his late goal earning Sydney FC a 2-2 draw against Melbourne Heart at AAMI Park.
Carle played gatecrasher in the 88th minute when his trusty left-foot strike from 18 yards rocketed past Heart goalkeeper Clint Bolton and into the bottom right hand corner.
For those who love fairytale endings, it proved a cruel finish considering Aloisi appeared to have ended his career in storybook fashion by putting 10-man Heart 2-1 up on 62 minutes.
Both Aloisi and Skoko received standing ovations from the 6019 fans that came to farewell two fine servants of Australian football, with Skoko coming off in the 70th minute and Aloisi given an early mark on 82 minutes.
Aloisi hugged Sydney FC coach Vitezslav Lavicka and his brother Ross, who was on the sideline in his role as a Fox Sports commentator, before making his way to the Heart bench for the final time.
With the pair watching on, Heart was unable to provide a storybook finish thanks to Carle, who bobbed up for his second goal of the game after earlier putting Sydney FC 1-0 up through a 34th minute penalty.
Rutger Worm levelled proceedings seven minutes later and Heart overcame the controversial send-off of Gerald Sibon on 44 minutes to move 2-1 up thanks to Aloisi on 62 minutes.
His eighth goal of the A-League season had all the hallmarks why he became the first Australian to ply his trade in the world's three best leagues - Italy, England and Spain.
After Wayne Srhoj had danced through the Sydney defence only to have his shot
blocked by Sky Blues stopper Liam Reddy, Aloisi pounced with a deadly left-foot effort that sparked jubilant scenes from the Heart faithful.
Sibon's send-off was a disappointing way for the mercurial Dutchman's final appearance for the Melbourne club to end.
Having been earlier booked for dissent, Sibon was marched after he mistakenly took a free-kick awarded to Sydney for a foul by Heart captain Simon Colosimo on the Sky Blues' Finnish striker Juho Makela.
Only three minutes earlier, Heart had levelled proceedings through Worm's second goal of the season after Carle's 34th minute penalty had put the visitors a goal up.
It was a case of double Dutch in the build-up as Sibon played in Worm, who produced a lethal finish to give Reddy no chance.
Carle's goal came after referee Williams adjudged Skoko had impeded Hirofumi Moriyasu with his right forearm as the Japanese midfielder chased a through ball from Carle.
Sydney's marquee man stepped up and gave Heart goalkeeper Clint Bolton no chance, drilling the ball in the right corner and his second with two minutes left on the clock tempered what was a night Aloisi and Skoko won't forget.