Roar were cruising towards three points at the break after Jamie Maclaren scored from the spot (34') then added a second (45+1') on the cusp of half-time.

But a three-minute blitz in the second half put the star-depleted home side back on level pegging with a goal from Bruce Kamau (58') and penalty to Nicolas Colazo (61').

The results sees Roar retain third spot on the league ladder with 29 points while City, two points behind, snapped a two game losing streak to replace Perth Glory in fourth.

City had a total of seven players out suspended including Tim Cahill and Bruno Fornaroli while Ivan Franjic and Michael Jakobsen were injured.

It meant an A-League debut for 16-year-old Dylan Pierias, while Denis Genreau played his third game and Braedyn Crowley also came off the bench in his first match for City since arriving from Newcastle Jets.

Thomas Sorensen also made his second start of the season in goals, after the five-match ban was handed to Dean Bouzanis during the week.

Brisbane made six changes from the team that defeated Shanghai Shenhua 2-0 away in the AFC Asian Champions League (ACL) as the team flew directly from China on Thursday night.

Dane Ingham, brother of Melbourne Victory winger Jai Ingham, also made his A-League debut after making his first appearance in the 6-0 smashing over Filipino side Global FC in the ACL.

Roar striker Maclaren converted a controversial penalty to open the scoring after referee Alan Milliner adjudged Josh Rose fouled Brandon Borrello in the box.

And on the brink of half-time Manuel Arana’s through ball to Maclaren was perfect as the Socceroo finished it calmly to give Roar a two-goal cushion going into the break.

Brisbane looked to have picked up where they left off and could have made it three when Borello’s through ball found Maclaren in the box, but his decision to cut it across the face of goal from Arana failed and rolled out for a goal kick.

Roar were left to rue their missed chances as City pegged a goal back courtesy of Kamau who finished it coolly after Anthony Caceres set him up with a back-heel.

It sparked a crazy three minutes as Maclaren's chance to regain the two-goal lead was denied by Sorensen from point blank range while, at the other end, Milliner evened the penalties out when Ingham brought down Nick Fitzgerald in the box.

Colazo had no problems scoring the equaliser to send the City fans wild.

Both goalkeepers had their work cut-out moments later as Maclaren, on a hat-trick, forced  Sorensen to tip his shot clear just minutes before Fitzgerald had a curling effort tipped over the crossbar by Theo.

The home side will argue the result is no more than they deserved after they went behind to a dubious penalty and were denied another of their own when Anthony Caceres, jumping for a header in the first half, was bundled over by Corey Brown.

Roar continue their heavy schedule next week travelling west to meet Perth Glory and subsequently back home three days later to face Thai side Muangthong United in the ACL.

City are also away next week to Wellington Phoenix.

Melbourne City: 1. SORENSEN Thomas, 3. ROSE Josh, 8. KILKENNY Neil, 9. COLAZO Nico, 10. CACERES Anthony, 11. KAMAU Bruce, 12. FITZGERALD Nick (87’ 14. ARZANI Daniel), 18. RETRE Paulo (75’ 29. CROWLEY Braedyn), 21. TONGYIK Ruon, 34. GENREAU Denis, 36. PIERIAS Dylan

Brisbane Roar: 1. THEO Michael, 3. DEVERE Luke, 4. BOWLES Daniel, 5. BROWN Corey, 8. PEPPER Jacob (71’ 7. KRISTENSEN Thomas), 9. MACLAREN Jamie (76’ 26. D’AGOSTINO Nick), 10. HOLMAN Brett (61’ 11. OAR Tommy), 15. ARANA Manuel, 17. MCKAY Matt, 28. BORRELLO Brandon, 50. INGHAM Dane

Attendance: 8,414