European Football Archives

Jack Butland’s Shootout Heroics Send Rangers into Europa League Quarter-Finals

Jack Butland was the hero for Rangers as his penalty shootout heroics secured their place in the Europa League quarter-finals, despite Fenerbahce overturning a 3-1 first-leg deficit at Ibrox. The Rangers goalkeeper produced stunning saves to deny Dusan Tadic and Fred, before Mert Hakan Yandas blazed his spot-kick over the bar, igniting jubilant celebrations both on the pitch and in the stands. Barry Ferguson’s side had returned to Glasgow with a commanding two-goal cushion following a superb display in Istanbul, but they struggled to replicate that form as their troubling home run continued. Poland international Sebastian Szymanski struck twice, either side of half-time, to level the tie on aggregate, as Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce applied relentless pressure in search of a winner. Tadic went agonisingly close with a curling effort, while Youssef En-Nesyri was denied at the death by a last-ditch James Tavernier tackle. Vaclav Cerny emerged as Rangers’ most dangerous outlet, driving at defenders with purpose and forcing several saves from Fenerbahce goalkeeper Irfan Can Egribayat. However, neither side could find a breakthrough before extra time, where Cerny and Tavernier both threatened but failed to find the net. With the tie still deadlocked, penalties became inevitable. Tavernier, Cerny, and Tom Lawrence converted for the hosts, ensuring Rangers progressed to face Athletic Bilbao in the last eight, after the Spanish side edged past Roma. While the result marked an unwanted record—Rangers’ fourth consecutive home defeat for the first time in their history—the overriding emotions at Ibrox were joy and relief as Ferguson’s men held their nerve under immense pressure. A Night of European Drama at Ibrox On a night of nerve-shredding tension and high drama, Rangers once again found solace in European competition, providing a much-needed reprieve from their domestic struggles. Ibrox erupted in celebration when Yandas’ decisive penalty soared over the bar, ending a gruelling 120-minute battle that had tested the emotions of every fan inside the stadium. Rangers began brightly, with Cerny’s direct running causing problems for the visitors, but momentum swung when Szymanski volleyed home a Filip Kostic cross to give Fenerbahce hope. The Turkish giants took control after the break, and when Szymanski stabbed in his second goal on 73 minutes, the pendulum had firmly shifted in their favour. Controversy struck in extra time as Mourinho’s side were left fuming over a rejected penalty appeal when Nicolas Raskin appeared to trip Yandas inside the box. Referee Espen Eskas waved play on, and VAR chose not to intervene. Rangers dug deep, weathering the storm and showing resilience to take the tie to penalties, where their composure proved decisive. Ferguson’s Influence & The Road Ahead Ferguson still has challenges to address, not least the team’s poor home form, but he has instilled a renewed sense of belief and unity within the squad. However, Rangers will be without Mohamed Diomande and John Souttar for the first leg against Bilbao, as both players picked up one-match suspensions. Before then, attention turns to Sunday’s crucial Old Firm derby at Celtic Park, where Rangers’ battle-worn squad must recover quickly for another high-stakes encounter. Post-Match Reactions Rangers interim head coach Barry Ferguson on TNT Sports: “They showed character in abundance, and we have to keep doing that moving forward. Overall, I’m just delighted to be in the quarter-finals. “One thing I think has been missing is character. But the players are listening, and while there’s still a lot to work on, tonight was what my teams are built on. “When you play against top teams, they’re going to have spells where they dominate. You have to ride those out. I’m so proud of the players and delighted for the club.” Fenerbahce head coach Jose Mourinho on TNT Sports: “We deserved to win over 90 minutes. We deserved to win after 120 minutes. “In the first leg, I was honest and said we made mistakes and deserved to lose. But tonight, we were by far the better team. “We did everything to win, but the referee and VAR decided we should go to penalties. I feel for my players because they dreamed of going through, but I’m proud of them.”

March 14, 2025

Drama, Decisions & Deciders: Scottish Football Managers in the Spotlight!

