Brisbane Roar’s late heroics have stretched into a second-straight week after Justin Vidic’s 95th-minute strike secured the Queenslanders a 2-1 win over Macarthur FC.
With Sunday’s game locked at 1-1 after Apostolos Stamatelopoulos’ 64th-minute equaliser cancelled out Sabit Ngor’s 48th-minute opener at a windy Campbelltown Sports Stadium, the Roar worked the ball to Vidic in the penalty area with seconds remaining.
Shielding the ball from marker Nathan Paull, the 22-year-old created enough space to shoot, getting his effort past Bulls keeper Alex Robinson and into the net.
A week after Tom Aldred’s dramatic 95th-minute equaliser against Auckland FC, it ensured Michael Valkanis’ side are one of only two unbeaten sides in the A-League Men heading into the international break, sitting third with a game in hand over their rivals.
“We’ve been speaking throughout the week about a journey and creating memories every week,” Roar boss Michael Valkanis told Paramount+.
“I think we’re going to remember that one for a while because it was a tough afternoon, there’s no doubt about it.
“To get away with three points, we’re really happy.”
The Bulls, meanwhile, fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with the loss.
“Difficult one to take; I thought for the most part we were in control,” Macarthur coach Sasa Ognenovski told Paramount+.
“A couple of poor goals defensively for us were the difference in the end.”
Belying the remarkable way it would end, the game had started in a tepid manner, with neither side producing chances of note across the opening half-hour.
But it exploded in the 38th minute when Roar enforcer Milorad Stajic went down with a head injury and, despite appearing to be shaken, slipped the grasp of medical staff and returned to the field.
Soon after, he tangled with Liam Rose and angrily grabbed at the Bulls’ skipper’s head, sparking angry remonstrations between both sides.
In the chaos, Stajic was hastily subbed off under concussion protocols after avoiding a red card.
The halftime break easing tensions, Ngor collected a route one ball from George Plusnin, rounded his marker, and poked a shot home in the 48th minute to put the Roar ahead, but they missed out on a second on the hour when Robinson superbly denied Vidić.
Musa Toure lifted an effort over the head of Plusnin four minutes later, teeing up Stamatelopoulos to pounce, make it 1-1 and set the stage for a grandstand finish, but Vidic had the final say.