Celtic’s European ambitions ruined in Athens
CELTIC’S Champions League ambitions were reduced to rubble on a fraught night in Athens. An already arduous task for the Scots after the 1-1 draw in Glasgow last week was made more difficult by the loss of Odsonne Edouard to injury. The Frenchman didn’t even make the squad. Defenders Dedryck Boyata and Kristoffer Ajer were also missing — and Celtic paid the price as mistakes at the back saw them eliminated. Rodgers said: ‘I still felt this was a game in which we had more than enough to win but you have to defend better than we did. We gave AEK a lot of problems but you have to defend properly.’ Michalis Bakakis showed the Greeks’ intent with an early header which drifted just wide. It set a precedent and Celtic’s lax defending was punished the next time AEK came forward. In a move painfully reminiscent of the goal they scored at Celtic Park, Niklas Hult turned Mikael Lustig before crossing to Rodrigo Galo, who guided a strike beyond goalkeeper Craig Gordon with only six minutes gone. Celtic gradually came into the game but any momentum Rodgers’s side built up at the end of the first period evaporated moments after the restart. Lustig conceded a cheap free-kick and Galo’s delivery saw Vassilis Lambropoulos out-jump Jack Hendry at the far post. His header across goal found Marko Livaja and he nodded beyond Gordon. Hope arrived for Celtic 12 minutes from time. Kieran Tierney had a frustrating evening but delivered a cross that sat up perfectly for substitute Scott Sinclair, who headed home from six yards. The goal set up a grandstand finish but amid a deafening chorus of boos, Jozo Simunovic’s back-flick went wide and Celtic were on their knees and out — and into the Europa League play-off.