Before then, his results at the club were anemic: no victories and two top-five finishes, including a runner-up finish in 1999, in 10 competitive starts.
Until the upsets by Lowry and Howell, center stage belonged to Russell Henley, who posted a 1-up victory over Charl Schwartzel, who had finished no lower than fifth in his previous six competitive starts.
There were solid displays by Ross Barkley and Luke Shaw, on their first competitive starts, against the group winners with Hodgson also praising a new-look back line for keeping the team's only clean sheet of the tournament.
The manager has named a radically changed selection for the game at Estádio Mineirão, with Luke Shaw and Ross Barkley to gain their first competitive starts and Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Ben Foster drafted into the defence.
Tigers boss Steve Bruce chose to give five of his new signings their first competitive starts against the Blues, but kept midfield duo Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore on the bench until the second half after they signed from Tottenham last week.
Rangers manager Ally McCoist gave strikers Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller their first competitive starts since returning to Ibrox.
