LASK 5–1 Celtic (5–4 agg): A Collapse That Defies Belief
As Celtic lined up in Austria for the second leg of this crucial Champions League qualifier, I couldn’t help drifting back to a different era — Martin O’Neill’s first spell, and that famous 3–1 away win over Ajax in Amsterdam. I watched that match from behind the bar of a snooker hall, pulling pints between moments of disbelief as Petta, Agathe and Sutton carved through a Dutch side stacked with talent. Ajax beat us 1–0 in the return, but we had done enough. Those halcyon days were almost exactly 25 years ago, and I clutched at that parallel for confidence tonight. I’d take any straw available.
A Bright Start, Then Needless Charity
LASK kicked off and Celtic settled quickly. Yang was lively, McGregor assured, and Baur’s early flick nearly found Høgh at the back post. Celtic looked confident, composed, and in control. Even Kasper Schmeichel’s observation about the unusually long grass didn’t seem to hinder us.
Then came the first warning. A LASK corner flashed across the face of goal, followed by a deflected strike that clipped the post. Celtic had been comfortable, but the danger was there.
Yang, doing a decent Maeda impression, tore down the left and set up McGregor, whose deflected strike put Celtic 4–0 up on aggregate. A huge moment — and one that should have settled the tie.
Instead, Celtic gifted LASK a lifeline. Nygren’s blind pass fell straight to Usor, who stroked home with ease. A needless, baffling error. Celtic went from comfortable to ragged in seconds, and Nygren’s head looked elsewhere — perhaps already halfway out the door with transfer rumours swirling.
Half‑time arrived at 1–1, and Celtic had only themselves to blame.
Second‑Half Collapse
Nygren survived the interval, but Celtic’s composure did not. Within minutes, Trusty was dispossessed high up the pitch, LASK broke, and a simple finish made it 2–1. Two goals conceded without LASK having to work particularly hard.
The pressure mounted. Celtic looked stretched, panicked, and disorganised. Donovan, so dependable last week, was all over the place. Then came the moment I feared: Adeniran, who had threatened all night, unleashed a brilliant strike from distance. 3–1. The aggregate lead was down to one, and Celtic were in freefall.
O’Neill turned to the bench — Tounekti and Hatate for Yang and Nygren — but the changes didn’t settle anything. The midfield evaporated. The defence creaked. The attack vanished. LASK were relentless, hitting the bar and forcing Tierney into desperate clearances. Celtic had used all five substitutions before extra‑time was even a certainty. It felt absurd.
McGregor, aside from his goal, barely influenced the match. Hassan remained unused — a decision that will be debated. Even O’Neill was booked, a rarity in his long career.
The Equaliser Arrives
LASK’s pressure was constant, Celtic’s resistance flimsy. On 90 minutes, the inevitable happened: the Austrians scored the aggregate equaliser. VAR checked, but the goal stood. Celtic were out of ideas, out of legs, and out of control.
Extra‑time loomed, and Carter‑Vickers — struggling physically — had to be replaced by Ralston. Celtic were bleeding, and LASK smelled blood.
Extra‑Time: The Final Blow
Celtic briefly grew into the game again, but it was fleeting. Høgh was struggling. McCowan was caught in possession. Adeniran struck again from distance — a tame effort that somehow beat Sinisalo. 4–1. Ugly, and not the kind of ugly Celtic needed.
Hatate then conceded a penalty in classic Hatate fashion, but Adeniran’s effort was saved. It didn’t matter. LASK were dominant, Celtic were broken, and the final minutes fizzled out with the Austrians scoring once more to complete a 5–1 humiliation and a 5–4 aggregate comeback.
A Bitter Exit
Celtic exit the Champions League in embarrassing circumstances. Again. The collapse was self‑inflicted, chaotic, and deeply concerning. There are serious issues that must be addressed — tactical, mental, structural. This will not do.
My abiding memory? The LASK home support. No hysteria, no desperation — just a calm expectation that their team would turn it around. That confidence was justified. Celtic, once again, made the unthinkable possible.
