2013-08-28: Celtic 3-0 Shakter Karagandy, European Cup

Match Pictures | Matches: 2013 – 2014 | 2013-14 Pictures

Trivia

• European Cup 2013-14
• Champions League qualifiers/Play-off, Second leg of two (Agg: 3-2 ; First leg 0-2)
• Celtic qualify for Champions League group stages
• Karagandy, incidentally, were ranked 320th and would have become the lowest-ranked club to progress to the group stages of the Champions League. They didn’t but dropped down to the Uefa Cup. Would have been humiliating for ourselves to go out to such a lowly side.
• Shakhter Karagandy are from Kazakhstan and this is the first time a Kazakh side has played at Celtic Park.
• Injury time winner seals it for Celtic, coming from behind in the two legs of the match, lost first match 2-0. We never do things the easy way.
• Uefa announce that sheep slaughter is not permitted at grounds, as is a custom for Kazakh sides and occurred at first leg match prior to game.
• Draw is tomorrow for group stages.
• Samaras scores again a vital goal in Europe; Europe seems to bring the best out in him.
• First time clawed back a 2-0 deficit in Europe since Cologne in UEFA Cup in early 90s. The fourth time in five occasions Celtic have overhauled a 2-0 away first leg deficit – St Etienne 1968 (4-2 agg), Sporting Lisbon 1983 (5-2 agg), Cologne 1992 (3-2 agg). Real Sociedad 1982 (2-3 agg) in 1982 remains the only disappointment.
• Expected transfers to go through in coming days as they were contingent on us getting through to Champions League group stages.
• Summertime and the transfer window is underway.
• Out so far: Miku, Lassad, Rogne, Wanyama, Hooper, Daryl Murphy, Wilson, Paddy McCourt
• In so far: Amido Baldé, Van Dijk, Mouyokolo, Boerrigter
• Paddy McCourt signs for Barnsley.

Review

Neil Lennon speaking to media: “It’s the greatest thing I have ever done in football.”
Neil Lennon ‘This is the greatest night of my footballing life… I have a huge feeling of pride’
Neil Lennon post-match at Celtic: “The hysteria has been disgusting…this club has a great history.”
Viktor Kumykov: “We are very disappointed with the result but overall the result was fair and it reflects the game.”

(Arsene P of KDS forum)
The cold light of day.

An amazing night because it had everything you want from a football match if you’re in favour of one of the teams, excitement, nervousness, highs and lows, ebb and flow, heroes and villains, goals and a last minute winner.

Having intimated in advance that I doubted we could score enough and not concede, I’m absolutely delighted that it happened. It was a nailbiting, tense, rip roaring game which made the blood coarse and vocalised delight frustrations at players and situations.

I could mention those that I thought were good or off-form but it would be pointless at this moment. Suffice to say that some were better than others but in the end it worked out for us.

When they hit the bar you realise that there is a fine line between us being elated or totally gutted. We posters who are talking about how well we played, how great players were, how brilliant the manager is, would possibly be mentioning the same incidents from a negative point of view if we hadn’t got through, say on penalties.

Therefore now is the time to take it in and enjoy the moment.
We’re in the Champions League. Again.
We have the draw to look forward to this evening.
We can spend the day dreaming of the dream or nightmare group.

From now until the first game in the group stage, we have a lot of speculation and chat to go through, so let’s just enjoy it. The SPFLPL games are secondary for now.
The anticipation and excitement pre-tournament is one of the best things we have before we get the reality check playing the big boys.

It doesn’t get any better than this.

(Paul Wilson of KDS forum)
Stokes – who I am not convinced by – did amazingly well at the winner.

Ambrose also showed that he is not a bungling fool many make him out to be.

He was my man of the match.

Was willing to take a gamble and push up from the back with the ball.

That takes a brave player given his position and what was at stake.

Lustig is also comfortable at centre-half and I’d much rather have two ball players there than more imposing figures whose distribution is not as good.

Forrest kept probing and Matthews also had good game.

Sami helped grind them down and scored with a nice finish.

