Catastrophe, capitulation, calamity. Pick your poison, because all three fit Celtic right now after their Champions League qualification blunder away to LASK. What started with pure optimism, with Celtic going four goals clear on aggregate after just 21 minutes, turned into deep humiliation with a 5-4 aggregate defeat after extra time. This isn’t just a loss, it’s a gut punch for the club.
From Party Chants to Warning Signs
Captain Callum McGregor got things rolling early, striking a deflected shot past the keeper in the 21st minute. That made it 4-0 on aggregate. You could practically hear the party starting with Celtic fans chanting about the Champions League. It felt like destiny. But then the cracks started to show. LASK got one back in the 32nd minute. Moses Usor pounced on a gift of a pass from Benjamin Nygren and coolly finished. James McFadden on BBC Radio Scotland called it a “lovely composed finish, but that is an absolute gift.” We all thought, “Surely Celtic had banished those Kairat demons from last season?” Nope.
The Floodgates Open
The second half started slow, but then Robert Ljubicic cranked up the pressure. Defender Auston Trusty got caught completely lacking, giving Ljubicic too much time and space. He ripped one from the edge of the area past Viljami Sinisalo. Celtic was utterly stunned. McFadden didn’t hold back, calling Trusty’s defending “unacceptable.” LASK was now up 2-1 on the night, and you could see major cracks in Celtic’s ability to handle the rampant press. Just ten minutes later, in the 58th, Sascha Horvath set up a sensational Adeniran strike from 25 yards. Alarm bells were blaring. Celtic had no response, completely flat-footed and bereft of confidence. The game was played almost exclusively in their half from then on.
Another Nightmare Evening Unfolds
Then, in the 90th minute, Flecker hit the all-important leveller, tying the aggregate score 4-4. LASK had been hitting the bar and whipping crosses all game, but this was it. This nightmare evening unfolded just like last season’s disastrous loss to Kairat Almaty, which ultimately cast a long shadow over their entire year. Now, this latest capitulation feels like the start of another, even deeper, hole for the club. What a brutal way to kick off the season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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