Darius Vassell came off the bench to snatch a rare away victory for Manchester City in a dramatic finish at Sunderland.
A match which remained goalless for 79 minutes exploded into life when referee Mike Riley awarded a penalty for Nyron Nosworthy's challenge on substitute Daniel Sturridge and Elano calmly converted from the spot.
But that was only the beginning of the fireworks as Dean Whitehead levelled with a sweet 82nd-minute volley to set the stage for a grand finale.
However, while late goals have become a feature of Sunderland's season, it was the visitors who snatched all three points at the death when Vassell scuffed the ball past Craig Gordon with just three minutes remaining to end the Black Cats' three-match winning run and claim just his side's second victory in eight attempts.
After a forgettable first half, the Black Cats dominated in the second and looked the more likely winners.
But Riley's intervention sparked an eventful finish to the encounter to leave Roy Keane bemoaning one that got away.
On a day when Sunderland knew they could mathematically ensure their participation in next season's top flight, a bumper crowd of 46,797 arrived in eager anticipation.
City arrived on Wearside having won only one of their last seven matches and intent on not tasting defeat at the Stadium of Light.
To that end, they were content to pack their midfield and leave lone striker Benjani Mwaruwari to fend for himself with support from Martin Petrov and Elano.
massed ranks
However, that support materialised only fleetingly, and it was not until injury time at the end of the first half that the visitors managed to register a shot on goal with Petrov seeing his effort blocked and Stephen Ireland firing the rebound high over.
Keane's side were more positive, but could not quite find their rhythm as they attempted to rediscover the form which had brought them successive wins over Aston Villa, West Ham United and Fulham.
Their best chance arrived with 23 minutes gone when Michael Chopra, once again lining up wide on the right, and Kieran Richardson combined to put Kenwyne Jones in on goal.
The powerful striker held off the equally physical Richard Dunne to get his shot in, but keeper Joe Hart made an important save.
Thereafter, Dunne threw himself into the path of Chopra's 32nd-minute drive and Ireland blocked Andy Reid's free-kick two minutes before the break, but Sunderland simply could not find a way past the massed ranks of blue shirts.
Sven-Goran Eriksson would have been the happier manager as he headed for the dressing room, but there was little doubt that both sides would have to improve significantly if they were to stand a chance of collecting all three points.
Daryl Murphy was presented with a good opportunity within four minutes of the restart when Reid's cross found him beyond the far post.
almost caught
The Irishman controlled well and moved the ball on to his left foot, but then curled his shot high over the bar.
Reid was becoming increasingly influential as his side stepped up the pace with Chopra too putting the home defence under pressure.
Sunderland were finding more and more space as the game wore on, but were guilty of not using it to best effect on the hour when Reid and Murphy carved City apart, but could not put Hart under pressure.
Murphy saw a shot blocked behind by Dunne and Jonny Evans headed the resulting corner wide, and it was then that Keane decided the time had come to introduce winger Carlos Edwards, whose omission from the starting line-up had been the only change to the side which won at Fulham last weekend.
Phil Bardsley came to the rescue when the ball ricocheted into the path of Michael Johnson with 19 minutes remaining as Sunderland were almost caught on the counter.
But the home side fell behind with 11 minutes remaining when Sturridge went down under Nosworthy's challenge and Elano converted from the spot with ease.
Within three minutes, however, Sunderland were back on terms when Whitehead smashed Reid's cross past Hart, but the reprieve was short-lived as Vassell sent the travelling fans into raptures.