With a crucial Champions League showdown looming, Brendan Rodgers has issued a rallying cry to his Celtic squad—go bold or go home! The Hoops boss is urging his side to seize the moment in Germany, where they must overturn a 2-1 deficit against Bayern Munich to keep their European dream alive. Meanwhile, Bayern’s own Vincent Kompany is playing it cool, suggesting that his side’s 0-0 draw with Bayer Leverkusen was the perfect defensive test ahead of Celtic’s visit. But could Jota shake things up? The Portuguese winger has surely staked his claim for a starting spot after a dazzling performance in Celtic’s 3-0 win over Dundee United. Speaking of Dundee United, Jim Goodwin insists that Will Ferry and Kevin Holt were merely rested against Celtic and should be back in action next week. Nothing to see here, folks—just a precaution! Over at Rangers, Philippe Clement is facing the heat. His side’s shock Scottish Cup exit to Queen’s Park has left fans fuming, and his decision to hook Bailey Rice at half-time didn’t go unnoticed. The 18-year-old was dropped for failing to “break the lines” with his passing, but Clement insists he still believes in the youngster. With pressure mounting, Clement is standing firm, refusing to walk away from what he calls the “toughest period” of his career. Elsewhere in Scottish football, Hibs’ new shot-stopper Jordan Smith has been left “blown away” by the standard of the game, while Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin has showered praise on the travelling Dons support after their gritty win at Dundee. And let’s not forget the SWPL drama—Glasgow City’s Leanne Ross has been grilling refereeing chief Willie Collum over some questionable decisions. With all these talking points, Scottish football is delivering non-stop drama on and off the pitch!

February 16, 2025

Rangers beat wasteful Union Saint-Gilloise to squeak into automatic places

Excellent finishes from Nico Raskin and Vaclav Cerny saw Rangers past an Union Saint-Gilloise punished for their lack of composure. With Bodo/ Glimt held by Nice, Philippe Clement’s side took the all important eighth and automatic spot. After a frenetic opening, Raskin broke the deadlock for the home side. Meeting a sumptuous James Tavernier cross to score just his second goal for the club. Meet a cut-back from Cyriel Dessers, Cerny doubled the lead with a neat finish as Rangers looked to hold on for the win. However with minutes to go Kevin Mac Allister pulled one back for the Belgian side with excellent technique to see his header dip over Jack Butland, caught too far off his line to ensure a nervy end to the game. Cerny came inches from adding Rangers’ third with his thundering effort from distance rattling the post. Saint-Gilloise will no doubt rue their profligacy, Mohammed Fuseini missing a glaring opportunity after a fine cut-back had put the goal at his mercy. Finishing from the visitors became increasingly dire in the second half. Having rounded a helpless Jack Butland, Fuseini saw his goalbound shot blocked by James Tavernier before Franjo Ivanovic made a meal of the rebound by dinking the ball over the net. English defender Ross Sykes could do no better despite finding himself unmarked at the back post of a corner, heading the ball well over the bar. In the dying moments of the game Kevin Rodriguez hashed what could have a been the equaliser, lack the requisite cold blood in front of goal and instead directing the shot over with Sykes following suit not long after as Rangers breathed a huge sigh of relief. Looking for a goal of his own, Hamza Igamane raced onto a through ball but could not direct the shot on target. Both sides were denied goals by the offside flag, Ivanonic first for Saint-Gilloise before Dessers saw his own finish chalked off. Making his first start in Europe since Giovanni van Bronckhorst governed the touchline, Leon King could have suffered no worse luck than he did when a head knock forced him off after just fourteen minutes. Line-ups: Rangers: Butland, Jefte, Propper, Tavernier (c), King (McCausland 14), Raskin, Diomande, Bajrami (Nsio 80), Igamane (Lovelace 80), Cerny (Souttar 63), Dessers Unused subs: Curtis, Hutton, Munn, Kelly, Lawrence, Rice Booked: McCausland, Igamane, Diomande, Raskin, Propper Goals: Raskin (20), Cerny (55) Union Saint-Gilloise: Moris (c), Sykes, Leysen, Mac Allister (Rasmussen 91), Niang, Khalaili, Vanhoutte, Sadiki, Van de Perre (Ait El Hadj 30), Fuseini (Rodriguez 69), Ivanonic Unused subs: Asri, Berradi, Chambaere, Imbrechts Booked: Leysen Goals: Mac Allister (83) Referee: Damian Sylwestrzak

