Borussia Monchengladbach 1-1 Celtic

Moussa Dembele scored his third Group C goal to draw Celtic level in Germany

Celtic kept their Champions League hopes alive by battling back to draw with Borussia Monchengladbach.

Scott Sinclair curled a shot against the post for the visitors before Lars Stindl volleyed Gladbach ahead.

Andre Hahn fired off the crossbar as the hosts pressed for a second and Celtic's Moussa Dembele drew a save from goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

Dembele was then fouled by Julian Korb, who was sent off, and the striker converted the resulting penalty.

Brendan Rodgers' side, who face Barcelona in Glasgow on 23 November, move on to two points at the bottom of Group C, trailing Gladbach by two points and final group opponents Manchester City by five.

• Celtic should have won - Rodgers

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Deadly Dembele

Though Celtic's Champions League fate is all but sealed, Dembele's cool penalty ensures they can still overtake Borussia in third and secure a Europa League berth.

Having missed a spot-kick in Camp Nou at a crucial stage of the group opening 7-0 defeat by Barca, the French striker showed great confidence to step up in another intimidating atmosphere and earn his side a potentially crucial point.

It was his 16th goal of the season and third in the Champions League group stage.

He has been an outstanding acquisition by Rodgers and at the age of 20 already looks an accomplished performer at the highest level.

His evening could have been even better had Sommer not kept out an earlier effort on a night when Celtic could conceivably have nicked a victory.

Celtic's attackers finished strongly at Borussia-Park

Missed opportunities

With the scoreline goalless, Sinclair's curling shot came within inches of ending up in the back of the net, ricocheting away off the inside of the post.

And in the dying moments, greater composure from Callum McGregor should have led to the substitute scoring or creating a late winner rather than drag his shot wide.

That is one lesson Celtic have to learn if they are to become a "last-16 side" as Rodgers desires.

Too often Celtic got in to promising positions, only for the move to break down because of a poor choice or inaccurate pass.

Sinclair (right) gave the home fans an anxious moment in the first half

Lethal lapse

As Rodgers had noted pre-match, the Champions League is an unforgiving environment and a lack of precision in a pass or a momentary lull in concentration is likely to be punished.

So it was as Borussia constructed a fine passing move, begun by Jannik Vestergaard's raking diagonal pass to Korb, linked by Christoph Kramer to Thorgan Hazard, and emphatically finished by Stindl.

Stindl (second from left) opened the scoring, as he did in last month's 2-0 win at Celtic Park

But the space afforded to Korb and more damagingly Stindl underlines what Celtic still have to improve upon.

Further carelessness as they tried to play their way out of defence could have seen them fall two goals behind, but Andre Hahn's guided shot came clattering back off the frame of the goal.

But there was much to be pleased about for Celtic, their manager and supporters who can go into the final matches in the knowledge they still have much to play for, having avoided defeat in an away Champions League group match for only the third time in 26 trips.