Auckland recovered from 2-0 down and edged closer to the premier's plate on Saturday night, when Steve Corica coached against his old side at Allianz Stadium for the first time since being fired in 2023.
"It was a strange feeling when I first got here," said Sydney royalty Corica.
It looked set to be a disappointing homecoming for Corica as rising star Segecic continued a breakout season with two first-half goals.
But the ALM's newest side remained calm and needled at a Sydney defence that wobbled in its first game without the important Alex Grant (calf injury).
Sydney may have missed the chance to forge ahead in the race for top-six qualification, but coach Ufuk Talay remains confident with three rounds to play.
"Everything's still in our control," he said.
"Overall, I was happy with the energy that the boys produced, especially with the travel and the short turnaround (from playing AFC Champions League in Singapore on Wednesday).
"We could have won it, and we could have lost it at the same time."
The draw extends Auckland's competition lead to four points in their fight to finish atop the ladder.
"We've got a good chance," Corica said.
"I don't think anyone would've thought we'd be where we are right now as a club."
Segecic made the most of a chance in the starting side with two pinpoint left-foot strikes from outside the box that sailed past Auckland goalkeeper Alex Paulsen and into the left corner of the net.
The 20-year-old also came close to setting up Joe Lolley twice, but Paulsen flew to slap Lolley's shot away in the first half, before the Englishman smacked his shot high in the second.
"(Segecic) has been consistent all season, whether he's started or whether he's come off the bench," Talay said.
"I think the spell of him going and getting game time overseas on loan (at Dutch club Dordrecht) has definitely helped him.
"He's come back with a lot more confidence."Â
Only three minutes after Segecic put Sydney up by two goals, the visitors struck back as a Marlee Francois shot ricocheted from goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares for Logan Rogerson to strike.
It was a similar story when Francis de Vries made good on a deflection to equalise after the hour mark.
Auckland could consider themselves unlucky not to have taken a lead when Devenish-Meares came up with an almighty brain fade in the final 10 minutes of regulation time.
The Sydney stopper kicked the ball straight to Auckland's Guillermo May at the edge of the box.
May parried to Neyder Moreno, whose kick sailed just to the right of the unmarked goal as Sydney held on for a draw.
"We got back into the game, and I think in the end we should've won," Corica said.
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