January 30, 2025

Bruno Fernandes Seals Dramatic Late Win for Manchester United Over Rangers

Bruno Fernandes scored a stoppage-time winner for Manchester United as they overcame Rangers 2-1 at Old Trafford. The late goal came after Cyriel Dessers’ dramatic equaliser in the 88th minute, which had briefly given the Scottish club hope of a vital point. Rangers’ forward Dessers produced a stunning moment, outmuscling Harry Maguire to score a brilliant goal and cancel out Jack Butland’s earlier own goal. However, Fernandes responded swiftly, volleying home with precision to secure victory for United. The result sees Manchester United climb to fourth in the Europa League standings. Despite their Premier League struggles, Ruben Amorim’s side remains unbeaten in Europe after seven fixtures. A win away to Steaua Bucharest next week will secure a top-eight finish, bypassing the play-off round. Rangers, sitting in 13th place, are almost certain to feature in the play-offs. Amorim: “It was a good victory” “We didn’t deserve the draw; I think it was fair for us to win the game. It was just a victory that we truly needed in this moment.” Speaking to TNT Sports, Amorim added: “We played well. There was more connection with the ball and good speed. We lost control of the game for seven minutes because of small, bad decisions. Even when we conceded Rangers’ goal, we were so close to scoring the second and missed so many chances. But we recovered, and it was a good victory.” He acknowledged the team’s ongoing challenges: “We are not playing our best; we are far from that. But we improved from the last game. The opponent is different, the speed is different, everything is different. But they tried, you can see it again – the connections, the movement, some play – and we did well considering the time we’ve had to train. We need to be more clinical in the right moments. That can help us a lot.” Clement: “Everybody is gutted” Rangers boss Philippe Clement expressed his disappointment but praised his players’ efforts: “I saw everybody gutted in the dressing room, disappointed that we lost after playing that kind of game. I am also [disappointed], clearly, because we wanted to win and take the points we deserved.” However, Clement highlighted his pride in the team’s performance: “I am also proud of what the team did today – sticking to the plan, following the tactics, and with all the young players coming on the pitch. The team stayed compact, well-organised, and brave on the ball. We created enough chances. In the first half, we created the best opportunity. We went behind but did not stop believing and playing for the goal, so it is very disappointing to concede at the end.” Man Utd vs Rangers: Player Ratings Manchester United: Bayindir (7), De Ligt (6), Martinez (7), Yoro (6), Amad (7), Collyer (7), Eriksen (7), Dalot (6), Fernandes (7), Garnacho (7), Zirkzee (5). Subs Used: Maguire (5), Malacia (6), Ugarte (6), Mainoo (6), Højlund (6). Rangers: Butland (4), Tavernier (7), Propper (7), Balogun (6), Jefte (5), Barron (6), Raskin (7), Ridvan (6), Bajrami (6), Cerny (7), Igamane (6). Subs Used: Rice (6), McCausland (6), Curtis (6), Dessers (7).

