This one went the full distance as after a feisty 1-1 draw played out, an unbelievably tense penalty shootout ensued, the men from Malta prevailing 13-14.

After the sides couldn’t be split last week out in Malta, strikes from Junior and Daire O’Connor earning Glentoran a 2-2 draw, the Oval was at full capacity for the second leg this evening.

And it was the hosts who started better, Niall McGinn looking lively in attack and his cross picked out Rhys Marshall who sent a header into David Cassar’s gloves before Bobby Burns warmed his palms from distance.

Eighteen minutes in and a clearcut opportunity arrived as a Gzira defender, Thiagounho, unwisely stuck out a hand and was pinged for handball.

Burns bravely stepped up, after Junior’s skied spot kick in Malta, but he fared no better from twelve yards, pulling it wide right to the despair of an Oval crowd who were poised ready to celebrate.

Ewertton had looked lively on the ball for the visitors but in truth, Gzira had offered very little as an attacking threat in the opening stages.

The NIFL side continued to put their foot to the throttle and went close to scoring as Rory Donnelly and Fuad Sule both saw efforts defected behind, Cassar looking nervy from the resulting set pieces.

He was though, reliable on the stroke of half time when McGinn floated in a free which he fisted to keep it scoreless at the interval.

The men from Malta threatened first after half time, winger Macula firing at Aaron McCarey as the tension steadily increased.

Glens built up a head of steam from set pieces but continued to be dented by a lack of cutting edge and composure at the key moments despite the increasingly desperate Gzira clearances.

Donnelly headed onto the roof of the net after the hour and Cassar was then carded to delirious cheers for time wasting as Glens pushed for a potentially tie-winning goal.

Then, against the run of play, Glentoran conceded as Ewertton fed Jackson Mendoza down the left and while he hit the psot, the rebound sat up perfectly for Lucas Macula to tap in, much to the Oval’s aggravation.

Back came the hosts as Donnelly spurned a gilt-edged chance at the back post with the nullified McGinn withdrawn.

Gzira drew the sting from the match with a couple of well-timed replacements before Junior did well to swivel and shoot, Cassar aving and the rebound promptly mopped up.

Marshall made up ground to make a chance for recent arrival, Rhys Walsh, but the youngster scuffed his attempted shot.

Yet the drama was in abundance and fellow substitute Jay Donnelly had a header lately disallowed for offside, to the crowd’s vocal chagrin.

But with the last kick, despite it looking like curtains, Burns ran through onto a fantastic flick from Aidan Wilson and buried his finish into the corner! Redemption for the midfielder and an additional thirty minutes to salivate the delighted Oval fans.

Into extra time we went and Walsh struck the crossbar from a Burns free before Wilson was denied by brilliant last-ditch defending.

Cassar then dived down superbly to keep out a soaring header from Wilson as the Malta outfit continued to cling on.

Warren Feeney introduced forward Jordan Jenkins late on but Glens’ final ball eluded them as penalties crept closer.

Eventually, the spot-kick shootout arrived at a tense Oval Park atmosphere.

Gzira took first and scored confidently through Jay Wilkson, Jay Donnelly replying in kind with Glens’ first penalty. 

Mendoza and Luke McCullough both converted coolly before Gzira made it three from three, Zachary Scerri’s strike cancelled out by Leon Boyd’s nerveless third for Glentoran.

All takers were excellent so far, with replacements Ryan Essaka and Jenkins making it 4-4 in the nerviest of cauldron environments.

Gzira went 5-4 up via Brooklyn Borg before Robert Burns eased another one in brilliantly.

Past the regulation five for a shootout, Gzira continued to hold their nerve, Carlos Chaba nosing them 6-5 ahead only for more spot kick excellence, Glens’ sixth slotted home by Walsh.

Both teams hit seven as Farid Romero and Marshall buried efforts with aplomb.

Thiaguniho and Sule struck confident strikes home to make it 8-8.  Andrew Borg fired in but again Glen’s replied, Wilson with a terrific spot kick to the top corner.

Into double figures we went as Marcelo Dias and James Singleton both converted before the keepers stepped up, both looking at ease with the pressure, scoring expertly.

We went around again, the scorers firing them in with nonchalant ease as reached a ridiculous 13-13 showdown.

And thirteen came to pass as an unlucky omen, Boyd the man to miss the decisive kick as a sublime shootout finally ended.

Heartbreak for Glentoran as Gzira continue their European adventure onwards.