When a player who has only scored four goals in his 12-season A-League career slams home two against you in the same match, you know you are in for a difficult night.
Melbourne Victory boss Kevin Muscat played with a then 20-year-old Vince Lia in the club's first A-League campaign.
On Friday night he could only look on and shake his head in bemusement as Lia's brace from outside the penalty area first brought Adelaide level and then gave them a 2-1 lead.
It looked as though that might consign Victory to another defeat - their third in a row at the start of the season - until substitute Mitch Austin levelled with eight minutes remaining to give Muscat's men a 2-2 draw and a share of the spoils.
It was enough for Victory to get their A-League campaign off to a belated start, but they can ill-afford to let the pacesetters get much further in front if they want to be involved in the battle for the Premiers Plate.
Adelaide had conceded the first goal in their previous games this season, and this match was no different as Victory enjoyed their best moments in the opening exchanges.
James Troisi, returning to the city of his birth, looked sharp in the opening exchanges, linking well with Dutch winger Leroy George and Besart Berisha, as Adelaide struggled to find any rhythm.
Muscat's men managed to get their noses in front in the 13th minute through a goal that owed much to the quality of the free kick delivered by George.
He slung a perfectly weighted delivery across the face of the Reds goal and Berisha timed his run to lose his markers and power a header home.
Going a goal down seemed to galvanise the hosts, who lifted a gear as the game developed a spikier edge.
Victory centre back Rhys Williams was very fortunate to escape without even a booking after 20 minutes when he first tangled with Ben Garuccio and then, running back, linked arms with Adelaide's Spanish midfielder Isaias, dragging the Reds captain to the ground.
The video assistant referee scrutinised Williams but the former Socceroo avoided serious sanction.
Adelaide were level shortly after through a beautifully struck shot from Lia. The ball was played across from the right by Michael Marrone and then laid back into Lia's path by Johan Absalonsen for the former Young Socceroo to lash home.
The hosts then began to impose themselves, with Victory threatening sporadically from breaks although Paul Izzo in the Adelaide goal did have to dive to stop Mark Milligan's shot from the edge of the penalty area.
Isais made space well for a shot, and then Absalonsen headed over Nikola Mileusnic's cross before George Blackwood's shot was blocked by Williams.
Berisha earned himself a yellow card in first-half stoppage time when he clumsily wrestled Jordan Elsey to the crowd and then argued with referee Shaun Evans and fourth official Daniel Elder, whom he appeared to shove in the chest.
Adelaide began the second half brightly and Leigh Broxham was forced to scramble away from Meleusnic to stop him converting Absalonsen's cross.
The Dane was once again the provider for Lia's second goal just after the hour mark, another wonderful strike from the edge of the area. Absalonsen got clear on the left, measured his cross into the path of Lia's run and the midfielder, unmarked, drove past Thomas.
George set up Troisi for another scrambled effort which Izzo dealt with before Austin's 82nd-minute intervention, when he fired home from close range after Berisha's initial effort was blocked.
