Melbourne City have capitalised on a horror first-half spell from Melbourne Victory to claim a 2-0 derby win and snatch outright top spot on the A-League Men table.
City took advantage of Nani conceding a penalty, a Cadete own goal and Victory skipper Josh Brillante's 35th-minute send-off to claim their first derby win in five attempts, in front of 23,489 fans at AAMI Park.
"Derby games are a bit different," City coach Patrick Kisnorbo told reporters.
"Sometimes your performance has to take a step back and obviously the fighting and the workrate takes over and that's what I'm happy with tonight."
City skipper Scott Jamieson (groin) was a late withdrawal after a pre-match fitness test, with Curtis Good starting instead.
But it proved a rare low point as City dodged good Victory chances early, then took their own.
Mathew Leckie was excellent in attacking midfield while speedy young left-back Jordan Bos brilliantly shut down Victory marquee Nani.
Brillante should have scored from point-blank range in the eighth minute but headed right at Tom Glover.
Six minutes later, Nani stomped on Leckie's ankle just inside the area, with a penalty awarded after a VAR review.
Jamie Maclaren coolly dispatched the 17th-minute penalty, his 10th derby goal, to overtake Besart Berisha as the all-time leading derby goal scorer.
Two minutes later, City playmaker Valon Berisha played a short corner with Marco Tilio then cracked a cross into the far post.
The ball clanged back into play but bounced off an oblivious Cadete and into the net.
The game was effectively shuttered when Brillante inexplicably earned his second yellow card for a challenge on Aiden O'Neill, 10 minutes after his booking for a foul on Callum Talbot.
"We gave away a soft penalty, we gave away a soft goal off a corner, so that's our doing," Popovic told reporters.
"We had a couple of wonderful chances, Joshy (Brillante) had a great chance at 0-0 and then we conceded two goals close to each other, obviously.
"Okay at 2-0 it's always more difficult; I never felt we were out of the game. Joshy's red card obviously changes things because you're playing with 10.
"But I thought they showed a lot of resilience and a lot of belief to believe they could still get back in the game."
Shortly before halftime, Tilio dispossessed Stefan Nigro and forced a sharp save from Paul Izzo.
Victory didn't fold despite their numbers disadvantage.
Nick D'Agostino had a penalty shout waved away in the 60th minute and 15 minutes later, he blasted a close-range chance over the bar.
Izzo denied Maclaren in the 85th and Tilio in injury time but it proved little consolation as Victory sank to their second straight defeat.