January 24, 2025

Igamane Volley and Forster Heroics Steal the Show at Ibrox

Venue: Ibrox Date: 12/12/24 Time: 20:00 GMT A terrific Rangers side can feel unfortunate to not defeat Spurs at Ibrox after a 1-1 draw in the Battle of Britain. The two goalscorers of the match were Hamza Igamane and Dejan Kulusevski. Igamane’s effort an excellent volley from a Tavernier cross, with Kulusevski’s finish a low strike into the bottom corner of the net. The draw puts Rangers up to eighth, with Spurs level on points in ninth. Ex-Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou returned to Ibrox after leaving Glasgow a year and a half ago. Now under fire from his own supporters following a run of inconsistent performances. The visitors sit 11th in the Premier League table after their 4-3 defeat to Chelsea. In Europe, they have done relatively well, taking 10 points from their five European games, and sat outside the automatic playoff places. Rangers sat just above them in Europe although are eleven points behind their city rivals Celtic domestically. Their boss Philippe Clement had not only eased fan discontent with a hat-trick of wins and clean sheets in the league, but also shown a certain European clout in their last continental outing, a fantastic away win to Nice where Igamane scored two in a 4-1 rout. Spurs came into the tie battling injury crisis in defense, with Archie Gray coming into the center with their two first-choice central defenders injured. Rodrigo Bentancur comes fresh in to the midfield as he is serving a seven-game domestic ban for alleged offensive comments about his teammate, Heung-Min Son. For the Glasgow side, they began up top with Igamane, on a high after scoring in two consecutive games. On the left, Rangers opted to play two defenders, Jefte and Ridvan Yilmaz. The latter replaced Danilo in the side as Robin Propper came in to the center of defence for Leon Balogun. First half: Both sides made a lively start to the proceedings. Heung-Min Son battled past Propper, with Udogie getting onto the loose ball, before delivering a pass out to the left for Werner. Seeing his shot off target, he tried a curling effort but lacked conviction. Rangers then made a swift counter-attack. Tavernier tackled a dawdling Werner, who fired it into Vaclav Cerny’s path in the midfield. Cerny ran to the edge of the box before laying off the ball to an overlapping Bajrami. He shot but Fraser Forster made a fantastic tip over the bar. It would have been going in if not for the ex-Hoops goalie. The Rangers fans certainly made their thoughts clear towards the keeper, booing him at every opportunity. The next two chances fell to Spurs: a tame toe-poke into Butland’s hands from Son and a deflected shot over the bar from Maddison, who was played in on the center of goal after Raskin was caught in possession by Yves Bissouma. As the home support continued to roar their team on, Jefte complied, showing some tricky feet to get past Pedro Porro, who should have stood his ground better. It was a good block from Radu Dragusin to see it off-target. No doubt the Brazilian certainly got his steps in. He was in his own box, intercepting the ball to stop Brennan Johnson from getting a shot on goal following a promising Lilywhites attack. Following the excellent piece of defending, Jefte played the cross of the night. Whipping a pacy ball across the face of goal, just begging for one of his teammates to tap it home. Next, it was Spurs on the attack, Jack Butland making a terrific point-blank save from Son’s first-time shot. It was offside but Butland knew nothing about it. Terrific goalkeeping. Just before half-time, Rangers continued to pile on the pressure, with a Cerny near-post shot saved by the ‘Holy Goalie’s’ feet, and cleared by Porro. Diomande quickly after had a deflected shot. Clement would have been the much happier of the two managers going into half-time, except for seeing defender John Souttar come off with an injury ten minutes from time. Second half: What a start! A minute after kick-off, Tavernier lofted a fantastic cross into the box, which saw Igamane fire a first-time side-footed volley down to Forster’s left-hand side—brilliant technique on display. The home side continued to put pressure on the wounded visitors. Moments after a Cerny long shot, the winger was unleashed on a brilliant run, weaving into the Spurs box only to be halted by Dragusin. Spurs finally responded with their first attack of the half. The substitute, Kulusevski, after coming on for a dismal Werner in the first half, delivered a ball from the right to Brennan Johnson who watched his effort curl wide. The light blues react well through a confident Igamane. He saw a shot blocked and almost got a second from a Bajrami mishit which, fortunately, Forster grabbed hold of before the danger. Another longshot, this time from Diomande was deflected off Dragusin. No doubt meeting his quota for blocks tonight. Spurs were holding on and were afforded that patience by a colossal error by Jefte. After having an excellent first half, the left-back headed the ball back to Butland, who came out to collect. The keeper reacted sharply to stop it rolling past him into an open net. Ange had seen enough and decided to make a trio of substitutions and it was one of these substitutes, Lucas Bergvall, who almost scored with his first touch, a bouncing volley just wide from the second phase of a corner. Maddison would have been licking his lips after getting a free-kick in a dangerous area outside the box but it was another opportunity wasted as he played a one-two with Kulusevski for a better angle with the ball travelling well over the bar. Spurs continued to push on, a cross from the left saw the right-back Porro play a first-time shot to the near post. Butland did well to parry it away with his feet. That pressure was rewarded

December 12, 2024

FC Copenhagen vs Hearts: What to expect?

