UEFA Cup - Given saves put City through

Eurosport - Fri, 20 Mar 10:20:00 2009

Shay Given kept alive Manchester City's UEFA Cup dreams in Denmark with two exceptional penalty shoot-out saves after Aalborg's two late goals took the game to extra-time.

FOOTBALL Shay Given makes the crucial penalty save for Manchester City against Aalborg - 0

The Irish goalkeeper saved first from Thomas Augustinussen and then from Luton Shelton as all of City's players found the target to earn a quarter-final spot for Mark Hughes's team.

City had looked to be cruising into the last eight before an 85th-minute strike from Shelton and an injury-time penalty by Michael Jakobsen sent the match in to extra-time.

The first hour of the match passed relatively quietly, with City keeping their hosts at bay with ease and creating enough of their own chances to suggest that they would make it through at a canter.

Shaun Wright-Phillips looked in impressive form, tormenting Aalborg down the right flank and setting up early chances for Stephen Ireland and Ched Evans on two and 16 minutes.

Aalborg seemed content to sit back and hit speculative long balls up the pitch, all of which seemed easy pickings for a sharp-looking City defence.

And when Wright-Phillips again began to threaten in the second half - first making a great run on the hour mark, and hitting the crossbar on 82 minutes - it never looked like it would be anything but a quiet finish to the match.

Yet a penalty shout for Aalborg on 61 minutes had given them a huge injection of fighting spirit: Javier Garrido's tackle on Andreas Johansson certainly looked like it should have earned the hosts a spot kick, but the only thing they received was a yellow card for Kasper Risgard for protesting too vehemently.

But while Aalborg looked a much better side in the final 25 minutes they never looked like breaking through.

Yet with five minutes to go, Shelton got on the end of a cross from the right hand side when it was nodded down to him by Caca: the former Sheffield United man controlled the ball off his chest - and possibly his left arm, from the looks of the replay - before firing a right-foot shot past Given.

It seemed too little too late, but when Evans handled brainlessly from a corner in the 90th minute the referee had no option but to point to the spot - and Jakobsen smashed the penalty home to send the match in to extra-time.

Extra time passed with tired legs and speculative long balls, the only meaningful chance being Shelton's header on 102 minutes that missed the target wide to the left.

That only left Given to take centre stage - and secure City's place in the last-eight of the competition.

Toby Keel / Eurosport

Comment 2 - 21 of 41

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  1. the same old city away from home - useless, clueless­ and toothless. VERY lucky boys to get through after­ conceding 2 goals in the last 5 minutes. Better buck­ your ideas up nowyou are in the last 8

    From phil_kasteel, on Fri 20 Mar 12:11AM
  2. united fan ere i hope city win euro & when they got­ the cash i said back then i hope city get decent­ players robinho looked like the signings was gonna come­ rolling in but some players snub city coz of lack of a­ history but i want city to become a regular top 4 side­ & edge out 1 of those dirty london clubs(spits)­ from the top 4 c'mon city fly the flag for the­ north even if it means bin dippers still stay in top 4

    From MUFCareligion, on Fri 20 Mar 12:09AM
  3. Please go now Hughes, your inept away day tactics are­ laughable.

    From youknowtheydidit, on Fri 20 Mar 12:05AM
  4. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    17 u are such a thick c.u.n.t! yeah our teams win­ penalty shoot outs. but how many of them two teams u­ mentioned play for england. P.R.I.K!

    From a.titterington, on Thu 19 Mar 11:47PM
  5. lol at comment 17. how many english players and goal­ keepers do those two teams have then??

    From Shafster, on Thu 19 Mar 11:42PM
  6. onlyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy holiganssssssssss­ legia&juventus&deen hag

    From JTLB, on Thu 19 Mar 11:31PM
  7. there's only one Shay Given, a true geordie legend!

    From testbest1, on Thu 19 Mar 11:31PM
  8. First Arsenal, now Manchester City.. Perhaps England­ will start doing better at penalties?

    From TT, on Thu 19 Mar 11:27PM
  9. come on city!..dont be 2 cautious & get at them as­ tho it is 0-0. chase and dont let them settle.. pls­ dont sit right back on our own box & invite­ pressure! pls read this mark hughes...city!..city!..

    From Kevin O, on Thu 19 Mar 7:18PM
  10. Hope City have a great game tonight but Robinho pulls a­ hamstring in the 93rd minute and Bellamy falls of the­ physio table and is concussed for Saturday,good luck­ for tonight lads.
    SAFC

    From jack torrance, on Thu 19 Mar 6:51PM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    HEY YOU GUY....WHY IS DAT YOU TALK WIV CRAZY MONKEY

    From rc_alcock_the_scouse_bum_boy, on Thu 19 Mar 6:17PM
  12. erolflinn was an abused child

    From bdwells_11, on Thu 19 Mar 5:31PM
  13. This Erolflinn guy sure sounds like a mentally retarded­ child..

    From Karl, on Thu 19 Mar 5:24PM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    i his just to recover from 4-1 beatings i his back for­ to say more truths for city of manchester his hit dat­ you his miss you big frend erol...i his fink so for­ sure

    From rc_alcock_the_scouse_bum_boy, on Thu 19 Mar 4:47PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    man city is not good to play football, day his big­ s_hit for sure

    From rc_alcock_the_scouse_bum_boy, on Thu 19 Mar 4:41PM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    peter s is like it up him bum

    From rc_alcock_the_scouse_bum_boy, on Thu 19 Mar 4:39PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    chris w..is big moron

    From rc_alcock_the_scouse_bum_boy, on Thu 19 Mar 4:38PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    hjhfxd

    From martin, on Thu 19 Mar 4:31PM
  19. thanks vqxwrks.... not sure why i've got a negative­ comment tho, all i did was listen to the news..

    From Chris W, on Thu 19 Mar 12:27PM
  20. Go to Man City's official website. Bellamy has not­ travelled with the squad. He's staying at Eastlands­ with the physios getting prepared for the Sunderland­ match.

    From vqxwrkz, on Thu 19 Mar 2:17AM
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