UEFA Champions League
Second Qualifying Round, Second Leg
MCH Arena, Herning, Denmark
Wednesday, July 28, 2021

FC MIDTJYLLAND… 2
(Mobil 61, Onyedika 93)

CELTIC… 1
(McGregor 48)

After extra-time

(FC Midtjylland win 3-2 on aggregate)

Celtic were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League following a 2-1 extra-time defeat against FC Midtjylland, a result which gave the Danish side a 3-2 aggregate victory and a place in the next round of the competition.

With the tie finely balanced after a 1-1 draw in Glasgow, it was Ange Postecoglou’s side who created the best chances in a first-half of few opportunities.

David Turnbull had a shot from the edge of the box tipped over the bar, and from the resulting corner, Odsonne Edouard volleyed over the bar.

Liel Abada, who scored Celtic’s goal in the first leg, was looking dangerous down the right flank, and fired in a couple of dangerous crosses that had no takers, while, at the other end, the Hoops prevented the home side from creating any clear-cut opportunities.

And just three minutes after the break, Celtic took the lead with a stunning strike from their captain. The ball was cleared to the edge of the box where Callum McGregor controlled it with his chest and volleyed it into the net beyond the despairing dive of Jonas Lossl.

Buoyed by the goal, the Hoops went in search of a second, and they almost grabbed it through James Forrest. With his first touches after coming on to replace Abada, the winger slotted the ball just wide of the right-hand post.

It proved to be a pivotal moment in the match as, within 60 seconds, FC Midtjylland levelled the tie through Awer Mabil, the Australian internationalist heading beyond Bain from eight yards out.

And as both sides continued to search for a decisive goal in the 90 minutes, it was Midtjylland substitute, Victor Lind, who squandered a great chance in added time, volleying wide of the target on the edge of the six-yard box.

With the game into extra-time, Midtjylland took the lead on 93 minutes through substitute Raphael Onyedika. A ball played over the top by Evander for Henrik Dalsgaard was rolled into the path of Onyedika who took a touch before firing it into the roof of the net.

It proved to be the decisive goal on a night of European disappointment for Celtic.

FC MIDTJYLLAND: Lossi, Andersson (Cools), Dalsgaard, Sviatchenko, Paulinho (Lind 89), Juninho (Nicolaisen 113), Sisto, Evander, Charles (Onyedika 59), Mabil (Dhyr 89), Brumado (Hansen 77).
Subs: Olafsson, Thompson, Hoegh, Madsen, Fraulo, Simsir

CELTIC: Bain, Taylor (Montgomery 105), Abada (Forrest 59), Soro (Rogic 98), Turnbull (Ajeti 105), Christie, Edouard, McGregor, Murray, Ralston, Welsh.
Subs: Barkas, Doohan, Bolingoli, Urhoghide, Shaw, Robertson

Euro disappointment for Celtic in Denmark