Canberra United's finals hopes faded after an injury-time equaliser by Melbourne Victory denied them a crucial win in an emotional home farewell to retiring club legend Ellie Brush on Saturday.
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But they still believe their season isn't over yet.
Five points behind fourth-placed Victory before kick-off in their third-last game of the regular season, United desperately needed to triumph in round 18 to continue their charge into the A-League Women finals.
Canberra import Kennedy Faulknor gave them a sniff of victory with her 72nd minute goal and United had plenty of chances to seal the win.
Then Melbourne's Tiffany Eliadis' equaliser broke the hearts of the 1204-strong green-clad as full-time neared, for a 1-1 draw.
The result keeps the gap between Victory (27) and United (22) at five points, while Perth's win over Wellington helped Glory leap-frog Canberra on goal difference to move into fifth, but both on the same points.
Canberra are still nervously awaiting the outcome of their appeal of the Australian Professional League's controversial points deduction for a substitute breach against Sydney FC back in February.
If successful at their appeal hearing this week, United will get three points returned to their total and three points deducted from the Sky Blues, which would be a boost for Canberra before their next game against Western United next Saturday.
But with top-of-the-ladder Western United and third-placed Melbourne City coming up to finish the regular season, Canberra's pathway to the top-four is much harder after the draw with Victory.
"Without the appeal going our way, we're out of it," coach Njegosh Popovich said.
"It's a little bit out of our hands now. It was within our hands, now we're depending on a few results going our way.
"But the message is don't give up on it. It's still not over and anything can happen in football."
United captain Michelle Heyman had a potential game-winner hit both posts and tease the goal-line before being cleared by Victory.
Like their season, the ball just didn't bounce Canberra's way.
"It is a little bit frustrating because I really feel like we're playing some of the greatest football and we're not getting the results," Heyman said.
"Personally, it just breaks your heart. Hopefully we get those three points back and it will put us in a better mindset."
Heyman said the points deduction has not been a distraction to their 2022-23 campaign, and it has actually inspired them to keep pushing for the finals.
The veteran striker was more disappointed she couldn't deliver up front when the team needed her most in Brush's last home game for the club.
"[The deduction has] given us a little bit of fire in the belly," Heyman said. "Because believe that it wasn't our fault. We didn't do anything wrong.
"I should have had a couple [against Victory]," she added. "I had a few good opportunities, I just couldn't get the ball from under my foot so I'm pretty disappointed in myself."
It was a hard-fought draw at McKellar Park in scorching 32-degree heat that required two drinks breaks in each half to keep players fresh.
Serbian international Vesna Milivojevic had the best chance of the first half, forcing a finger-tip save from Victory goalkeeper Casey Dumont.
After the break Heyman and Milivojevic tested the Victory defence, but couldn't find the breakthrough.
Mistakes by the visitors had United licking their lips feeling a goal was near, and they finally took the lead through Kennedy Faulknor finishing from close range in a sea of legs off a corner.
Wu Chengshu, Nickoletta Flannery and Grace Jale came agonisingly close to extending Canberra's lead, but were left ruing their missed shots when Eliadis equalised against the run moments after Brush was subbed off.
After announcing earlier in the week that this season would be her last, Brush was honoured pre-match.
With the 34-year-old's family at her side, United founder and former chief executive Heather Reid presented her a limited edition jersey.
A-League Women - Round 18
Canberra United 1 (K.Faulknor 72') - Melbourne Victory 1 (T.Eliadis 88')