City had seemed well on course for a place in the quarter-finals until two late Aalborg goals in their last-16 tie left them needing penalty heroics from Given to scrape through.Shay Given Makes His Own Luck In Quest For Medal!
City had seemed well on course for a place in the quarter-finals until two late Aalborg goals in their last-16 tie left them needing penalty heroics from Given to scrape through.City protected their 2-0 lead from last week's first leg for 85 minutes on a bitterly cold night only to suddenly capitulate late on.
After playing cautiously for most of the game, the Danes upped the tempo and were rewarded as former Sheffield United forward Luton Shelton struck.
Aalborg maintained the pressure at their intimate Energi Nord Arena and forced extra time with a Michael Jakobsen penalty after Ched Evans handled.
City tired in the additional 30 minutes but managed to prevent further damage and went through 4-3 on spot-kicks after Given saved from Thomas Augustinussen and Shelton.
Hughes: "Maybe lady luck is smiling on us and maybe that is a good sign, but we will have to wait and see.
"We know we can play better than we did here, we have proved that in Europe and in the league.
"You scratch your head and wonder how that situation has developed but if teams put balls in good areas, on occasion things will drop and go their way.
"At the end of the day we are through to the next round and that is what we were trying to achieve.
"We would have preferred a more comfortable passage but we have been able to get where we wanted to get.
"I think knowing Shay was between the sticks for us gave the lads real confidence.
"I think the lads going up for the penalties had a real belief Shay would play a hand."