Commons was excellent in possession but, as I said, missed his goal.

If I’d seen it he would probably have beaten Ambrose to my MoM.

Anyway, it was a fantastic result and the players stepped up to the plate when it mattered.

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• Winner –
• 2013-14 Winners

Stats

Celtic Shakhter Karagandy
Possession
60% 40%
90mins

Shots
17 7

On target
10 5

Corners
11 3

Fouls
9 16

Articles

James Forrest scores late to fire Celtic to win over Shakhter Karagandy

Alan Campbell at Celtic Park
The Guardian, Wednesday 28 August 2013 21.57 BST

There have been more cultured European nights in the east end of Glasgow but this theatre of football has rarely seen such a dramatic game and finale.

Goals either side of half time had given Neil Lennon’s side a Champions League reprieve but the tie was heading into overtime when James Forrest struck and Celtic Park exploded.

The home side were often utterly dominant but unable to finish off a side hoping to give Kazakhstan representation in the group stage for the first time. The visitors were themselves unlucky not to score a crushing away goal midway through the second half but will have to content themselves a place in the Europa Cup.

Celtic, making three changes from the first leg, had the obvious intent of testing Aleksandr Mokin as early as possible but the Shakhter goalkeeper, whose handling had been woeful in Astana, responded well. Mikael Lustig’s far post header from a Kris Commons cross had the crowd on their feet but Mokin punched the ball over the bar.

Although Fraser Forster had to stretch low to save a shot from Sergei Khizhnichenko, Celtic continued to pound the Shakhter penalty box with shots and crosses. Forrest forced another save from Mokin and the goalkeeper continued to dispel the image he had presented in the home game when he palmed away another goalbound effort, this time from the lively Anthony Stokes.

Next up in the effort to secure the relaxant of an early goal was Commons with a wicked free kick which Mokin, not so convincingly this time, pushed to safety. It seemed Celtic must score but somehow the Kazakhstan side survived. With almost half an hour played there was a reminder of the doomsday scenario for the home side of a Shakhter away goal when Aldin Dzidic headed over Forster’s bar in a rare attack.

Encouraged, the visitors enjoyed their best spell of the half with Lustig required to block a Khizhnichenko attempt. Both Celtic and the crowd were subdued and the game entering injury time when Commons gloriously transformed a fruitless first half by unleashing a venomous shot from 25 yards to put his side unexpectedly, if deservedly, ahead. The psychological impact of the goal negated any need for Lennon to give a state of the nation address in the home dressing room at half time.

If anything his players started the second period even more pumped up than they had been in the first and this time they got their reward quickly. Just three minutes, and much Celtic pressing, were on the clock when Lustig’s shot from the edge of the box landed at the feet of Georgios Samaras. From close range he put Celtic level on aggregate with almost the whole of the second half to find the third which, if not responded to at the other end, would take the Glasgow club into the group stage for a second successive season.

They very nearly got that goal when Forrest sent over a teasing cross which found Stokes unmarked at the far post. He should have buried it but instead his right foot volley hit the bar. Just how vulnerable Celtic’s position was couldn’t have been more vividly illustrated than in the next two minutes.

First Adam Matthews, guarding the far post, had to desperately scoop Dzidic’s net bound shot off the line and then Shakhter came even closer. In the first game the long throws into the box of Gediminas Vicius had caused the Celtic defence undue problems and there was a mighty sigh of relief when Khizhnichenko’s effort from another launched ball hit the bar.

Even if they did not score, the visitors made it clear that they were not going to roll over and provided a timely warning to Celtic that they could not attack with abandon in pursuit of the third goal. With the game ebbing and flowing more evenly than at any other point the spectacle was gripping, both teams aware that one slip would consign them to the Europa League.

Almost unbelievably, lightning struck twice as the game went into injury time with an extra 30 minutes, and possibly penalties as well, looming. This time it was Forrest, who had been lively but often lacking a finishing flourish, who redeemed himself by sweeping home Stokes’ low cut back and send Celtic Park into raptures.

