Match ends, Celtic 1, FC Red Bull Salzburg 2.
Celtic scraped into the last 32 of the Europa League on a night of astonishing drama thanks to a late Rosenborg goal in Leipzig.
With Celtic two down to Salzburg - and Leipzig ahead - the below-par Scottish champions were heading out, until Tore Reginiussen's shock equaliser four minutes from time for the Norwegian side in Germany.
Goals from Moanes Dabbur and Frederik Gulbrandsen - after a horrible Craig Gordon error - had group winners Salzburg in command in Glasgow.
Olivier Ntcham pulled a goal back at the death, scoring the rebound after missing a penalty, but it was Reginiussen's late strike for the section's bottom side that would prove pivotal.
Celtic lost captain Mikael Lustig and Ryan Christie to injury as they chased the game against last year's semi-finalists.
The Parkhead side finish their group campaign on nine points, and join Salzburg in the last-32 draw at 12:00 GMT on Monday.
- 19 minutes, 1000 miles & new football friends
- Qualification 'huge achievement' for Celtic
- 'Ryan is on crutches' - Celtic to review Christie injury
- Reaction & as it happened
'A night of ice and fire'
It was an evening that started with fire and ferocity outside Celtic Park on a frosty Glasgow night. Pyrotechnics and fireworks illuminated the sky in the east end of the city as a group of Celtic's supporters added to what they already knew was an occasion of great importance.
However, that paled in comparison to the sparks that would fly in a spellbinding last 10 minutes at Celtic Park on what was a night of hard toil for the hosts.
For all the illumination pre-match, the home side spent the majority of the game chasing shadows as they simply failed to get to grips with a Salzburg side that relentlessly forced them to retreat deep.
Their cause was not helped as injuries took their toll. First, captain Lustig went off following a head knock, while man of the moment Christie was taken off on a stretcher with his leg in a brace as a result of blocking a shot in the second half. He left the ground on crutches and concern will remain around how long it will be before he returns.
The Austrians were dominant from the start. Fifteen minutes in came the first real warning shot as Diadie Samassekou's header came crashing back off the bar.
After half an hour Kristoffer Ajer - who came on to replace Lustig - almost cost his team with an inexplicable pass straight to Hannes Wolf. He raced in on goal, only for Gordon to pull off a stunning save.
The first half came and went without a shot on target for Brendan Rodgers' men, and the one-way traffic continued after the break despite Scott Brown's introduction for Scott Sinclair.
For all Celtic's resolve before the break, the opener was just too easy for Salzburg. Stefan Lainer had the freedom of Glasgow to swing in a deep cross, with Dabbur splitting the centre-halves and heading in from six yards. Only a terrific save from Gordon would deny him a second four minutes later.
However, there was no preparation for what was to come with 13 minutes to play as Celtic threatened to implode. With the ball in his grasp, Gordon attempted to throw it to Tierney, but only managed to crash it against the loitering Gulbrandsen. The Scotland goalkeeper attempted to recover, but it was too late.
Celtic looked dead and buried and, when Ajer somehow turned the ball over the bar from just two yards out with eight minutes left, the writing was on the wall for the Scottish champions.
But, with all hope lost, something extraordinary happened.
With Celtic Park falling silent, a trickle of excitement, cheering and eventually euphoria began to bounce around the ground as word of Reginiussen's goal reached Glasgow.
It seemed to rouse their team as Celtic began to drive forward and they got their reward when Filip Benkovic was upended in the box by Jerome Onguene. Ntcham's effort from the spot was knocked on to the post by Alexander Walke, only for the Frenchman to turn in the rebound.
In the end, it didn't matter. Moments later a raucous roar erupted once more, heralding full-time in Leipzig. Celtic's early Christmas miracle had arrived.
'A little bit of good fortune at the end' - analysis
Former Aberdeen defender Willie Miller on BBC Scotland
We assumed that Salzburg had nothing to play for because they had won the group. We assumed Rosenborg had nothing to play for because they had no chance. And how wrong can you be on both counts. Celtic had to amass the points in the first place. But it was a little bit of good fortune in the end.
It was better in the second half. Rodgers worked hard at half time, got the shape right and Celtic looked a much better force. But the first half was extremely disappointing. Celtic were all over the place. It could have been more embarrassing.
