Europa League
CelticCeltic1RB SalzburgFC Red Bull Salzburg3

Celtic 1-3 Salzburg

By Richard WilsonBBC Scotland at Celtic Park
Alan scored an early double to leave Celtic chasing a two-goal deficit.
Alan scored an early double to leave Celtic chasing a two-goal deficit.
  • Celtic progress as runners-up from Group D
  • Alan double for Salzburg inside 13 minutes
  • Stefan Johansen on target for Celtic
  • Stoppage-time goal from Naby Keita as Salzburg win group

Celtic qualified for the knockout stage of the Europa League despite falling to defeat at home to Salzburg.

Salzburg's win secured the Austrian's top spot in Group D, with Alan scoring twice in the first-half and Naby Keita adding another late on.

Celtic's riposte came from Stefan Johansen and they played more assuredly after the break, but they were undone by Salzburg's initial zeal.

Astra defeat Dynamo Zagreb in Romania to ensure Celtic finished second.

Celtic were immediately swamped. If Ronny Deila had not been so grim-faced and concerned at the alarming lack of resistance amongst his own players, he would have admired Salzburg's accomplishment.

The visitors were everything the Celtic manager would wish his own side could be: swift of thought and movement, incisive, quick and precise in their passing, and capable of winning the ball back effectively. The home side were overwhelmed.

Salzburg came into the game as the highest scorers in the competition and the effectiveness of their attack was clear.

There was an element of good fortune about the early goal. Massimo Bruno's shot was deflected in an arc over the Celtic defence, with the ball dropping to Alan inside the area, with the striker prodding a volley into the net.

Martin Hinteregger's header demanded a sharp save from Craig Gordon, but the visitors could not be contained.

Four minutes after opening the scoring, Alan added a second. He was a lithe, elusive figure up front, and the Celtic defenders were leaden footed in comparison.

When Andre Ramalho headed a corner on, Alan reacted first and converted from close range.

There was almost a third, when the impressive Jonathan Soriano swept in a free-kick, but as Gordon correctly realised the referee had awarded an indirect set piece.

Stefan Johansen pulled one back for Celtic against Salzburg.
Stefan Johansen pulled one back for Celtic against Salzburg.

With Salzburg playing a narrow formation, they could command the midfield, but that also left Celtic with hope on the flanks. It took 30 minutes for a foray to become meaningful, but when Emilio Izaguirre hurled in a cross from the left Johansen finished crisply and accurately.

The goal revived the Celtic support and brought renewed purpose to the home side. It was clear why Salzburg have such an impressive European record though, because they were unfazed. They kept their poise but also their sense of adventure, and one counter-attack took just three quick passes to cover the length of the field.

Celtic were more composed after the interval. They lacked a cutting edge, though, which prompted some fans to holler for James Forrest to be brought on. The sense was that if the game was to be rescued, Celtic needed to be more threatening.

There was a reminder, too, of the danger the visitors still carried. A break upfield saw Soriano and Bruno exchange passes, but the former finished weakly from the edge of the area, sending the ball trundling wide.

Salzburg were capable of a casual aplomb, but they could also be unnerved. Celtic came close when Leigh Griffiths saw a header from Izaguirre's cross saved, but the equaliser wouldn't come.

Instead, the substitute Keita added a third with a header after a Salzburg counter attack.

Salzberg's Alan celebrates having opened the scoring 0-1
Salzberg's Alan celebrates having made it 1-0 to the visitors
Alan made it 2-0 for Salzburg just five minutes after opening the scoring.
Alan made it 2-0 for Salzburg just five minutes after opening the scoring.
Scott Brown led a team enquiry after Celtic fell 2-0 behind.
Scott Brown led a team enquiry after Celtic fell 2-0 behind.
Salzburg won the group with a final game still to play
Salzburg won the group with a final game still to play.

