Coach Tony Popovic has praised Melbourne Victory's bravery in overcoming a red card to score a 95th-minute equaliser and clinch a 1-1 draw with Macarthur FC.
Victory had the better of opportunities throughout Friday night's A-League Men clash in Campbelltown but were wasteful after conceding 12 minutes in.
Defender Adama Traore received a second yellow card in the 62nd minute for accidentally kicking Bulls captain Ulises Davila in the head, further denting Victory's hopes of a comeback.
"I can see why he's given it," Victory coach Tony Popovic said of the second yellow card.
"(Traore's) foot was high, he mistimed a challenge, whether that's a yellow or not, it's up to the referee. He gave a yellow and we have to accept that."
The Bulls rebuffed shot after shot but Victory had one last chance on the attack and Nishan Velupillay, fresh from Olyroos duty in Saudi Arabia, passed on to striker Bruno Fornaroli.
Luckless in the final third all night, Fornaroli fired the ball into Macarthur's Yianna Nicolaou and on to the goal for an equaliser in the final minute of stoppage time.
"It's heartbreaking," Bulls coach Mile Sterjovski said of the draw.
"It's two weeks in a row now where we've lost four points in two games. It's disappointing but we keep moving forward.
"We need to get better, of course, it's still early days but I think we're going in the right direction."
Victory's third consecutive 1-1 draw temporarily installs them atop the ladder and keeps both their and Macarthur's unbeaten start to the season alive.
"It's not a win but it's a good point after the adversity of facing Macarthur," Popovic said.
"We're 1-0 down and then having 10 men away from home is difficult. But I thought the boys showed tremendous character. We kept fighting, we were brave."
Winger Jed Drew was in everything early on for the Bulls, who looked particularly strong transitioning up the field.
After a one-two with Drew, Davila found Matthew Millar scything through the Victory defence and the midfielder shot past goalkeeper Paul Izzo.
Chasing an equaliser, Fornaroli had his strike slapped away by Bulls goalkeeper Filip Kurto at point-blank range midway through the first half.
Victory had even more chances after the break, finishing with 20 shots to the Bulls' 12 but only 30 per cent shot accuracy.
But they did well to hold on once reduced to 10 men.
Izzo saved a certain goal when he blocked Davila's shot just after Traore's dismissal, with defender Damien Da Silva blocking another opportunity with an outstretched boot.
Fornaroli had a late chance to snatch a draw when he appealed for contact from Jake Hollman in the area but the VAR was unmoved and no penalty was forthcoming.
But as it turned out, it wasn't Victory's final opportunity to equalise.
