Celtic throw away 4-0 lead & lose to LASK in remarkable Champions League play-off

While Celtic held a commanding lead from the first leg, they would have known that the tie was far from over against the Austrian champions.

Martin O’Neill’s men had the first couple of chances of the game, with Mika Baur’s flick-on almost converted by Kasper Hogh before the Danish striker wasted a fantastic opportunity on the counter.

Soon after the quarter-hour mark, the hosts started to gain a foothold in the game as they tried to haul their way back into the tie.

However, midway through the half, Celtic put themselves in even more control of the tie by opening the scoring. Yang Hyun-jun's cutback found captain Callum McGregor, who struck a first-time effort that took a nick off Andrade and wrong-footed Lukas Jungwirth between the LASK sticks.

With Celtic in the ascendancy, Hogh spurned another good opportunity, although Jungwirth produced a good save on this occasion.

Dietmar Kuhbauer‘s men then took advantage of that reprieve to at least reduce the deficit back to three on aggregate. Benjamin Nygren was Man of the Match in last week’s first leg, but the Swedish midfielder had a lapse in concentration as his loose back pass was seized upon by Moses Usor, who slotted home.

Still three goals ahead on aggregate and within 45 minutes of the League Phase, Celtic will have been pleased with the state of affairs at the break.

Nevertheless, Die Schwarz-Weissen came out of the traps quickly after the restart and took the lead on the night to restore hope. On this occasion, Usor turned provider by teeing up Robert Ljubicic, who drilled home.

If Celtic were feeling the pressure after that strike, it would have only ramped up further when LASK found the net once more with around an hour on the clock. Samuel Adeniran wasted some glorious opportunities in Glasgow last week, yet the American striker curled home a stunning first-time effort from all of 30 yards here.

The Raiffeisen Arena was rocking, while the Scottish champions were on the ropes. The Hoops were now camped in their own third and, just before the 70th minute, Adeniran hit the crossbar as a flurry of LASK openings went begging.

Celtic looked as though they had ridden out the storm but, as the game ticked over into stoppage time, substitute Florian Flecker was on hand to nod home the rebound into the empty net, sending the tie into extra-time. 

After an uneventful first 15 minutes of the extra 30, LASK finally got their noses in front in the tie for the first time. Luke McCowan was caught in possession in a dangerous area and Adenarin hit a low, hard strike into the bottom corner just out of Sinisalo’s reach.

Adenarin even had the chance for a hat-trick from the spot but was denied by a Sinisalo save.

Ultimately, though, it mattered not as the men from Linz held on for an incredible result and will be in Thursday’s League Phase draw.

Celtic, meanwhile, now have to settle for a UEFA Europa League spot, and this defeat will take some getting over.

Flashscore Man of the Match: Sascha Horvath (LASK)

Catch up on the match here.