(Reuters)

Celtic winger James Forrest scored a dramatic stoppage time winner to secure his club a Champions League group stage place on Wednesday alongside AC Milan, Real Sociedad, Zenit St Petersburg and Czech champions Viktoria Plzen.
The five clubs will go into Thursday’s 32-team draw for the lucrative group phase.
Celtic, inspired by the fervour of their Glasgow supporters, overturned a two-goal deficit from the first leg to beat Shakhter Karagandy of Kazakhstan 3-0 and secure a group stage spot for the second year in a row.
They overcame early jitters to score through Kris Commons on the stroke of halftime and then levelled the aggregate tally through Giorgios Samaras early in the second half.
The 3-2 aggregate triumph was secured with only seconds remaining at the end of a mazy run through the defence from Anthony Stokes that set up Forrest’s goal for a grandstand finish to maintain the tradition of rousing nights of European competition at Celtic Park.
“This is the greatest night of my football life,” said Celtic manager Neil Lennon. “I never come across Real Madrid, so that’s something I’d like and a Battle of Britain would be great as well.
“But I don’t care. I’m just delighted that we will be in the Champions League again.”
(Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by John Mehaffey)

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Spiers on Sport: passionate Celtic knock down Champions League door again

Spiers on Sport
Graham Spiers
Wednesday 28 August 2013

What an occasion for Neil Lennon and Celtic against Shakhter Karagandy in Glasgow. The pressure was huge on Celtic tonight, yet they prevailed once more.

In turning around a 2-0 first-leg deficit with an impassioned 3-0 home win in the Champions League play-off, Celtic once more enhanced their status as a club with lofty ambition and a hint of European elitism about it.

This football institution based in Glasgow’s impoverished east end, the first British club to win the European Cup, is back once again in the Champions League group stage. It is where Celtic and their carousing supporters feel they belong.

Everything in this business is relative. Viktor Kumykov’s Karagandy are, at best, an ordinary team, so there can be no claims to world-beating about this.

But for Lennon and Celtic, in a difficult age for Scottish footballl, to twice now march into the Champions League over two successive years seems pretty impressive.

Lennon continues to attract doubters – and some criticisms of his style are merited. He can snarl, he can be a loose cannon, he is confrontational.

But the Celtic manager is also thoughtful, robust and inspirational in his work, as is now perfectly plain in Glasgow. Lennon continues to be very good for this club.

Apart from the glory, the finances of making the group-stage also mean everything to Celtic.

In European terms the club is perennially cash-starved merely by belonging to Scottish football, so the guaranteed £17 million of Champions League football – with gate money on top – is mesmerising to a club whose annual income is currently locked at around £51 million.

The Celtic board, probably unfairly, has taken stick from the club’s more splenetic supporters for “failing to invest” in the team. Peter Lawwell, the Celtic CEO, contests the charge, but is also storing wealth for a longer-term strategy, including the eventual return of Rangers.

These issues are forever on a knife-edge. Celtic, most believe, have been a highly impressive club in terms of their finances in recent years. Nonetheless, the knives would have been out for the Celtic board had this Karagandy team not been dismissed over the two games.

Celtic were awash with passion and heroism on the night, and their three goals sent a bulging Parkhead into raptures. But the home side were also lucky not to be reduced by a red card in the first half.

This game could have turned disastrously, with Scott Brown, on top of all his other qualities, revealing his self-destructive tendency once more. Celtic were fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men after 40 minutes following their captain’s blatant stamp on Gediminas Vicius. The referee, Sven Oddvar Moen, missed the moment.

Over the decades there have been a few special European goals witnessed at Celtic Park, but few will forget the screamer that Kris Commons delivered for Celtic with just seconds remaining of the first half.

From 25 yards Commons sent a precisely weighted missile past Aleksandr Mokin and inside his post to finally break the deadlock. It was a much-needed breakthrough for Celtic, whose pounding of Karagandy had been fruitless. Georgios Samaras, and then James Forrest with three minutes remaining, completed the feat.

