An embarrassing Champions League exit Tuesday for Celtic in the qualifying playoffs somehow was even worse than last year.
Meltdown. Implosion. Humiliation.
Celtic led 4-0 on aggregate score Tuesday after a half hour of the second leg in Austria, yet five unanswered goals by LASK — the fifth and decisive one coming in extra time of a 5-1 win — still felt like coach Martin O'Neill's team got off lightly with a 5-4 loss on aggregate score.
It is now two straight years the Scottish **** le holder has wasted clear chances to play on the lucrative biggest stage of European club soccer by losing in late-August to an unheralded team advancing for the very first time.
"We were far too passive. We don't have any excuses," said Callum McGregor, the Celtic captain whose 21st-minute goal Tuesday had seemed likely to secure the Champions League entry.
#tuesday
Meltdown. Implosion. Humiliation.
Celtic led 4-0 on aggregate score Tuesday after a half hour of the second leg in Austria, yet five unanswered goals by LASK — the fifth and decisive one coming in extra time of a 5-1 win — still felt like coach Martin O'Neill's team got off lightly with a 5-4 loss on aggregate score.
It is now two straight years the Scottish **** le holder has wasted clear chances to play on the lucrative biggest stage of European club soccer by losing in late-August to an unheralded team advancing for the very first time.
"We were far too passive. We don't have any excuses," said Callum McGregor, the Celtic captain whose 21st-minute goal Tuesday had seemed likely to secure the Champions League entry.
#tuesday
2 months ago
