For the second successive week, the Sky Blues rode some late magic from Carle to pinch an away point from Melbourne Heart on Saturday night.
Sydney FC looked beaten when the Heart grabbed the lead in the 85th minute through substitute Maycon.
But they kept eyeballing their rivals with a series of menacing attacks deep into injury-time.
And the Heart blinked following a disputed corner - Carle latching on to a ball not dealt with by their defence to score an equaliser.
The Socceroos midfielder and Sydney FC endured difficult seasons in 2010-11 - Carle's debut season with the club blighted by injuries.
And as the Sky Blues rise, he is proving their barometer.
Carle's successive late goals in a win and draw have given his side a much more promising start to the season than the previous campaign.
"We've showed great character as a club and as a team. Two weeks in a row we've gone down and got a goal at the end," Carle said.
"I thought it was a deserved result."
Approaching his 30th birthday, Carle looks in career-best fitness, and is revelling in a midfield bolstered by Socceroo Brett Emerton, returning Slovakian veteran Karol Kisel and emerging teenager Terry Antonis.
Carle credits Sydney FC strength and conditioning coach Craig Duncan with helping him overcome his injuries and rebuild his body.
"I worked very hard in the off-season. I was very lucky to have some great people around me," Carle said.
"Through a lot of hard work, I've managed to get myself fit, and hopefully I can keep myself on the park."
The Sky Blues may go into their next match against Gold Coast United without skipper Terry McFlynn, who injured a leg in the first half against the Heart.
