Nine-man Chonburi put on a great fightback to shatter defending champions Buriram United's dream of a winning start to the new Thai League 1 season, salvaging a 2-2 draw in the away game on Saturday.
Buriram, who had beaten the Sharks in both home and away games last season, were directionless upfront, unable to deliver any telling blows to rattle the visitors' defence.
A decision to send burly Brazilian forward Patrick Cruz in soon after the break paid off for Chonburi.
After stealing the ball in midfield, Cruz, signed by the Sharks in the pre-season window, powered his way past a couple of Buriram defenders before sliding the ball to unmarked Worachit Kanitsribampen to net home in the 57 minute.
But soon Chonburi were reduced to 10 men when Nattapong Paopak was sent off for picking up his second yellow card of the night, paving the way for the hosts to wrest back control.
Supachok Sarachart produced two quick goals to tilt the balance in favour of the defending champions.
The midfielder first found the net in the 65th minute when his shot was deflected into the goal by a member of Chonburi's backline.
He then brilliantly tapped in a low cross from the right four minutes later to allow Buriram claim a 2-1 upper hand.
Chonburi had different plans for the night as Lukian Almeida's cross was smashed high up in the net by the Sharks' new skipper Kroekrit Thaweekarn to level the score 2-2 in the 76th minute.
However, Lukian received his marching orders in the closing stages of the match to reduce Chonburi to nine players and without two key members of the squad in the next match.
Elsewhere, cautious approach adopted by both Chainat and visiting Suphanburi delivered a goalless tie last night.
A similar stalemate seemed to be in the cards at PTT Rayong before the hosts, playing their first game in the top flight after being promoted from Thai League 2 in September, conceded a last-gasp goal to Nakhon Ratchasima.
Leandro Assumpcao netted the winner for the Swat Cats in the 90th minute.
Earlier on Friday night, the curtain-raiser saw Ratchaburi edge top-flight first-timers Trat 3-2 in an exciting battle.
A brilliant hat-trick by Ivorian forward Yannick Boli helped the home team rally past Trat, who were put 2-1 ahead at half-time by Guinean international Lonsana Doumbouya.
After Boli's 22nd-minute goal was quickly cancelled out by Doumbouya, the Ratchaburi striker hit the mark twice more in a space of 10 minutes with the first of the brace coming shortly before the hour mark.
Former champions SCG Muang Thong United, buoyed by the return of prolific striker Teerasil Dangda after a year-long stint in J-League, start their 2019 campaign at home on Sunday.
The Kirins will host PT Prachuap, the bogey side that handed them two losses in the last season.
The clash will be the first real test for Muang Thong United's new coach Phairoj Bovornwattanadilok, who has brought a host of new players to the team but did not have an ideal buildup to the league kick-off.
"We did not have good results in the pre-season games, but I now have the right combination in mind," said Phairoj ahead of this weekend's battles.
Last year's runners-up Bangkok United, keen to win their first-ever league trophy this year, will be at Sukothai on Sunday for what promises to be another exciting fixture.
Some fireworks are also expected in Chiang Rai on Sunday as the winners of the FA Cup and League Cup titles last year welcome an ambitious Port team that is keen on making a winning start to the season.