The Cong started strongly but an unmarked Andre Luiz fluffed their first real chance when he ballooned the ball over from outside the area in the 18th minute.

At the opposing end, Charles Nduka made a strong run down the left but found the angle too difficult and smashed his shot into the side netting.

The forward then thought he had put Melbourne ahead in the 38th minute after he latched on to a cross from Jordi Valadon down the left, but steered his close-range header into the left post instead.

Rimario Gordon similarly had a great chance to give The Cong the lead in the 41st minute, but fired straight at keeper Jack Duncan to keep the scoreline at a stalemate going into the break.

The Australian outfit upped the tempo in the second half, with Matthew Grimaldi and Santos denied by keeper Nguyen Van Viet inside the first 10 minutes followed by a string of misses by both sides.

Melbourne broke the duck in the 59th minute when Santos came down the left, shrugged off his marker and side-footted past Van Viet into the bottom right corner.

The home side were fast to respond as Ribamar rose highest in a packed goalmouth in the 62nd minute to nod past a diving Duncan to level the score.

After The Cong failed to convert a number of chances, keeper Van Viet pulled off a stunning save from Michael Ghossaini in the dying minutes to ensure both sides finished with a share of the points.