Celtic seal play-off spot with dramatic win over Young Boys

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

Celtic clinched Champions League knockout football for the first time in 12 years after Loris Benito's late own goal secured a dramatic victory over Young Boys on a nerve-shredding night in Glasgow.

It looked like the hosts - who had Daizen Maeda sent off late on - would squander the opportunity as Arne Engels missed a penalty and Kyogo Furughashi had three first-half goals ruled out.

At the other end, Kasper Schmeichel played an important part, denying two Darian Males efforts from close range to keep the tie level.

Most of the second half fell flat but the hosts eventually made the breakthrough when Adam Idah's 86th-minute effort was initially saved by goalkeeper Marvin Keller, only for the ball to rebound off captain Benito and bounce into the empty net.

That sparked frenzied celebrations in the stands after an incredible first half of frustration. Kyogo had strayed offside for his first disallowed goal, while the second was ruled out after a foul by Callum McGregor in the build-up.

Maeda was the offender the third time, mistiming his run before crossing to Kyogo at the back post.

The hosts were presented with a perfect chance when Greg Taylor was pulled back in the box, but Engels stuttered in his penalty run-up and sent a tame effort to the left of Keller, who saved easily.

Home fans were made to sweat when Maeda's yellow card, given for a lash out on Mohamed Ali Camara, was upgraded to red following a VAR review, but Celtic survived the final five minutes to seal qualification for the play-off round with a game to spare.

Rodgers' relief palpable as Celtic scrape priceless win

The expression on Brendan Rodgers' face when Schmeichel made a 95th-minute save spoke volumes. The manager looked relieved, his emotions no doubt swinging like a pendulum during a game that saw the best of his Celtic side, but also a profligacy that almost cost them.

The first half was brilliant. Young Boys tried to play in a compact shape with a high defensive line. Brave? Perhaps. Naive? It seemed so.

Celtic cut them open time and again to create chance after chance. Nicolas Kuhn missed a couple of good openings and was a little hesitant to pull the trigger.

The disallowed goals might be considered unlucky, but the penalty miss from Engels - his first after six successful spot-kicks - was an incredible fourth let-off, the accumulation of which allowed Young Boys to believe.

The second half was a sloppy affair. Passes started to go astray. Young Boys got higher and higher up the pitch and only superb Schmeichel saves prevented Celtic from going behind.

They dug out the moment of quality in the end as under-fire Idah latched on to Hatate's phenomenal through ball and forced a save that ended with Benito turning the ball into his own net.

What the manager said

Celtic progression a 'proud' moment - Rodgers

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: "We get that little bit of luck for the goal that we never had in the first half.

"I've been involved in many games here where you end up drawing that game and it's a bit flat at the end, or even worse you lose the game when you shouldn't have.

"For us to win it, it shows the maturity and the development of this squad.

"A little bit of history is created, we haven't been in the knockout stages for a long time. For the supporters, it's an amazing night."

Match stats

  • Celtic are undefeated in their last five games in the Champions League, their longest unbeaten streak in the competition (since at least 2004/2005).

  • Celtic are now 30 games unbeaten at home in all competitions (W27 D3), their longest such run since March 2007 (33).

  • Young Boys have lost their last eight games in the Champions League, their longest losing streak in the competition (since at least 2004/2005).

  • Celtic benefited from an own goal in a Champions League match for the first time since September 2016 v Manchester City when Raheem Sterling put the ball in his own net.

  • Arne Engels' penalty miss was the first time Celtic had failed to score from the spot in a Champions League match at Celtic Park since Barry Robson v Aalborg in September 2008.

  • Georgios Samaras (12 vs Aalborg in September 2008) was the last Celtic player to register more touches in the opposition box in a Champions League game than Daizen Maeda in this match (10).

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