CSKA Moscow's Vasily Berezutski scored in the third minute of stoppage time to grab a 1-1 Champions League draw with AS Roma on Tuesday that left Group E in the balance.
Roma appeared to have one foot in the knockout stages when the evergreen Francesco Totti netted with a thunderbolt of a free kick just before halftime.
Yet Berezutski got the faintest touch to a set piece that was floated in from the left to grab a precious point.
The draw leaves Roma second in Group E, level on five points with CSKA and Manchester City after five matches. Bayern Munich top the group on 12 points.
CSKA started well as Georgy Schennikov had an early opportunity in the seventh minute, but the left back decided to go for goal, when he would have been better off squaring to the unmarked Seydou Doumbia.
As the half wore on, Roma began to get into their stride.
The Italians had only picked up one point in their last three Champions League encounters, but they were playing some intricate football with Totti and Kostas Manolas looking dangerous.
The visitors had a fine save from goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis to thank for keeping the scores level on 39 minutes.
A fine throughball by Bebras Natcho put Seydou Doumbia through on goal and the Ivorian, who had netted three times in his last two matches, would have banked on finding the target, but the 37-year-old De Sanctis produced a fine save with his legs.
Roma were indebted to another veteran for giving them the lead. Totti rifled home a free kick from just outside the penalty area in his 54th Champions League encounter, breaking his own record as the competition's oldest scorer, setting a new mark of 38 years and 59 days.
Rudi Garcia's team should have doubled their lead on the hour mark. Radja Nainggolan managed to slalom his way through the Russian champions' defense to put himself clean through on goal, but dragged his right-footed shot wide of the left hand post.
Roma were happy to sit back and defend, and ultimately paid the penalty deep into stoppage time when Berezutski netted to keep the hosts' hopes alive
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