This was a night of high drama for Celtic. But these 180 minutes against the Kazaks were made fraught in other ways.

The fact is, Celtic endured these tests without a cemented central defence and, indeed, mixed and matched to slightly desperate effect to try to get it right.

In Kazakhstan last week Lennon placed two new boys, Virgil van Dijk and Steven Mouyokolo, as centre-backs, though it signally failed. In this second-leg the Celtic manager went with Efe Ambrose and Mikael Lustig in these positions, the first being a risk, the latter not noted in the role.

It was a risk Lennon and Celtic could have done without. Something has been lacking in the way the club has handled the departure of Kelvin Wilson and scrambled to fill the void. It left Lennon’s team patched-up and improvised for its two most lucrative matches of the season, and at times Celtic’s rearguard looked shaky.

There may yet be time and money with which to fix that. In the meantime, with perfect justification, Celtic can once more celebrate continuing success on the journey.

BBC
By Clive Lindsay BBC Sport
Comments (390)

James Forrest’s stoppage-time strike took Celtic into the Champions League group stage after a dramatic aggregate win over Shakhter Karagandy.

It took until time added on in the first half for Celtic to reduce the 2-0 first-leg deficit through a superb long-range strike from Kris Commons.

But Georgios Samaras then levelled the tie three minutes after the break.

Both sides struck the crossbar before Anthony Stokes set up Forrest to fire home for a deserved, if nervy, win.

The strike sent a delirious Neil Lennon sprinting along the touchline to join in the celebrations with his players, as Celtic Park erupted in noise in front of a watching Nir Biton, the Israeli star set to join on a three-year deal this week.

“That was the greatest thing I’ve ever done in football,” said Lennon.

“The last three months were in preparation for this. We lost three very important players [Victor Wanyama, Gary Hooper and Kelvin Wilson] and it has been difficult to replace them. Coming from 2-0 down tonight just makes the players all the more remarkable.

“They were wonderful, absolutely wonderful.”

Victory took Celtic, who reached the last 16 last season, into the group stages for the second year running and ended the Kazakhstan champions’ hopes of being the first side from their country to go beyond the qualifiers.

Lennon had ditched the central defensive pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Steven Mouyokolo that was much criticised in Astana, along with left-back Emilio Izaguirre.
Georgios Samaras celebrates his aggregate equaliser

Samaras brought the scores level on aggregate shortly after the break

Mikael Lustig moved inside from right-back to partner Efe Ambrose, with Lennon looking for Adam Matthews and Charlie Mulgrew to add attacking flair from the flanks.

The result was instant pressure on the Shakhter defence and goalkeeper Alexandr Mokin superbly palmed the ball over as Lustig rose to head powerfully at goal following a cross from Kris Commons.

Forrest had a powerful drive from the edge of the box turned over by Mokin, who then pushed clear off the line from a header by fit-again Stokes.

The goalkeeper was having an inspired night and, even when he looked to be caught out by Commons’ shot-come-cross, he managed to fly across his line to turn the free-kick clear.

Shakhter were putting bodies on the line in a desperate but increasingly effective effort to deny Celtic clear-cut chances, while displaying a growing confidence that they could hurt their hosts.

The visitors had shown their prowess at long throws in the first leg and the much-changed home defence were finding the set-pieces increasingly troublesome.

That frustration boiled over with Celtic captain Scott Brown, back to his hot-headed worst, aiming a stamp at Gediminas Vicius that would probably have received a red card had it been spotted by the officials.

However, Celtic continued to probe and, just when Shakhter looked like surviving until half-time, Commons gathered from Samaras and sent a powerful shot past Mokin from 25 yards.

Celtic’s momentum continued after the break and they were level in the tie when Lustig’s mis-hit shot found Samaras and the Greek forward beat Mokin from 12 yards.

Shakhter responded but when Forster could only parry Andrei Finonchenko’s 22-yard drive straight to Sergei Khizhnichenko in front of goal, the striker was foiled by an offside flag as well as his poor control.

