SO NEAR... AND YET SO FAR
Celts blow two-goal lead but Lennon hails an improved display
FOR Celtic, the satisfaction of a useful Europa League point was offset by a harsh truth. The platform was there to win all three.
At half-time, it all looked so vibrant. Two goals from Mohamed Elyounoussi placed Scotland’s champions firmly on course for their first win on French soil since the season they lifted the European Cup. Scott Bain had even saved a penalty from a £30million striker.
The loss of defender Kris Ajer to injury early in the second half was one explanation for the secondhalf collapse. A continued fragility defending set-pieces was another.
For the first time in six years, Celtic have now gone four games without a win.
But after repelling a late onslaught from the team who threaten to topple Paris SaintGermain off their perch in Ligue One, a point didn’t feel so bad in the end. After the defeat to AC Milan in the opener, back-to-back games against Sparta Prague now offer a platform for a tilt at the last 32.
‘ We have come away with a positive result here, even though it could have been better,’ said Celtic manager Neil Lennon
‘I didn’t see too much lack of confidence tonight at all. In fact, I thought we were very positive for the majority of the game. We looked a good side.
‘Some of them need to get a little bit fitter. But they can only do that by getting more game-time into their legs.
‘ But I’m delighted with the character the team showed.
‘Losing Ajer at that stage of the game was a blow because he’s been playing really well.’
Ajer’s departure after 52 minutes contributed to goals for Zeki Celik and Jonathan I kone, which preserved Lille’s long unbeaten home run. The blessing for Celtic came in the failure of the Ligue One joint-leaders to snatch a winner.
Bain’s fine save from a disputed Jonathan David spot-kick at the end of the first half was another highlight for the visitors. Blameless for both Lille goals, he could be pleased with his night in the end.
The former Dundee keeper began the season as understudy to £5m signing Vasilis Barkas. With the Greek recovered from a back problem, Lennon’s decision to stand by his No 2 was justified with a number of solid stops.
The f i rst was f rom France Under-21 international Boubakary Soumare after 13 minutes as Lille laid siege to Celtic’s crowded area. His second came from a free-kick from dangerman Yuzuf Yazici after Shane Duffy’s rash challenge 20 yards from goal gifted Lille an opportunity in a dangerous position. Once again, Duffy didn’t have the best of nights.
Celtic’s opening goal after 28 minutes was a high-quality finish. Picked up front in a 4-2-3-1 system, Albian Ajeti atoned for an early miss when he backheeled a heavy touch from Celik into the path of Elyounoussi wide on the left.
With space to run at, the obvious option was to play in Olivier Ntcham as the Frenchman made a dart into the box. The on-loan Southampton man chose instead to plant a sublime curling strike into the far corner of the net from 24 yards. Celtic were in front.
The visitors — and Elyounoussi — were not done yet. There were four minutes and 28 seconds between the two goals.
The second came from a rampaging run down the right by Jeremie Frimpong, the full-back squaring a fine ball for Elyounoussi to sweep a low finish into the net. On a night of low expectation, Celtic were in danger of confounding everyone.
The flow of the game altered in the final five minutes of the first half.
Lennon came out fighting on behalf of Duffy in the pre-match press conference, branding criticism of the Republic of Ireland captain over the top and excessive. Yet there was no defending the onloan Brighton man’s role in the penalty which made Bain a hero.
There was no need to clip David on the edge of the area. Debate will continue as to whether the offence was inside or out but, with no VAR on hand, the Macedonian referee pointed to the penalty spot
Seeking his first goal since a summer move, David took the kick himself. Bain went to the left, but hung a right foot back just far enough to block an unconvincing effort.
The former Scotland keeper nearly undid all his good work moments later, racing from his line for a high ball before dropping it at the feet of Sven Botman. The Dutch defender chipped a shot through a ruck of bodies, clipping the crossbar. Dominant for so long in the first half, Celtic’s defensive
Achilles heel had so nearly cost them twice. Somehow they limped through to half-time with a 2-0 lead intact.
The respite wouldn’t last long. The catalyst for a second-half collapse was the loss of Ajer.
The last thing Lennon needed was another defensive casualty. Nir Bitton’s return from Covid-19 was timely, yet a triple Lille substitution was the signal for a full-scale onslaught.
Lennon made a change of his own, bringing Odsonne Edouard back from his own coronavirus lay-off. But Celtic were tiring, retreating deeper and deeper and the Lille fightback began after 67 minutes. Typically, it stemmed from poor defending of a set-piece.
A Yazici corner was met in the air by Soumare, his headed ball bundled in at the back post by Celik. That was the cue for a backs-to-the-wall finish to the game for Celtic. In a running theme of recent weeks, they were unable to keep the back door shut.
Lille’s equaliser was a scrappy, scuffed affair, the visitors wasting chances to clear before the ball fell for Ikone to turn and hit a deflected shot past Bain for 2-2.
With 15 minutes to go it was natural to fear the worst for Celtic. Yet Lennon bemoaned afterwards the f ailure of Elyounoussi to claim a hat- trick with a l ate counter-attack.
‘I just wish he had pulled the trigger second half when it opened up for us on two occasions,’ said the Parkhead boss. ‘He just wanted to take that extra touch when the shot was on.
‘On a couple of occasions towards the end on the counter, we could have picked them off better.
‘It’s frustrating not to have won the game, but that says a lot when you’ve come here and you’re disappointed not to win.’
LILLE (4-4-2): Magian 6; Celik 6, Botman 6, Soumaoro 7, Bradaric 6; Ikone 7, Andre 5 (Sanches 64), Soumare 7, Bamba 6 (Araujo 63); Yazici (Weah 83) 6, David 4, (Yilmaz 63). Subs not used: Arnezis, Chevalier, Djalo, Fonte Xeka, Lihadji, Pied, Reinildo. Booked: Andre.
CELTIC (4-2-3-1): Bain 8; Frimpong 7, Duffy 5, Ajer 5 (Bitton 53), Laxalt 7; Brown 6 (Soro 81), McGregor 7; Ntcham 6 (Welsh 81), Christie 6 (Rogic 81), Elyounoussi 8; Ajeti 6 (Edouard 64). Subs not used: Barkas, Taylor, Griffiths, Klimala, Henderson, Karamoko.
Booked: Elyounoussi, Bain, Ntcham, Ajeti, Laxalt. Referee: Aleksandar Stavrev (Macedonia).