Melbourne City's W-League title defence lies in tatters after a shock 1-0 home defeat to Brisbane that belied their superiority at AAMI Park.
England international Chioma Ubogago delivered a sucker-punch to the dominant City, racing onto Jenna McCormick's opportunistic long ball to strike home a second-half winner on Friday.
It was the second-straight week that City bossed their opponents only to lose after last Saturday's derby loss in injury time.
The price Rado Vidosic's team will pay is the return of their championship trophy after three years in City's cabinet.
"I don't think we can make finals. We are too far behind," Vidosic said.
"We would really need some magic and we just didn't have magic this year. I can't see it happening."
The fine 74th minute winner wasn't as late as Christine Nairn's "Olimpico" last week for Victory but the impact was as disastrous for City.
With just two matches to play - less than their rivals - City find themselves sixth and two points behind fourth-placed Sydney.
City have battled player unavailability all season, but that was no excuse against Brisbane who were without senior Matildas Katrina Gorry and Hayley Raso.
Over an agonising 90 minutes, the Melbournians ran out of ways to miss.
Tameka Butt was prominent but botched three gilt-edged chances in the first half.
She sent an improvised overhead kick high after 11 minutes and blazed wide after being sent through by Theresa Nielsen shortly after.
The third miss had to be seen to be believed.
Steph Catley capitalised on Clare Polkinghorne's slip, rounding McCormick to cut back to two waiting City players.
With goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold out of the picture, Rhali Dobson sent an unmissable volley onto the crossbar, with Butt slicing at the rebound.
A lifeline arrived on 47 minutes when McCormick was seen to push Jasmyne Spencer for a spot kick, only for Elise Kellond-Knight to side foot her penalty wide.
When substitute Amy Jackson's shot - one of 23 efforts that City had on goal - ricocheted off the post, it looked likely to be another one of those days for City.
That it proved, with Ubogago's effort sucking the wind out of their sails and delivering Mel Andreatta's side a backs-to-the-wall win.
"They showed an unbelievable team spirit today and did not stop. Even if it hit the crossbar or bodies were flying, somehow somebody got a toe on it," Andreatta said.
Australian Associated Press
