The Sky Blues claimed a heroic draw against all the odds in a six-goal thriller against Portsmouth at Fratton Park.
Despite being reduced to nine-men, City fought back to claim a point when Michael Rose fired the ball home with four minutes left to play.
Jordy Hiwula opened the scoring after three minutes before Ronan Curtis equalised on the 10-minute mark.
Goals from John Marquis and Gareth Evans looked to have taken the game out of the Sky Blues reach only for a Matt Godden penalty and that late Rose equaliser to secure the most miraculous of draws.
The hosts created the first opening of the match, on two minutes, when Marcus Harness saw his effort pushed away by Marko Marosi.
Moments later City took the lead when skipper Liam Kelly played a delightful long ball through to Godden, who beat the offside trap, before selflessly playing in Hiwula who coolly blasted the ball the home.
The Sky Blues pushed for a second goal soon after, when Godden tested the hands of Craig MacGillivray with an effort from the outside the penalty area.
Portsmouth drew themselves level in an action-packed opening 10 minutes, when Ronan Curtis headed home Harness’s cross, from the right, from close range.
Marosi then made a terrific save to deny Ross McCrorie on 19 minutes, pushing the defender’s goal bound effort superbly around the post.
Hiwula had another chance to find the net on 29 minutes, when he was played in down the left-hand side of the penalty area by Brandon Mason, shooting into the side netting from a tight angle.
Minutes before half-time John Marquis tapped home substitute Brandon Haunstrup’s cross, from the left, from four yards out, to put the hosts ahead at the interval.
The home side created the first chance of the second period when Evans’ drilled corner from the right was hammered into the stands by Sean Raggett.
The Sky Blues came close to an equaliser on 51 minutes when Zain Westbrooke played a wonderful defence splitting pass into the path of Godden whose effort was well-saved by MacGillivray low down to the keeper’s right.
Evans then capitalised on a defensive mix-up by the Sky Blues to score the hosts third goal on 56 minutes when he raced clear to score.
Westbrooke tested MacGillivray moments later, combining with Dabo down the right, before stabbing an effort towards goal that the Pompey keeper was equal to.
Fankaty Dabo was then given a second yellow card on 59 minutes for a handball, reducing City to 10-men.
The hosts pushed for a fourth goal soon after, when Curtis curled an effort past Marosi’s left-hand post from 20 yards out.
Marosi was called into action again, with 20 minutes left to play, saving well from Harness’s powerful effort.
City captain Kelly then allowed the ball to run across his body before driving at the Portsmouth defence and firing a dipping 25-yard effort towards goal which MacGillivray tipped over.
Kelly was then fouled inside the penalty area, moments later, with Godden dispatching the resulting penalty with 15 minutes left to play.
Substitute Gervane Kastaneer was given his marching orders for two yellow cards on 78 minutes, reducing City to nine-men.
Rose then thought he had scored a miraculous equaliser, with eight minutes left to play, when he slotted home Kyle McFadzean’s flick on only to be flagged offside by the assistant referee.
Incredibly, the Sky Blues found a leveller with four minutes left to play when Rose turned the ball home to send the 950 travelling City supporters into delirium.
McCrorie drilled a late effort just past the post before Marosi denied Ben Close with a comfortable save as the seconds ticked away.
Curtis headed over Pompey’s final chance of the match as City held on to claim an excellent point on the road and maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
Goals: Hiwula 3’, Curtis 10’, Marquis 43’, Evans 56’, Godden 75’, Rose 86’
Yellows: Dabo 35’, 59’, McFadzean 38’, Kastaneer 71’, 78’, Naylor 85’
Reds: Dabo 59’, Kastaneer 78’
Attendance: 18,748
Sky Blues XI: Marko Marosi (GK), Fankaty Dabo, Kyle McFadzean, Michael Rose, Brandon Mason, Liam Kelly (C), Zain Westbrooke (McCallum 64’), Jordan Shipley, Wesley Jobello (Kastaneer 67’), Jordy Hiwula (Bakayoko 79’), Matt Godden.
Unused Subs: Ben Wilson, Dom Hyam, Josh Eccles, William Bapaga.
Portsmouth XI: Craig MacGillivray (GK), Ross McCrorie, Paul Downing, Sean Raggett (Pitman 90’), Lee Brown (Haunstrup 32’), Ben Close, Gareth Evans (C) (Burgess 84’), Tom Naylor, Marcus Harness, John Marquis, Ronan Curtis.
Unused Subs: Alex Bass, James Bolton, Andy Cannon, Ellis Harrison.