Venue: Parken Stadium Date: 12/12/24 Time: 17:45 GMT With just two games to go, Hearts’ chances of securing an automatic qualifying spot in the Conference League hang in the balance as they travel to Copenhagen for the group stage’s penultimate game. Having started the campaign with two wins against Dinamo Minsk and Omonia, the side were defeated by Heidenheim and Cercle Brugge, failing to score a goal in either fixture and falling down to the middle of the pack. In FC Copenhagen they face a side similarly underperforming in Europe. Having beaten Kilmarnock in the Playoff round, the Danes have managed just one win so far against Dinamo Minsk. A crucial three points recovered for their hopes following draws with Istanbul Basaksehir and Real Betis and defeat to Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok. Shankland reborn After scoring not one but two goals against Dundee at the weekend, Lawrence Shankland no doubt felt the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders. Thirteen games felt like a hundred as the striker simply could not find a way to break his duck, with sections of the Hearts fans singling him out as the cause behind their league struggles which have left them sat in the relegation play-off spot. To his immense credit, all throughout the barren spell Shankland persevered with attempts at goal and impressive link up play, biding his time for the opportunity that looks set to turn his season around. What a relief it will be for Neil Critchley whose side have not so much failed to create chances, averaging ten shots a game, but put them away, converting a meagre 12% of attempts. The Edinburgh side depended heavily on their talismanic striker last year, Shankland’s contribution of thirty-one goals seconded by Kenneth Vargas’ paltry nine in comparison and they will need call on him once again to revive a flailing season. Despite earning himself a suspension for their trip to Kilmarnock at the weekend, Shankland will need all his mental strength to carry their campaign on his shoulders once again Table topping Danes and a familiar face Manager Jacob Neestrup will be under no illusions that his side have underwhelmed in Europe’s tertiary competition, having exceeded expectations on its biggest stage last season. Coming second in a group featuring Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Galatasaray was far better than most predicted, especially considering the performance they put in to beat United 4-3 before taking a point against the Germans. Ultimately they were soundly beaten 6-1 on aggregate by Manchester City in the Round of 16 but it is little surprise that Copenhagen currently sit top of the Danish Superliga, unbeaten in nine league games. Whilst Hearts have their Shankland, Copenhagen’s potency is spread more evenly across the squad. With Orri Oskarsson, Viktor Claesson and defender Kevin Diks contributing twenty-one goals between them. However, the jewel in this multi-pronged crowned is a man who might be familiar to Scottish Premiership fans. Mohamed Elyounoussi’s time at Celtic last just a year and a half but he will remain a part of the club’s history forever as a member of the 2019-20 treble winning side. For the past two seasons the Norwegian international has been the side’s most valuable player, topping their current campaign’s goals and assists charts with seven and six respectively. Hearts defenders will have their work cut out trying to keep him quiet this evening.

December 12, 2024

Rangers vs Tottenham: What to expect?

