Sydney FC coach Steve Corica said it would take a miracle for his club to make the A League Men finals, after new Adelaide United record breaker Craig Goodwin sent them crashing to a 3-2 home defeat.
Adelaide trailed 2-1 In the 89th minute at Netstarta Jubilee Oval on Tuesday, but Goodwin set up an equaliser for substitute and former Sydney striker George Blackwood.
Then in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Socceroo Goodwin drilled a left foot volley into the net, after Sydney defenders Rhyan Grant and Alex Wilkinson failed to deal with a cross field ball.
A club record breaking 36th ALM goal from Goodwin, taking him clear of Bruce Djite, had earlier drawn Adelaide level after Grant opened the scoring in the sixth minute.
"Really honoured to overtake Bruce, very humbled," Goodwin told Paramount Plus.
"It's a nice record but I want to win silverware with this club."
The win, Adelaide's first away to Sydney in six years, put them three points clear of the Sky Blues, who have played a game more.
It was a devastating blow for Sydney, who could find themselves out of the top six when they return from their Asian Champions League pool matches in Vietnam.
The four teams within six points of fifth-placed Sydney all have three or four games in hand.
Sydney haven't missed the finals since 2015-16, but Corica said the club had no control over their chances of extending that streak.
"We need a miracle now to be honest. Now we've got two games left, everyone else has got three or four," Corica said.
"We can just concentrate on the last two games when we get back from Vietnam try and pick up six points, but it's in everyone else's hands now."
Sydney created far more clear cut chances but wasteful finishing from Buhagiar and Adam Le Fondre and some late defensive lapses cost them dearly.
"The boys played really well for 89 minutes and then threw it away at the end," Corica said.
"We deserved to win the game by far, we created way more chances played better football than them but football is a strange game and we come away with nothing, congratulations to them.
All three of Adelaide's remaining games are at home.
Adelaide were more clinical with their chances and once again demonstrated their fighting qualities after conceding the first goal for the 14th time in 23 ALM games this season.
"It doesn't concern me too much if we win them," Veart said.
"Very.proud.of the boys again, the spirit they've shown right through tonight's game because we weren't at our best tonight.
"All season our fitness has been very critical for us, and we knew Sydney have had a very tough run the last few weeks, with a lot of games so we knew the last 10,15 they would start to tire."
