Griffiths the difference as Hoops leave it late

Striker comes off the bench to head a dramatic late winner for Rodgers’ men

Leigh Griffiths climbed off the bench to score a dramatic late winner for Celtic in their Europa League Group B opener against old foes Rosenborg at Parkhead.

The Hoops had knocked the Norwegian outfit out of the Champions League qualifiers earlier in the season and indeed last year.

That familiarity appeared to contribute to an insipid first 45 minutes which ended with visiting keeper Andre Hansen touching a shot from Odsonne Edouard on to the outside of the post.

The Scottish champions continued their struggle in the second half until the 87th minute when Griffiths, on for Edouard, headed in a Dedryck Boyata knock down for a 1-0 win and three points that had looked like escaping them.

The first half only warmed up towards the interval.

Celtic had lost just once in eight previous meetings with Rosenborg so there was a certain expectancy among the home support, who saw defender Mikael Lustig take over from an ill

Kristoffer Ajer.

The visitors looked solid enough in the early stages, their flair coming from Tunisian striker Issam Jebali, who, along with Serbian midfielder Djordje Denic, were new faces in the side from the last visit to Glasgow.

Amid the early skirmishes, though, Jebali was booked by Polish referee Pawel Gil for simulation after he went to ground inside the Celtic penalty area when taking on Lustig.

Minutes later Hoops centre-back Filip Benkovic, making his European debut for the home side, tested Hansen with a header from a Callum McGregor corner.

However, for all the possession, the zip was missing from Celtic’s play.

But in the 42nd minute Hansen made a fine double save, first from Tom Rogic’s left-footed drive from 16 yards before pushing Edouard’s close-range effort from the rebound on to the outside of the post.

Just before the hour mark Rogic and James Forrest were replaced by Scott Sinclair and Mikey Johnston as Brendan Rodgers tried a speedier route to the opener.

The two substitutes combined in the 62nd minute when Johnston burst into the box and crossed for Sinclair but his volley missed the target.

Griffiths, who recently signed a new four-year deal with the Parkhead club, replaced Edouard in the 76th minute before Johnston turned a Kieran Tierney cut-back over the bar.

However, all was well when Griffiths, from right in front of goal and unmarked, headed Boyata’s set-up from a Scott Brown cross past Hansen to secure the points.

Celtic: Gordon, Lustig, Boyata, Benkovic, Tierney, Rogic (Sinclair 57), Brown, Forrest (Johnston 58), McGregor, Ntcham, Edouard (Griffiths 76). Subs not used: Bain, Jack Hendry, Christie, Mulumbu.

Rosenborg: Hansen, Hedenstadt, Hovland, Reginiussen, Meling, Denic, Jensen, Konradsen (Lundemo 45), de Lanlay (Trondsen 69), Soderlund (Levi 78), Jebali. Subs not used: Ostbo, Vilhjalmsson, Gersbach, Serbecic.

Pictures: Getty. Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths heads home the only goal of the game to give Celtic victory last night.

Picture: SNS. Brendan Rodgers watched his side finally secure victory in their opening Europa League game.