Stokes ought to have put Celtic ahead on aggregate but somehow volleyed against the crossbar after a Forrest cross found him clear at the back post.

Celtic were then fortunate to escape at the other end when Nikola Vasiljevic’s header was cleared off the line by Matthews and, from another long throw, Khizhnichenko flicked the ball against the crossbar.

Just when a toiling Forrest looked poised to be substituted and the tie seemed destined for extra-time, Stokes weaved his way into the penalty box before turning the ball into the path of the winger to fire in off the underside of the bar.

Live Text Commentary
90:00 +4:54 Full time

Full Time The referee signals the end of the game.
90:00 +4:32

Foul by Anthony Stokes on Aleksandar Simcevic, free kick awarded. Aleksandar Simcevic restarts play with the free kick.
90:00 +3:41 Booking

Booking
90:00 +3:41

Caution for Scott Brown.
90:00 +2:44

Scott Brown concedes a free kick for a foul on Gediminas Vicius. Aleksandar Simcevic crosses the ball in from the free kick. Fraser Forster catches the ball.
90:00 +2:44 Substitution

Substitution Virgil van Dijk is brought on as a substitute for James Forrest.
90:00 +2:44

Centre by Aleksandar Simcevic.
90:00 +1:17

Assist by Anthony Stokes.
90:00 +1:17 Goal scored

Goal – James Forrest – Celtic 3 – 0 Karagandy James Forrest grabs a goal with a right foot finish. Celtic 3 (3)-(2) 0 Shakhtyor Karagandy.
87:26

Anthony Stokes takes a shot and went wide of the left-hand post. Sergey Khizhnichenko sends in a cross. Fraser Forster safely holds on.
86:59

Foul by Gevorg Ghazaryan on Scott Brown, free kick awarded. Fraser Forster takes the free kick.
84:47 Booking

Booking
84:32

Free kick awarded for a foul by Igor Zenkovich on James Forrest. Free kick taken by Fraser Forster. Igor Zenkovich receives a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
83:43

Sergey Khizhnichenko delivers the ball.
83:03

Igor Zenkovich gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Charlie Mulgrew. Fraser Forster restarts play with the free kick.
81:48 Substitution

Substitution Igor Zenkovich on for Andrei Finonchenko.
81:48

Anthony Stokes is caught offside. Aldin Dzidic restarts play with the free kick.
80:15

The ball is delivered by Charlie Mulgrew. Clearance made by Nikola Vasiljevic.
79:27

The ball is sent over by Georgios Samaras. Alexandr Mokin safely holds on.
77:55 Substitution

Substitution Kris Commons leaves the field to be replaced by Derk Boerrigter.
76:42

Joe Ledley takes a shot. Blocked by Gediminas Vicius.
75:52

Charlie Mulgrew sends in a cross. Aldin Dzidic manages to make a clearance.
74:35

James Forrest takes a shot. Alexandr Mokin catches the ball.
71:31

The ball is swung over by Charlie Mulgrew. Andrey Poryvaev makes a clearance. Corner from the right by-line taken by Kris Commons.
70:26

Unfair challenge on Georgios Samaras by Nikola Vasiljevic results in a free kick. Fraser Forster restarts play with the free kick.
69:22

Georgios Samaras crosses the ball dead.
65:55

Joe Ledley is booked. The referee blows for offside against Serhiy Malyi. Fraser Forster restarts play with the free kick.
65:55 Booking

Booking
65:54

Joe Ledley challenges Gevorg Ghazaryan unfairly and gives away a free kick. Andrei Finonchenko crosses the ball in from the free kick. Georgios Samaras manages to make a clearance.
65:18

Anthony Stokes crosses the ball.
64:01

Free kick awarded for a foul by Gediminas Vicius on Joe Ledley. Kris Commons crosses the ball in from the free kick. Nikola Vasiljevic makes a clearance.
60:52

