Rodgers fumes over first-half surrender as Celtic crash out
Celtic went out of the Europa League in calamitous style in Russia. Their deserved 1-0 lead from the first leg at Parkhead last week was wiped out before half an hour had been played with Brendan Rodgers’s side culpable.
Returning defender Branislav Ivanovic, celebrating his 34th birthday, put Zenit in front with a header from a poorly defended corner in the eighth minute before attacker Daler Kuzyaev fired in a long-range drive in the 27th minute which had goalkeeper Dorus de Vries grasping air.
Still, a goal was all the visitors needed to reach the last 16, but in the 61st minute striker Aleksandr Kokorin, who had previously scored against Celtic for Dinamo Moscow, made it 3-0 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate. That ended the hopes of the Scottish champions.
Celtic looked at ease from kickoff in a subdued atmosphere only to be stunned by the early goal.
De Vries made a decent save turning a long-distance drive from Leandro Paredes past the post for a corner but when the Argentine delivered his set-piece into the box, Ivanovic rose to bullet in his header with centre-backs Jozo Simunovic and Kristoffer Ajer unable to get in a real challenge.
Zenit’s second goal also appeared avoidable as Kuzyaev, after taking an Anton Zabolotny pass, fired high past De Vries from 25 yards with the Dutchman appearing to misjudge the flight of the ball.
There was more woe for Celtic when, with their defence in disarray again, Kokorin got in front of rightback Mikael Lustig and bundled in the third goal from just a few yards out, Ivanovic supplying the cross.
Rodgers was not happy at his side’s surrender. “In the first half, we weren’t aggressive enough and too passive,” he said. “So yeah, a disappointing end – a bit better in the second half – but we gave away three very poor goals.”
Zenit St Petersburg Booked Celtic Referee
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