Venue: Ibrox Date: 12/12/24 Time: 20:00 GMT It is their biggest game in Europe this season but an in-form Rangers will feel the stars have aligned to get a result as they welcome a downcast Tottenham to Ibrox. Both sides look to be on converse trajectories with the hosts now undefeated in eight games. Philippe Clement seems to have navigated his side through a turbulent period which saw them fall to Kilmarnock and Aberdeen, results which are likely to have put the title out of reach. Meanwhile Ange Postecoglou’s time at Tottenham plunged to its lowest depth so far, watching his side snatch defeat from the jaws of victory against Chelsea at the weekend, having confronted a fan for abusing him just a week prior. With both teams sat in eighth and ninth, Rangers ahead by a mere two goals, a result would put either side in pole position for an automatic place. More importantly for the respective managers however, progression to the knockout stages would relieve some of the intense scrutiny surrounding their jobs. European pedigree For all of their domestic woes, winning a solitary Premiership title in thirteen years, Rangers have always found a way to exceed expectations in Europe’s secondary competition. A run to the 2021/22 final was as big a surprise as the scalps they took along the way with Borussia Dortmund, Braga and RB Leipzig all falling before an agonising Aaron Ramsey penalty proved the difference that saw Eintracht Frankfurt snatch the crown. The less said about the Champions League campaign that followed the better. However last season saw Rangers return to the competition that is becoming their bread and butter to complete a double over Real Betis and topping their group before a narrow defeat to Benfica saw them eliminated in the Round of sixteen. There is a noticeable difference in the freedom with which they play away from the burning eyes of Scottish football fans. Whatever the reason, they have managed some impressive victories again this season with Malmo, FCSB and Nice comfortable dispatched with a creditable draw against Conference League champions Olympiakos to boot. Having seemingly put their 4-1 Lyon hiding behind them, Rangers will need all of their experience in the competition to gain an important result, with Manchester United and Union Saint-Gilloise as positions ‘fourth’ through ‘thirteenth’ remain separated by a mere three points. Will the real Tottenham please stand up? The nickname ‘Spursy’ to describe the way the club seem to fall apart under little pressure is arguably a disrespectful one to give a club that continues to find itself in the upper echelons of the Premier League. Yet, it has stuck for a reason. As the jabs and taunts go, Tottenham will produce a masterclass against league leaders only to follow it up with dropped points to eternal strugglers. Having tormented Manchester City in a hugely impressive 4-0 win away from home, the North London side mustered joint one point from nine as they sit just off mid-table. Losses to Ipswich, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth have continue to stunt their season with the manager’s dogmatic approach to attacking football held responsible for the side’s inconsistency. The third highest scoring team in the league this season, Tottenham’s inability to apply to handbrake has been just as much a problem in England as it has been in Europe. Opposition had hardly been world beating when they opened their group stage campaign with wins against Qarabag, Ferencvaros and Troy Parrott’s AZ Alkmaar, but a defeat to Galatasaray and draw with Roma has put a dent in their hopes for automatic qualification. With the continued absence of Guglielmo Vicario, their defence looks even more precarious. Add in defender Cristian Romero criticising the lack of spending in the summer in a now deleted interview with Telemundo Deportes to add fuel to the fire. For all the optimism the disharmony might bring to fans north of the border, Tottenham have a squad packed with some of Europe’s best in Son Heung-min, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski. As both Manchester clubs will know by now, these players can inflict a world of damage on their day.