Corner taken by Andrei Finonchenko from the left by-line. Nikola Vasiljevic takes a shot. Clearance made by Adam Matthews. Corner from the right by-line taken by Andrei Finonchenko. Efe Ambrose makes a clearance. Sergey Khizhnichenko takes a shot and strikes the bar.
59:45

The ball is delivered by James Forrest. Anthony Stokes takes the chance to get an effort at goal and hits the bar. Corner taken by Kris Commons.
58:45

The ball is sent over by Andrey Poryvaev. Charlie Mulgrew manages to make a clearance.
57:33

James Forrest produces a cross.
56:03

Free kick awarded for a foul by Gevorg Ghazaryan on Kris Commons. Srike on goal from Kris Commons hits the wall from the free kick.
54:32

Serhiy Malyi fouled by Georgios Samaras, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Aleksandar Simcevic.
52:52

The ball is swung over by Georgios Samaras. Serhiy Malyi makes a clearance. Corner taken by James Forrest. Kris Commons sends in a cross. Clearance made by Nikola Vasiljevic. Short corner taken by Kris Commons. Shot by James Forrest went over the bar.
51:15

The ball is sent over by Charlie Mulgrew. Nikola Vasiljevic manages to make a clearance. James Forrest takes a shot.
48:51

Aleksandar Simcevic takes a shot. A parry by Fraser Forster prevents the goal. Sergey Khizhnichenko is ruled offside. Fraser Forster restarts play with the free kick.
47:11

Mikael Lustig provided the assist for the goal.
47:11 Goal scored

Goal – Georgios Samaras – Celtic 2 – 0 Karagandy Georgios Samaras scores with their left foot. Celtic 2 (2)-(2) 0 Shakhtyor Karagandy.
46:31

The ball is swung over by Adam Matthews. Clearance by Andrey Poryvaev. Corner taken by Kris Commons. Alexandr Mokin punches the ball.
45:18

Georgios Samaras sends in a cross.
45:01

The referee gets the second half underway.
45:00 +2:27 Half time

Half Time The whistle is blown to end the first half.
45:00 +0:21

Assist on the goal came from Georgios Samaras.
45:00 +0:21 Goal scored

Goal – Kris Commons – Celtic 1 – 0 Karagandy Kris Commons slots the ball left footed into the goal. Celtic 1 (1)-(2) 0 Shakhtyor Karagandy.
44:49

Charlie Mulgrew delivers the ball.
43:47

Anthony Stokes takes a shot and missed to the left of the target.
42:45

James Forrest has an effort at goal and missed to the right of the goal.
40:37

Adam Matthews crosses the ball.
39:38 Booking

Booking
38:32

Sergey Khizhnichenko takes a shot. Blocked by Mikael Lustig. Corner taken by Gevorg Ghazaryan. Free kick awarded for a foul by Gediminas Vicius on Georgios Samaras. Free kick taken by Joe Ledley. Booking for Gediminas Vicius.
36:43

The ball is sent over by Gevorg Ghazaryan. Andrei Finonchenko takes a shot. Fraser Forster safely holds on.
36:00

Scott Brown concedes a free kick for a foul on Sergey Khizhnichenko. Alexandr Mokin takes the free kick.
35:47

Adam Matthews crosses the ball.
35:16 Booking

Booking
34:59

Free kick awarded for a foul by Roger Canas on Efe Ambrose. Free kick taken by Kris Commons. The referee shows Roger Canas a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
31:47

Georgios Samaras fouled by Serhiy Malyi, the ref awards a free kick. Anthony Stokes produces a shot on goal direct from the free kick. Alexandr Mokin parries the ball away. Foul by Joe Ledley on Alexandr Mokin, free kick awarded. Alexandr Mokin takes the free kick.
31:08

Adam Matthews crosses the ball. Aldin Dzidic makes a clearance.
26:15

Kris Commons challenges Andrei Finonchenko unfairly and gives away a free kick. Andrei Finonchenko crosses the ball in from the free kick. Nikola Vasiljevic is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Free kick taken by Efe Ambrose.
23:31