Line-ups

Celtic

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 26Gordon
  • 2Matthews
  • 4Ambrose
  • 5van Dijk
  • 3Izaguirre
  • 8Brown
  • 21MulgrewSubstituted forTonevat 74'minutes
  • 42McGregorSubstituted forForrestat 67'minutes
  • 25JohansenBooked at 34mins
  • 10StokesSubstituted forCommonsat 67'minutes
  • 28Griffiths

Substitutes

  • 6Bitton
  • 12Scepovic
  • 15Commons
  • 24Zaluska
  • 27Tonev
  • 33Kayal
  • 49Forrest

RB Salzburg

Formation 4-1-2-1-2

  • 31Gulacsi
  • 4AnkersenSubstituted forSchweglerat 80'minutes
  • 5Ramalho
  • 36Hinteregger
  • 2SchmitzBooked at 39mins
  • 13Ilsanker
  • 24Leitgeb
  • 44Kampl
  • 77BrunoSubstituted forKeitaat 71'minutes
  • 27Borges de Carvalho
  • 26SorianoSubstituted forSabitzerat 74'minutes

Substitutes

  • 6Schwegler
  • 7Sabitzer
  • 8Keita
  • 33Walke
  • 41Laimer
  • 45Caleta-Car
Referee:
Halis Özkahya

Match Stats

Home TeamCelticAway TeamRB Salzburg
Possession
Home51%
Away49%
Shots
Home7
Away12
Shots on Target
Home2
Away7
Corners
Home6
Away6
Fouls
Home15
Away11

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Celtic 1, FC Red Bull Salzburg 3.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Celtic 1, FC Red Bull Salzburg 3.

  3. Post update

    Stefan Johansen (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Alan (FC Red Bull Salzburg).

  5. Post update

    Attempt missed. James Forrest (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Scott Brown.

  6. Goal!

    Goal! Celtic 1, FC Red Bull Salzburg 3. Naby Keita (FC Red Bull Salzburg) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.

  7. Post update

    Attempt saved. Marcel Sabitzer (FC Red Bull Salzburg) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Kevin Kampl.

  8. Post update

    Corner, FC Red Bull Salzburg. Conceded by Virgil van Dijk.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).

  10. Post update

    Marcel Sabitzer (FC Red Bull Salzburg) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  11. Post update

    Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  12. Post update

    Delay in match (FC Red Bull Salzburg).

  13. Post update

    Attempt missed. Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is just a bit too high. Assisted by Stefan Johansen.

  14. Substitution

    Substitution, FC Red Bull Salzburg. Christian Schwegler replaces Peter Ankersen.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Kevin Kampl (FC Red Bull Salzburg).

  16. Post update

    Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  17. Post update

    Attempt missed. Marcel Sabitzer (FC Red Bull Salzburg) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Christoph Leitgeb following a fast break.

  18. Post update

    Attempt saved. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) header from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Emilio Izaguirre with a cross.

  19. Post update

    Offside, FC Red Bull Salzburg. Stefan Ilsanker tries a through ball, but Alan is caught offside.

  20. Substitution

    Substitution, FC Red Bull Salzburg. Marcel Sabitzer replaces Jonatan Soriano.

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Thursday 27th November 2014

As It Stood

A

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1B Mgladbach523011479
2Villarreal522113768
3FC Zürich52121011-17
4Apollon Limassol5104416-123

B

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Club Bruges52308179
2Torino52214228
3HJK Helsinki520349-56
4FC Copenhagen511348-44

C

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Tottenham532093611
2Besiktas523010559
3Asteras Tripolis5122710-35
4Partizan Belgrade501419-81

D

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1RB Salzburg5410167913
2Celtic52217708
3Astra Giurgiu5113510-54
4Dinamo Zagreb5104812-43

E

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Dinamo Moscow550083515
2PSV Eindhoven42115417
3Estoril Praia410334-13
4Panathinaikos5014510-51

F

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Inter Milan532062411
2FK Qarabag512235-25
3Saint-Étienne50502205
4Dnipropetrovsk511335-24

G

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Feyenoord53027619
2Sevilla52217528
3HNK Rijeka52127707
4Standard Liege511347-34

H

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Everton5320102811
2Wolfsburg5212111017
3Lille504136-34
4FK Krasnodar5032612-63

I

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Napoli531183510
2Sparta Prague5311114710
3BSC Young Boys530211749
4Slovan Bratislava5005117-160

J

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Dynamo Kyiv5401104612
2Aalborg BK530258-39
3FCSB521211747
4Rio Ave5014310-71

K

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Fiorentina5410102813
2Guingamp52125507
3PAOK Salonika52129547
4Dinamo Minsk5014113-121

L

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Legia Warsaw540152312
2Trabzonspor531184410
3KSC Lokeren521234-17
4Metalist Kharkiv500539-60
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