SINGAPORE -- With seven points from their opening three games, and ahead by two goals after just 23 minutes of their clash with Persib Bandung, Lion City Sailors looked destined to take an almighty step closer to qualification of the AFC Champions League Two knockout round on Thursday.
And, given how the other Group F clash resulted in an away victory to Port over Zhejiang Professional, victory would -- in fact -- have had been enough to send the Singapore Premier League outfit into the last 16 with two games to spare.
Somehow, in the span of just 13 minutes at Jalan Besar Stadium, the tie was completely turned on its head -- and the group thrown wide open.
Still in possession of their two-goal advantage as late as the 81st minute, the Sailors would throw a valuable three points away as Persib somehow rallied with a trio of late strikes to pull off an incredible come-from-behind 3-2 victory.
It was a result that seemed especially unlikely given how tentative the visitors from Indonesia had started the contest.
They found themselves under pressure immediately after the opening whistle, conceding a series of set-piece situations in dangerous areas -- so it was no real surprise when the Sailors broke the deadlock in the 9th minute.
To be fair, there did not appear to be imminent danger when Maxime Lestienne received possession on the halfway line but, as he usually does, the Sailors maverick saw a channel that most others would not.
With a nonchalant swing of his left foot, he delivered an inch-perfect 45-yard diagonal pass in behind the last defender to find Shawal Anuar, who made no mistake in neatly lifting his shot over the onrushing Kevin Ray Mendoza.
It was yet another glorious assist to add to Belgian's catalog but after producing something very common, there was then something of a collector's item for the Sailors' second in the 23rd minute.
In an attempt to intercept a long throw by Lionel Tan, Persib defender Nick Kuipers could only inadvertently help the ball on to the back post, where Lestienne was most alert to nip in ahead of his marker and nod home -- a rarity of a headed goal from diminutive attacker.
Having done so well to establish an early advantage, it was perhaps understandable that they opted to sit back when the second half got underway.
With the benefit of hindsight, they might feel they should have gone in search of a third goal to really kill off the contest.
Instead, they were as passive as Persib were in the opening 45 and the Liga 1 giants soon wrested control of the possession stakes.
There were warning signs too, with the woodwork twice coming to the rescue of the hosts from speculative long-range attempts from Tyronne and Kuipers.
And, even when David da Silva pounced on the rebound from the latter's effort to pull one back in the 82nd minute, there was still every chance that the Sailors would then tighten things up and hold out for the win.
But they couldn't.
As Persib started trying any and every thing to get an equaliser, it was a speculative 30-yard curler from an unlikely source -- centre-back Mateo Kocijan -- that eventually levelled the scores in the 92nd minute with Sailors goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud beaten all ends up.
Moments later, in the fifth and final minute of added time, the Sailors were well and truly sunk -- and they only have themselves to blame.
A hopeful ball from the back found Tyronne after Toni Datković missed his interception. Still with plenty of obstacles ahead of him, the Brazilian would casually dance around both Bailey Wright and Tan before nestling a shot into the bottom corner.
On an evening which promised -- an indeed could have delivered -- a spot in the round of 16, the Sailors now find themselves still with much work to do, especially with Group F now looking all the more wide open.