What is holding this CD player in?!!!!

I am trying to take a factory CD player out of my 2000 Mustang Convertible.
I went by Autozone and picked up a set of Ford stereo removal tools.

And I have spent the better part of 2 hours cursing this player.

I stick the tools in both sides, push them in as far as possible...pull outward on both sides and then....NOTHING!!!.
I pull and pull...hey..I took a screwdriver and tried to push from behind while pulling from the front.(not an easy trick)...it still will not pop out.
It feels like the left side may pop loose but I am getting nothing from the right.
I have the entire dash plate bowing out and this thing will not come out.

What is the trick here?

When you push in those tools you should feel a "click" or a detent, you may have to push in on the front sides of the unit to fully unlock it in order to pull it out of the dash.

if you look closly u may need to crawl haha but youll see what the tool you have is supose to pull back but its basicly 2 metal clips that resembl what looks like the clips that come with new door speaker so id look to make sure they arent damaged an bent an worse case try to find a spot u can see under the dash an look back there identify the clips an push them in tords the headunit :smokin: