Two years later Cerberus was about to give up and liquidate Chrysler when the two governments brought in Fiat and staged a last-minute rescue.
Like all cliff hangers, no matter how bad things get or how last minute the rescue needs to be, things become yet more dire and desperate.
Despite Cech's save in the 93rd minute to rescue a point, with leaders United and second-placed Arsenal both winning at the weekend, Carlo Ancelotti's team remained in fifth place and face a monumental task to retain their crown.
Johnson came to N Ireland's rescue from a 36th minute corner, the midfielder stationed at the backpost to clear Cohen's header off the line.
But Cyprus put the Republic until intense late pressure but Shay Given came to the home side's rescue in the 86th minute with a brave block after Christofi looked certain to score.
Morecambe tried to hit back with long-range efforts from David Perkins and Michael Stringfellow but it was Rigoglioso who came to their rescue with a goal in the last minute of the match to earn the home side a draw.
The commission threatened, for instance, to block the government's recent bail-out of Alstom, an engineering group, approving a rescue plan only after France agreed to last-minute changes.
Tony Carlin, group manager at South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said crews had struggled to hit the six minute target, which was set by the service in 2006.
Exhausted rescue teams laid down their tools as a two-minute silence was observed.
Then a minute into injury time, Connolly rose highest from a corner to rescue the visitors and send the match into extra time.
The 11-minute video, which is posted on YouTube, provides the most graphic detail to date of the harrowing rescue.
Villa left-back Stephen Warnock was almost punished for giving the ball away in the opening minute when Arshavin put Chamakh through before home keeper Brad Friedel came to his team-mate's rescue by blocking at the striker's feet.
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