December 12, 2024

Stalemate in Zagreb for the Hoops

Dinamo and Celtic settled for a draw in Zagreb, which sees them both stay in the play-off places. Before the match, Dinamo were one point behind Celtic in the table. Both sides knew that victory would give them a strong likelihood of making the play-offs at the end of the European league campaign. The two teams defended well and battled hard in a game that brandished many yellow cards, particularly in the first half. The game lacked clear-cut chances and the draw was a fair result. The home side came into the match with a serious injury crisis and were missing key players. However, their rising star, Martin Baturina, 21, hailed as the next Luka Modric, looked to deliver something special in the middle of the park. The only significant but unsurprising change for the Glasgow visitors was the selection of Paulo Bernardo over their record signing Arne Engels in midfield alongside Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate. First half: Celtic started well in the first half, with the home side playing like the away team. The Hoops did well in keeping possession, although they could count themselves lucky not going down to 10 men early on following a dangerous tackle by Greg Taylor. It maybe lacked the intensity and force required to see red but they’ve been given. The visitors’ first chance of the game came from an incisive pass from Kuhn into McGregor on the edge of the area. It led to a free kick after the referee blew for handball when a Zagreb player blocked the captain’s pass. Bernardo took the ball and fired directly over the bar. Maybe it was too close to the goal to get it up and over the tall Zagreb wall. The next big moment of the game came when Nicolas Kuhn had some space on the right, inside the box, delivering a cross that a well-spread keeper, Danijel Zagorac, met and deflected behind for a corner. Following the attack, Sandro Kulenovic fell into Alistair Johnson, fouling him. After some complaints from Marko Rog, the referee decided to put both players into the book. Just before the half concluded, Zagreb capitalised on a Celtic mistake. Kulenovic fired a shot wide of the post after a cross was delivered in. A warning shot to Celtic that they needed to stay focused. Then, it was Celtic’s turn for some last-minute pressure, pushing forward when Maeda delivered a cross into the box for Bernardo, whose first touch let him down. After the play, Hatate managed to get on the ball after a quick Celtic counter-press on the edge of the area, and many fans would have been urging him to shoot, yet he got caught in two minds and played a powerful pass to his right that went to no one. Second half: At the beginning of the second half, Tony Ralston was subbed on for right-back Johnston after he felt the effects of the tackle in the first half. Bernardo won the ball down the right with a sliding tackle that fell into the substitute’s path. Ralston played an early ball down the right to Kuhn who managed to get past his marker inside the box and cut inside onto his left. His curling effort was deflected behind for a corner. The Croatian side was next to apply some pressure following some turnovers, with Celtic losing the ball too easily. Pjaca received the ball onto his right foot, striking at goal, only for Auston Trusty to block the shot. Straight after, Taylor had a major miscue by slicing at the ball, which saw the ball fall to Baturina outside the area. He launched tame strike that Kasper Schmeichel saved comfortably. The game began to open, and now it was Celtic’s turn. Bernardo played a short corner, and after a brief passing exchange, Kuhn slid a ball down the right into Bernardo’s path, who crossed to the front post, where Kyogo struck the ball into the keeper. It rebounded back into Cameron Carter-Vicker’s path, who, leaning back too much, shot high and wide. Next, it was up the other end, with Baturina getting a shot off over the bar. The home side, having started the second half the much stronger of the two sides, gave encouragement for the fans who were now in full voice. Unsurprisingly, Rodgers acted early following this spell of pressure by making two changes in the midfield, with McCowan and Engels coming onto the pitch for Hatate and Bernardo. A few minutes after coming on, McCowan received the ball from a surging run from McGregor in the middle of the park before unleashing a strike on target with Zagorac claiming comfortably. With ten minutes to go, Mbuku slid the ball down the right for the hosts into their right-back Ristovski, who lofted the ball into the box to Pjaca. He headed towards the goal, where a concentrated Schmeichel tipped it over the bar. In the concluding moments, Celtic gained attacking momentum and showed a moment of quality with their last chance of the game. Forrest penetrated the host’s defence with a terrific pass down the left of the box to an onrushing Engels, who whipped a ball across the box to Idah. The Zagreb defender managed to stick out a leg and clear the ball away from the Irishman. What a crucial and excellent interception. The game ended in a draw, which is a fair result, given both teams’ chances. In their remaining European ties, Zagreb have two challenging games against Milan and Arsenal. Celtic know that a result at home to Young Boys will likely secure them qualification to the next stage of the Champions League. Celtic also have a League Cup final to look forward to against their Old Firm rivals, Rangers, at the weekend. Post-match reaction: Auston Trusty on TNTSports: “We’ll take the point, but we came here for three points and I think we’ll be pretty upset in the locker room. “We’ve got two more games to