Shot by Roger Canas went over the net.
18:17

Foul by Roger Canas on Georgios Samaras, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed by Kris Commons goes out of play.
17:10 Booking

Booking
16:59

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Georgios Samaras by Aleksandar Simcevic. Aleksandar Simcevic is shown a yellow card. Kris Commons crosses the ball in from the free kick.
13:18

Charlie Mulgrew fouled by Roger Canas, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Efe Ambrose. Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Georgios Samaras by Roger Canas. Kris Commons fires a strike on goal direct from the free kick. Alexandr Mokin parries the ball away. Corner taken by Kris Commons. Corner from the left by-line taken by Anthony Stokes. Serhiy Malyi makes a clearance. The assistant referee signals for offside against Anthony Stokes. Alexandr Mokin restarts play with the free kick.
12:00

A cross is delivered by James Forrest. Anthony Stokes takes a shot. Alexandr Mokin parries the effort to safety.
11:07

Charlie Mulgrew produces a cross.
8:05

Sergey Khizhnichenko takes a shot. Fraser Forster safely holds on. Short corner taken by Kris Commons from the left by-line. James Forrest takes a shot. Alexandr Mokin turns it away with a finger tip save. Corner taken by Kris Commons from the left by-line.
6:28

Free kick awarded for a foul by Gediminas Vicius on James Forrest. Mikael Lustig restarts play with the free kick.
5:41

Anthony Stokes concedes a free kick for a foul on Andrei Finonchenko. Free kick taken by Aldin Dzidic.
4:15

Corner taken by Kris Commons from the right by-line. Aldin Dzidic makes a clearance. Kris Commons delivers the ball. Mikael Lustig takes a shot. Alexandr Mokin turns it away with a finger tip save. Corner taken by Charlie Mulgrew from the left by-line.
3:59

The ball is delivered by Anthony Stokes. Nikola Vasiljevic manages to make a clearance.
3:25

Serhiy Malyi gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Georgios Samaras. Efe Ambrose restarts play with the free kick.
2:39

Gevorg Ghazaryan fouled by Scott Brown, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Andrei Finonchenko.
2:08

Scott Brown fouled by Gediminas Vicius, the ref awards a free kick. Efe Ambrose takes the free kick.
0:49

The ball is crossed by Kris Commons.
0:00

The referee gets the match started.

Live text and data provided by The Press Association

Champions League: Neil Lennon says Celtic win ‘my greatest feat’

BBC

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has described his side’s qualification for the Champions League group stages as his biggest achievement in the game.

The Bhoys overturned a two-goal deficit by beating Shakhter Karagandy 3-0 in the play-off round second leg.

“It’s the greatest thing I’ve ever done in football,” said Lennon who lost three key players this summer.

The Scottish champions will be in pot four for Thursday’s group-stage draw where they could meet an English team.

“We came into this with no real help, which makes it even more remarkable what we have achieved tonight”

Neil Lennon Celtic manager

During the summer, Celtic sold top scorer Gary Hooper to Norwich City, midfielder Victor Wanyama to Southampton and central defender Kelvin Wilson to Nottingham Forest.

“We lost three important players and it’s been difficult to replace them,” said Lennon.

None of their summer signings were deemed ready by Lennon to start the second leg of the play-off, with deals for Israel midfielder Nir Biton and Finnish striker Teemu Pukki still pending.

And, asked if there would be any further signings now that Celtic had reached the lucrative group stage, Lennon said: “I don’t know. You are asking the wrong person.

“We came into this with no real help, which makes it even more remarkable what we have achieved tonight.”

Lennon praised his players who have reached the group stage for the second year running and who he believes were wrongfully criticised for their performance in the first leg.
Celtic manager Neil Lennon

Lennon believes his side dominated both legs of the play-off tie

“I am relieved; there’s a great sense of pride in what we’ve achieved tonight considering we lost Hooper, Wanyama and Kelvin, who were the spine of the team really for the last year and a half,” he said.

“I’m angry as well at the reaction from the first leg to the team.

“For my liking, the environment here is all wrong – there’s far too much negativity.

