CAL’S ZEN MASTERS
cross resulted in a McGregor shot deflected over.
Celtic were winning all the second balls and even when they did lose possession, it was snatched back before Zenit could do a thing.
Twice within four minutes, great team play should have brought an opener.
Firstly, on the half-hour, McGregor backheeled a pass to Forrest and got the ball back from his winger before sending the ball across Zenit’s six-yard box, which was missed by Dembele and Tierney.
And then Tierney got past his markers – again – with a cross identical to the previous effort and while Dembele and Kouassi both ended up in the back of the net, the ball did not.
WHEN the break did come, and with no goals to show for all the effort, it was hard to shrug off the feeling Celtic had been here before in Europe.
For all their fine play, they could not capitalise and in such matches, scoring when things are going well is vital.
A wonderful Tierney crossfield pass from the left found Kouassi who tried to pick out the run of McGregor, only for Lunev to read the situation.
Kouassi was really getting into the game now – it was his best showing in the hoops – and he tested Zenit keeper Lunev with a decent drive from way outside the box.
Rodgers threw on Charly Musonda to replace Kouassi, who had just been booked, on 73 minutes. And the on-loan man produced a moment of brilliance with 12 minutes to go. Musonda had three men around him inside his own half and on the bye-line but still managed to find Dembele with an exquisite pass.
The striker got himself upfield, Musonda followed, the ball broke back to him and his lobbed pass picked out McGregor, who controlled on his chest before producing a stunning shot which set Celtic Park into a state of bedlam.
And while Zenit put some crosses into the Celtic box, the much-maligned defence held still.