Match stats
- Celtic's first attempt on target came in 89th minute from Olivier Ntcham
- Brendan Rodgers' side have progressed through the group stages for just the second time (after 2014/15) having failed with their other three attempts
- They have failed to win any of their four European games against Red Bull Salzburg (D1 L3)
- Celtic won three of their six games - as many as they have managed in their previous 18 Europa League games
- FC Red Bull Salzburg have won 37 Europa League games since it was rebranded in 2009-10 - more than any other team
- No player has scored more Europa League goals this season than Salzburg's Munas Dabbur (6)
Line-ups
Celtic
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Gordon
- 23LustigSubstituted forAjerat 21'minutes
- 5Simunovic
- 32BenkovicBooked at 88mins
- 63Tierney
- 49Forrest
- 42McGregor
- 18Rogic
- 11SinclairSubstituted forBrownat 45'minutes
- 17ChristieSubstituted forNtchamat 58'minutes
- 22Edouard
Substitutes
- 3Izaguirre
- 8Brown
- 15Hayes
- 16Morgan
- 21Ntcham
- 29Bain
- 35Ajer
RB Salzburg
Formation 4-1-2-1-2
- 33Walke
- 22Lainer
- 15RamalhoBooked at 87mins
- 6OnguénéBooked at 19mins
- 17Ulmer
- 8Samassekou
- 45MwepuSubstituted forLeitgebat 80'minutes
- 16Junuzovic
- 18MinaminoSubstituted forGulbrandsenat 74'minutes
- 9DabburSubstituted forPrevljakat 90+1'minutes
- 13Wolf
Substitutes
- 1Stankovic
- 11Prevljak
- 20Daka
- 21Gulbrandsen
- 24Leitgeb
- 34Pongracic
- 55Todorovic
- Referee:
- Ruddy Buquet
- Attendance:
- 57,578
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home49%
- Away51%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away18
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away6
- Corners
- Home4
- Away11
- Fouls
- Home4
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Celtic 1, FC Red Bull Salzburg 2.
Post update
Corner, FC Red Bull Salzburg. Conceded by Kristoffer Ajer.
Goal!
Goal! Celtic 1, FC Red Bull Salzburg 2. Olivier Ntcham (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner following a set piece situation.
Post update
Penalty saved! Olivier Ntcham (Celtic) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, right footed shot saved in the bottom left corner.
Post update
Penalty conceded by Jerôme Onguéné (FC Red Bull Salzburg) after a foul in the penalty area.
Post update
Penalty Celtic. Filip Benkovic draws a foul in the penalty area.
Post update
Attempt missed. James Forrest (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left.
Post update
Attempt saved. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Callum McGregor.
Post update
Foul by Smail Prevljak (FC Red Bull Salzburg).
Post update
Jozo Simunovic (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Jerôme Onguéné (FC Red Bull Salzburg) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Filip Benkovic (Celtic).
Post update
Attempt blocked. Zlatko Junuzovic (FC Red Bull Salzburg) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, FC Red Bull Salzburg. Smail Prevljak replaces Munas Dabbur.
Post update
Attempt blocked. James Forrest (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Filip Benkovic with a headed pass.
Post update
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Alexander Walke.
Post update
Attempt saved. Olivier Ntcham (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
Booking
Filip Benkovic (Celtic) is shown the yellow card.
Booking
André Ramalho (FC Red Bull Salzburg) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Comments
Join the conversation
As a neutral I admire them. A club who has won the European Cup. Always welcome to see them in European competitions come Feb.
Also credit to RB Salzburg - 6 wins from 6. They have been awesome in this comp for 5 seasons now and deserve a shot in the Champions League.
The runaway leaders in Austria
The runaway leaders in Norway
4th in Germany
That’s a fantastic result by any measure...
So, all you bitter little trolls can naff off...
And the wee man Ryan Christie is alright
Points make prizes,,,
Celtic 9 Pts RBL 7 Pts is all that matters,,,
On we go to 8 in a row
england
Saw them tonight with their british flags embarrassing us again.
1st in the Austrian league
4th in the German league
1st in the Norwegian league
...is fantastic...
But, Sevco TV (BBC), refers to ‘scraping’ through...?
They must really be hurtin...
Dear Little Englanders, if it wasn't for foreign investment and foreign players your overrated league, would be like the SPL minus any grit, passion, excitement. Most of your games are shockingly boring, fact!
Hail Hail 🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬
Think they have accumulated the most points in europa league group stage since it started.
Shows that there is still plenty of room for improvement for Celtic.
Not the way I wanted Celtic to go through thou we still got through.
Tough ask thou as some great seeded teams still in
Hope Christie is OK