A 98th minute equaliser from Adelaide United defender Bart Vriends saw the visitors secure a stunning 4-4 draw with Auckland FC to prevent the Black Knights from going 10 points clear at the top of the league.
The home side broke the deadlock in the 10th minute and it was an absolute stunner from striker Guillermo May, who curled a magnificent effort into the top corner from outside the box.
The home side then doubled their lead just four minutes later and it was May again, this time bundling the ball home from close range after Adelaide failed to deal with a long throw into the box.
Eventually warming into the game, Adelaide pulled one back in the 30th minute as Jordan Elsey converted from close range after Archie Goodwin’s header flicked back off the post and trickled along the goal line.
Auckland re-established their two-goal cushion in the 52nd minute when Logan Rogerson headed home his seventh goal of the season from close range to make it 3-1 before Zac Clough then converted from the spot after a VAR review saw a penalty awarded.
Clough then converted his second penalty of the afternoon in the 79th minute after Stefan Mauk was brought down inside the box.
Adelaide responded from the spot after the VAR requested referee Daniel Elder review a trip inside the box and midfielder Zac Clough slotted home the spot kick before absolute carnage ensued in stoppage time.
First, Auckland captain Hiroki Sakai scored what he thought was a 92nd minute winner after capitalising on an error from goalkeeper Ethan Cox before experienced defender Bart Vriends then converted from close range in the 98th minute to share the points.
The result means Auckland are prevented from going 10 points clear at the top of the Isuzu UTE A-League and now sit eight points ahead of second-placed Western United.
Auckland have made a habit of scoring important first-half goals this season and they repeated that feat after just 10 minutes against Adelaide United.
Starting in an offside position, May retreated in the nick of time as he received a pass in field and duly set about causing havoc.
Turning towards the opposition goal, the Uruguayan sidestepped the incoming challenge of midfielder Jay Barnett before curling a sumptuous effort beyond the keeper and into the back of the net.
Having now scored nine first-half goals in their last six matches, the Black Knights soon made it 10 and it’s one Adelaide boss Carl Veart won’t want to see again.
Failing to get anything on a long Francis De Vries throw into the box, May’s run to the near post was completely unchecked and the forward scrambled home his and Auckland’s second in the 14th minute.
Completely against the run of play, Adelaide United then dragged themselves back into the game in the 30th minute.
Peeling off to the near post, striker Archie Goodwin’s brilliant header flicked off the woodwork and across the face of goal where defender Elsey was on hand to tap the ball home to make it 2-1.
Shifting the formation of their own midfield to deploy two players in deeper positions rather than one, Adelaide subsequently began to control the game and were inches away from levelling things up.
Collecting the ball on the edge of the Auckland box, midfielder Zac Clough danced his way along the edge of the area before unleashing a curling effort that flew inches wide of the top corner.
The English midfielder then slammed the ball against the foot of the post from a tight angle after Paulsen has spilled a low shot from the top of the box.
Steve Corica’s side started the second half like they did the first and after May saw a good shot blocked as he charged forward on the counter attack, the home side scored from the resulting corner.
With De Vreis whipping a brilliant in-swinging delivery into the box, Rogerson had the simplest of headers from close range to make it 3-1 after goalkeeper Cox got caught wrong side behind the Auckland attackers.
Adelaide though were thrown a lifeline by the VAR following an incident that occurred in the 58th minute.
Despite referee Daniel Elder initially waving play on following a coming together between Adelaide’s Ethan Alagich and Auckland’s Louis Verstraete inside the box, the VAR suggested an on-field review of the incident and the penalty was subsequently awarded and then slotted home by Clough to make it 3-2.
The home side then had several good moments in the final third but couldn’t put the game to bed and it would come back to haunt them.
Charging into the box, substitute Mauk was tripped by Auckland defender Tommy Smith and after the VAR confirmed the on-field call, Clough duly sent Paulsen the wrong way from the spot to make it 3-3 in the 79th minute.
Throwing everything forward in an attempt to find a winner, Auckland were thwarted by goalkeeper Cox, who’s left leg somehow denied Jesse Randall from point-blank range in the 88th minute.
However, while Cox kept his side in it moments earlier he was then at fault as Auckland FC bagged their fourth of the game in the 92nd minute through captain Sakai.
Played in down the right, Callan Elliott picked out Sakai inside the box and while the Japanese defender’s initial header was saved by Cox the keeper merely swatted the ball back into the path of the Black Knights captain who slammed the ball home to make it 4-3.
However with nine minutes of time added on there was still time left for more late drama and it came in the 98th minute of the contest.
With the Auckland backline unable to clear a deflected cross into the box, Vriends was in the right place at the right time to bundle the ball beyond Paulsen to seal an unlikely point for Adelaide who left Go Media Stadium with a share of the spoils.
