United dominated chances (17 shots to 11), largely without reward at AAMI Park on Friday and shipped a penalty against the run of play which Jay O'Shea dispatched in the 69th minute.
The home side had two goals disallowed and appeared destined to sink to a seventh consecutive loss, until they won a penalty of their own, which Daniel Penha scored with seven minutes of normal time remaning.Â
Daniel Penha's late penalty kickstarted Western United's unlikely comeback at home to Brisbane Roar. (Scott Barbour/AAP PHOTOS)
In a dramatic finale, skipper Josh Risdon rose highest to head home the winner in the 91st minute, handing United their second win of the season and lifting them off the bottom of the A-League Men ladder and into 11th above Perth.
Riku Danzaki should have given United the lead in the ninth minute when he got one-on-one with Roar goalkeeper Macklin Freke, who brilliantly pawed away the Japanese winger's strike
In the 18th minute, the home side's Ben Garuccio went down under minimal contact and was awarded a penalty.
But after a VAR review, it was overturned.
Penha clattered a direct shot from a corner off the bar on 25 minutes, and shortly after was denied by Freke.
United goalkeeper Tom Heward-Belle came up big to deny Jez Lofthouse two minutes into the second half
But Brisbane earned their chance to score from the spot when Sebastian Pasquali fouled Thomas Waddingham in mid-air.
Coach John Aloisi was sent-off as his Western United side came from behind to beat Brisbane. (Gary Day/AAP PHOTOS)
John Aloisi earned his first yellow card for dissent in the wake of O'Shea scoring the penalty.
United thought they had equalised when Penha finished off a nice attacking move in the 73rd minute, but the effort was disallowed as the offside Michael Ruhs had impeded Freke.
In the aftermath of the disallowed goal, United's coach received his second yellow card when he kicked the advertising hoarding.
Shortly after John Aloisi was sent to the stands, United appeared to have scored again, this time through Ruhs - but he handballed in the build-up and it was correctly chalked off.
The hosts finally got back in the game when Jack Hingert was penalised for a handball after a VAR review.
Penha coolly dispatched the penalty, and eight minutes later Risdon rose highest to turn home Lachie Wales' cross and send United into ecstasy.
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