It wasn't to be for Glentoran on Thursday evening, as they went crashing out of the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers after a heartbreaking penalty shootout against Gzira United of Malta.
Glentoran, who qualified for the Conference League after finishing third in the NIFL Premiership last season, had come away from Malta with a 2-2 draw last week, sparking hope that the Belfast club could pull off a result on home soil to progress to the second qualifying round.
Things were not looking positive for Glentoran entering the last 20 minutes, after Lucas Ribeiro de Oliveira put Gzira 1-0 up on the night, and 3-2 up on aggregate.
Glentoran would go on to equalise in dramatic fashion, with Bobby Burns burying the leveller deep in injury time - the goal coming in the 13th minute of stoppage time.
That was only to be the beginning of the drama, however, as the penalty shootout was to bring heartbreak for Glentoran.
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Glentoran lose out during remarkable penalty shootout
With the sides still deadlocked come the end of extra-time, penalties were required to split the sides.
It was a shootout of outstanding quality, with the first 23 penalties scored to leave Gzira 12-11 up, and Glentoran's Jay Donnelly in a must-score position if Glentoran were to have any chance of continuing their European adventure.
His penalty was saved by keeper David Cassar but, in a remarkable twist (pun intended), the backspin on the ball allowed it to sneak over the line. The goal stood, and the shootout remained tied at 12-12.
Almost as good as the penalty itself in the clip below is the outstanding commentary from BBC Northern Ireland, as the commentators on duty slowly realise that Glentoran have been given "another lifeline" in utterly bizarre fashion.
When the keeper's off celebrating...and this happens 🤯
Jay Donnelly's penalty had backspin Rory McIlroy would be proud of, but it wasn't enough for Glentoran to progress in the Europa Conference League ❌
🎦: @Glentoran#BBCFootball #BBCIrishPrem pic.twitter.com/E3uSRA7PCz— BBC SPORT NI (@BBCSPORTNI) July 20, 2023
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The sides went as far as the 27th penalty without a single miss, before Leon Boyd's miss for Glentoran sealed their fate and ended their European dream for this season.
Elsewhere, League of Ireland sides Dundalk and Derry City progressed to the second qualifying round after victories over Bruno's Magpies and HB Torshavn respectively. A 3-2 defeat at home to F91 Dudelange put an end to St. Patrick's Athletic's European hopes.
The victors against Pat's and Glentoran, Dudelange and Gzira United, will face each other in the next round of qualifying.
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