The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Defensive blunders so costly as Hoops hopes are undone
Veteran Toure’s errors gift visitors Gladbach goals and key victory
Celtic’s Champions League aspirations were blown apart by German side Borussia Monchengladbach, who were more than worth their 2-0 victory at Parkhead after a series of defensive howlers by the Hoops.
The Hoops went into the game buoyed by their 3-3 draw against Manchester City on matchday two last month.
Goalkeeper Craig Gordon had to make several crucial saves in a first half largely controlled by the slick-moving Bundesliga outfit, who picked up their first points in Group C.
Captain Lars Stindl got the breakthrough in the 56th minute and then Andre Hahn made it 2-0 on the break in the 77th minute – both times Celtic defender Kolo Toure was found wanting – to leave Brendan Rodgers’ side with one point from a possible nine ahead of the return fixture in Germany in two weeks.
The Scottish champions have still to play Barcelona at home and City away which meant it was always going to be a key match.
The visitors arrived without a point after two matches and with a squad hit by injury and illness.
Rodgers made four changes to his side with Toure, Mikael Lustig, Nir Bitton and Tom Rogic returning to form the same team which tested City to the limit.
Without a domestic defeat this season, there was no lack of confidence ahead of the game.
Another packed house at Parkhead, however, was largely frustrated as the visitors started the game with pace and purpose.
In the first couple of minutes Toure got back to block an angled drive from Hahn after the German
“Another packed house at Parkhead was largely frustrated”
attacker raced on to a pass from Stindl.
The corner came to nothing but it was an early warning for Celtic.
A Bitton free kick in the 15th minute was pushed round the post by Gladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer for a corner but, aside from that, the Bundesliga side looked in control.
The game zipped from end to end and Gordon made a great save from Ibrahima Traore after the Gladbach wide player had been set up by Jonas Hofmann, the Parkhead goalkeeper gathering the low drive at the second attempt with Hahn lurking.
The Scotland international made another good save in the 26th minute, this time from Hofmann’s stinging drive after the visitors again exploited space behind left back Kieran Tierney.
The home supporters grew increasingly agitated as Gordon was forced to tip a drive from Hahn over the bar after another swift Gladbach break.
For all that, the Hoops should still have managed to go into the interval with a goal.
Rogic’s defence-splitting pass found Scott Sinclair but, with plenty of time and only Sommer to beat, he scooped his shot over the bar.
Gladbach defender Tobias Strobl came close with a curling shot from 25 yards early in the second half but the opener was only moments away.
There looked little danger as Toure tried to shepherd a loose ball out of play.
However, Hahn refused to give it up and hooked the ball back to Stindl who, from an angle, drilled the ball through Gordon’s legs from 10 yards before taking the acclaim of the away supporters.
Callum McGregor, Leigh Griffiths and Patrick Roberts came on for Bitton, Rogic and James Forrest as Rodgers tried another route back into
the game, but the points were confirmed to be heading back to Germany when Hahn burst through towards the Hoops penalty area chased by Toure, who had been dispossessed, and Lustig, before he knocked it high past Gordon to seal a good night’s work for Andre Schubert’s men.
Mesut Ozil scored a hat-trick after stunning goals from Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott as Arsenal dismantled Bulgarian champions Ludogorets Razgrad in a ruthless Champions League display at the Emirates last night. Chile international Sanchez got the first with a chip from just inside the box which left the goalkeeper stranded. It quickly got better, for the Gunners were in devastating and ruthless form.
Walcott powered a curling shot home after Ludogorets’ Wanderson hit the post.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain then smashed a loose ball into the corner for the third before Ozil scored three times in a game for the first time in his career.