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Celtic's Champions League playoff hopes were dashed in a 5-1 defeat to LASK in Austria, as the Scottish champions succumbed to one of their all-time European lows.
Celtic's Champions League playoff hopes were dashed in a 5-1 defeat to LASK in Austria, as the Scottish champions succumbed to one of their all-time European lows.
The Hoops had been cruising into the league stage with a 4-0 lead on aggregate, but a series of poor performances and mistakes saw them exit the competition. LASK's Moses Usor levelled the tie in the 32nd minute, before Robert Ljubicic and Samuel Adeniran netted from outside the box to take the lead. Celtic's attack had disappeared by half-time, and Adeniran sealed the win with a 25-yard strike in the 109th minute.
The defeat sends Celtic into the Europa League, and raises questions about the decision to sell Arne Engels just ahead of the first leg. The quality of Celtic's finishing had been the difference in Glasgow, but LASK created chances throughout, and the second leg started in similar fashion. Celtic's midfield control was lost in Austria, and the team's poor performances in the second half were a major factor in their defeat.
The Hoops had other chances in the first half, but the Austrians gave themselves a lifeline when Usor pounced on a loose pass from Benjamin Nygren. The tie began to spiral out of Celtic's control early in the second half, as LASK's pressure told. Celtic's defence was breached in the 58th minute when Adeniran curled a wonderful first-time strike into the top corner from 25 yards.
Several shots flew past Viljami Sinisalo's goal before the Finn pulled off a great stop from Sascha Horvath. Joao Victor Tornich headed inches wide from the resulting corner. Adeniran fired off the underside of the bar and Celtic defended with four centre-backs as Liam Scales and Dane Murray came on to join Auston Trusty and Cameron Carter-Vickers.
With Luke McCowan, Reo Hatate and Sebastian Tounekti also off the bench, Carter-Vickers had to struggle on with cramp and Celtic could not hold out. Sinisalo made a great stop from a Tornich header but Flecker converted the rebound. Anthony Ralston replaced Carter-Vickers as extra-time allowed O'Neill to make an extra change and Celtic appeared to stem the tide.
However, Adeniran fired home from 25 yards with five minutes left after dispossessing McCowan and Celtic could not threaten after Sinisalo's penalty save denied the striker his hat-trick
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