Brisbane Roar have ended a season of dominance by claiming the A-League Championship, defeating a gallant Central Coast in a penalty shootout in an extraordinary Grand Final classic at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
In an epic battle between the season's best two sides, there were a host of chances for both teams in regulation time and four goals in the extra period as Brisbane dropped from the clouds, lifting themselves for one final flourish as they came from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw with the very last play of the match.
However, it still took a penalty shoot-out, won 4-2 by the Roar, to separate the two teams in a match that had it all, played in front of the fourth-largest crowd in A-League history.
The Mariners had the title all but clinched with just five minutes left when Adam Kwasnik and Oliver Bozanic scored the first two goals of the added period after scores were deadlocked 0-0 following the first 90 minutes.
It looked as if Brisbane's amazing run of 27 games undefeated was over, but as they showed a fortnight ago in the second leg of the major semi-final, the Brisbane Roar will never, ever say die as they snagged two goals in the last three minutes of added time before taking the title via penalties.
There, Brisbane gloveman Michael Theoklitos was the hero, saving spot kicks from Daniel McBreen and Pedj Bojic before Henrique scored the decisive penalty that sent the 50,168-strong crowd absolutely insane.
It was an incredible climax that looked beyond all realms of possibility in the 96th minute when Bojic sent in a corner, with Roar star Thomas Broich jumping to clear it.
However the ball was sent right back into the danger area, slipping through a maze of bodies as Kwasnik reacted quickest and fired in the breakthrough from close range.
Seven minutes later Kwasnik was at it again, unleashed by game-changing youngster Bernie Ibini-Isei and though his shot was saved by Theoklitos, the ball returned to Kwasnik and he laid it off for Bozanic to score the second from a few yards out.
Bozanic's goal looked to have confirmed Central Coast's first A-League championship but there was still a twist in the tail.
In the dying embers of the match, Henrique pegged one back for the Roar, set up by Jean Carlos Solorzano in the 117th minute after the hosts broke down the left, the Brazilian finishing well under pressure.
It still seemed it was all too late but up rose Erik Paartalu in the 120th minute, meeting a perfect corner from Broich with the last play of the match to level the scores in an absolutely incredible turn of events.
Just about anything could have happened on Sunday afternoon and in truth, the Roar should have taken advantage of the dominance they displayed in long periods of the regulation 90 minutes.
Both teams raced out of the blocks in a furious opening quarter-hour and just two minutes in, Brisbane fans were crying foul after a botched offside call that robbed them of an early chance.
Paartalu had played in Broich with an exquisite pass that clearly beat the offside trap and had the German in on goal but the assistant referee raised his flag incorrectly, as replays showed.
In the 11th minute Kwasnik rose highest to meet a corner and only the