December 10, 2024

Celtic welcome giant killers Brugge in Champions League tie

Champions League: Celtic v Club Brugge Belgian side Club Brugge travel to Glasgow take on a Celtic team in red hot form. The hosts remain kings of Scotland, yet to a lose a game domestically and swatting closest rivals Aberdeen 6-0 in the League Cup. More impressive yet, is their marked improvement on the continental stage. Dominating an RB Leipzig side packed with some Europe’s most sought after talent was the statement win Brendan Rodgers’ had been asking for following their setback in Dortmund. Brugge similarly suffered at the hands of last year’s finalists before taking six points from a possible nine, including an impressive victory over Aston Villa. Sitting second in the Belgian Pro League, they are not quite steamrolling opposition in the same way Celtic have but a 7-0 win against Sint-Truiden at the weekend was perfect preparation for game sure to be see plenty of goals. Hosts must capitalise on home form By the reaction of the Leipzig players at full-time, it looked as though they couldn’t wait to get the first flight out of Glasgow. A sentiment no doubt shared by Slovan who were thumped 5-1 in their opening game of the campaign at Celtic Park. Always a step ahead of their opponents with quick combinations and looking as though they would not be troubled by adding an extra half hour onto the game, Nicolas Kuhn was the picked of the bunch as Celtic played the kind of football Rodgers’ knew was possible following their thumping in Dortmund. The manager will want to show that there is much more to come from his side both home and away. With only one point on the road so far as trips to Dinamo Zagreb and Aston Villa await, the East End side will need to take full advantage of home crowd if they are to give themselves every chance of progressing. Despite only one loss in four Celtic remain caught between two poles. Sitting only three points above the bottom tier isn’t much of a buffer, whilst a three goal margin could propel them into the automatic places. There are no easy games in the Champions League but perform tonight and the club could be on track to reach the knockout stages for the first time since 2013. Visitors no shrinking violets The hosts received a fair amount of acclaim for their Leipzig scalp but Club Brugge have an arguably more impressive one of their own after muzzling Aston Villa in a 1-0 victory. Tyrone Mings’ calamity stole headlines but the Belgians kept one the Premier League’s best sides goalless in a performance that deserved more than being a mere sideshow in the post-match analysis. Doing so with a squad in constant flux is not mean feat either. Brugge are side packed with young technical talent, the likes Hugo Vetlesen and Christos Tzolis sure to find a home among Europe’s elite soon. The developing crop are supported by veterans Simon Mignolet and a name familiar to Celtic fans in Dedryck Boyata, who spent four seasons at the club. Granted, they are missing the goalscoring threat of Igor Thiago, whose £30 million move to Brentford left big boots to fill but Tzolis’ four goals against Sint-Truden at the weekend makes him a fairly promising contender. With Sporting CP, Juventus and Manchester City still to come, Brugge will see tonight as their best opportunity to add one more scalp to their collection.

November 27, 2024

Celtic Head to the Bridge With an Upset in Sight

Just three days after losing to their city rivals in the Glasgow derby, Elena Sadiku and her side turn their sights back to the Champions League as they face off against reigning WSL champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The first meeting of the two sides took place at Celtic Park last Wednesday, where the blues came out 2-1 victors. A much-changed Chelsea side took to the Parkhead turf and were met with a Celtic team who were stubborn and roared on in their play by the home support. The Glasgow side took a surprising lead trough Murphy Agnew who calmly slotted the ball past Musovic after 20 minutes. This lead was short lived as the visitors responded with two goals in four minutes. Maika Hamano scored the leveller before Ashley Lawrence fired the ball into the roof of the net in what would go on to be the winning goal. Tonight’s clash gives Celtic the chance to bounce back and continue to prove they can compete with the best. On the flip side, it gives Chelsea a chance to build on their run of form after defeating fellow title contenders Manchester City 2-0 on Saturday. With blues captain Millie Bright stating: “As a Chelsea squad, we have standards. We want to set those every single day in training and then against any opponent that we have. Obviously, it was a big performance and a big game, but it’s all eyes on the next game and making sure we deliver.” Celtic boss Elena Sadiku will want to right a few wrongs after being sent off in their SWPL match against Rangers and urges her side to show the same fight and desire as they did last Wednesday: “It was my first and my last [red card]. In the last performance against Chelsea it was pretty clear how much we fought together as a team and how strong we were as a team. Losing to Rangers the way we did, I don’t think it took anything away from us. We’re now even more hungry. It’s all about how we step up again.” Emma Lawton, Scotland under 23 international, is excited by the prospect of testing herself against one of the best teams in the world. The full back continues to impress in the green and white hoops after making her move to full time football from fellow SWPL side Partick Thistle. Lawton has cemented her place in the Celtic starting 11 and looks ahead to the group stage match: “In the Champions League, playing against some of the best players in the world is, for me, what I want to do. You want to go and challenge yourself and learn as much as you can, so that’s what I’m looking forward to.” Will the SWPL underdogs or the WSL giants take the UK bragging rights? Stamford Bridge plays host to this exciting tie with the game kicking off at 8pm.

November 20, 2024

European Football

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