Manchester United made their 34th and final attempt count. After a frustrating and often flawed night at Old Trafford, they avoided a Europa League embarrassment by the skin of their teeth once again.
United had to bail themselves out of trouble in Nicosia a week ago, winning 3-2 after going a goal down, and a week later they found it similarly difficult on home turf.
Across two games United have been utterly dominant against what has, in all truth, been average opposition. They've had 62 shots to Omonia's 11.
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But they've been nowhere near ruthless enough. At Old Trafford they were a couple of minutes away from a draw that would have damaged their Europa League chances before Scott McTominay saved their blushes.
The substitute finally found a firm finish to beat Francis Uzoho, who looked distraught at the final whistle. The roar that greeted the winner wasn't the kind of noise anyone had expected a couple of hours earlier.
Thursday night football holds little appeal to United and after a pulsating night of Champions League football on Wednesday, this was a reminder of where Erik ten Hag's side have fallen to - and where they need to return to.
They could get a taste of the big time earlier than expected, given a runner-up spot in this group will mean a February meeting with a team finishing third in the Champions League. A Ten Hag reunion with Ajax, anyone? Or maybe a meeting with Frenkie de Jong's Barcelona in the competition he was desperate to avoid in the summer?
Juventus, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid also lurk in third at the moment. That's the kind of calibre of opponent United expect to be playing, just not in this competition, especially with potential elimination on the line in February. Fortunately for them, winning this group remains a possibility after McTominay's rescue act, although they will have to be more ruthless than this on the final night of the group in San Sebastian.
If this Europa League encounter wasn't one to get Old Trafford pulses racing, then it was memorable for the 4,500 Omonia Nicosia fans in a larger-than-usual away end. They were making plenty of noise an hour before kick-off and there was little let-up as their team put up an outstanding fight.
They could have even had a goal to celebrate had Bruno got his head up late in the first half and squared a pass to Andronikos Kaboulli, who had a tap-in waiting had the ball come to him.
That was their only real chance of the game, unlike United, who had dozens of them. They will rue a brilliant goalkeeping performance from Uzoho for the failure to score until time was almost done. While the goalkeeper will never forget this night, he was given a chance too often.
Omonia's goalkeepers have certainly enjoyed themselves against United. A week after Fabiano produced a fine goalkeeping performance to frustrate United in Cyprus, his deputy was in even more inspired form at Old Trafford.
The Nigeria international was heavily criticised on social media earlier this year for an error that cost the Super Eagles a place in the World Cup, but he'd have been trending for very different reasons on Thursday night.
Uzoho made some smart saves against United, but a lot of them were what most goalkeepers would term routine. He was worked regularly, but too often United's finishing lacked precision and gave him a chance to keep the ball out of the back of the net.
On the occasions when Uzoho wasn't needed United's finishing was wayward, notably so when Marcus Rashford, who was generally their most dangerous attacker, raced through on goal but somehow side-footed his effort several yards wide.
United eventually scored three times in Nicosia but they needed 28 shots to do so. They racked up another 33 shots against the same opposition at Old Trafford without scoring. The 34th turned out to be the most important of all, but they cannot be so wayward against better opposition.
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