“These players have given everything for the club and put Scottish football in a very good light last year.

“I wouldn’t say they had a bad night last week. They just didn’t take their chances.

“And yet the hysteria afterwards was disgusting. It may have come from some quarters of the media, it may have come from some quarters of our own support.

“But the knee-jerk reaction to one average performance is baffling to me and it just makes the job impossible at times.”

Anthony Stokes returned to the side following injury to set up James Forrest for the winning goal in stoppage time.

“Wonderful piece of skill from Stokes, who I thought did really well to last the course of the game considering he hasn’t played for a little while,” added Lennon.

“And James Forrest, who for some reason a section of our support can’t take to, I don’t know why because he’s one of the best players to have played for this club for a long time.

“I thought he was brilliant tonight and he comes up with a goal that’s worth its weight in gold for us.”

Tom English: Another great Celtic escape in Europe

The Scotsman

by TOM ENGLISH

Published on the 29 August
2013
00:00

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THE probability is that if you quizzed each and every one of these Celtic players about the famous acts of escapology in the club’s storied past in European competition then you wouldn’t get much in the way of detail.

Jock Stein’s team coming back from the dead against St Etienne in 1968. Davie Hay’s side turning it around against Sporting Lisbon in 1983. John Collins’ winner against Cologne in 1993. Modern players don’t tend to know their history, but on nights like this, when they’re writing the history all by themselves, then it really doesn’t matter a damn what they know or don’t know.

Shakhter couldn’t hold a candle to any of those other rivals that have fallen at Celtic Park over the years but they still took a hell of a lot of beating. It took until added time until they were seen off, a stake plunged into their big hearts which almost – almost – camouflaged the awful weaknesses in their game. It looked to all the world as if the night was headed for another 30 angst-ridden minutes. By that time you would have forgiven the support had they had the very life drained out of them, but like their team they were energised to the end. They elevated their team with their noise. Drove them on. It was Anthony Stokes who engineered the winner and James Forrest who poked it home, but they had a stadium running with them. Not a triumph of the 11, but of the tens of thousands.

The Celtic support could not have done more for their team, truly they couldn’t. They turned up in vast numbers with their hope and their fears and their desperation, too, and made the kind of noise that would have awoken the dead. The teams emerged; a wall of sound. The break-up of the huddle; a crescendo. The kick-off, the first chance, the second, the third, the fourth; GBH of the ear-hole every single time. And the goals? Well, that was a hubbub of a different order.

It was a bearpit out there. It was always likely to be, in fairness. As a team, Shakhter have little subtlety and little interest in those who point out their deficiencies. We might call them agricultural in their play and they don’t care. We might think for an hour to list their assets and not come up with much beyond organised and physical and lucky but through their manager, Viktor Kumykov, they have made it abundantly obviously that our opinions are not worth a damn to them.

They just came thundering out into the Celtic Park night and clattered anything that moved. Lennon had a word with the fourth official about it, gently brandishing an imaginary card as a reminder that his colleague was permitted to show some colour. Only 14 minutes had been played at that point. It was that kind of scrap. That kind of night.

A sheep was not the only thing sacrificed since these two teams hooked-up. Last night, Lennon culled three-quarters of his defence from the first leg. They had their own anxious moments but they did their job and down the other end – where it all had to happen – a job was done, too. Late and dramatic and euphoric and lucrative. Three goals and about sixteen million quid, just for starters. Back-to-back Champions League qualification for Neil Lennon. What a huge feat, this is. A feat achieved without the spine of the team that got them there last year. Stunning and nerve-shredding all at the same time.

When Commons and Samaras scored the dynamic changed. Oh how it changed. Consider the Shakhter mindset before Commons rifled his shot low past Aleksandr Mokin followed soon after the break by Samaras’ tap-in. They’d seen Mikael Lustig miss from a close-range header inside five minutes, they’d watched Stokes take the ball around their goalkeeper after 10 minutes but they cleared his effort off the line. They’d seen Forrest’s shot tipped over and Stokes’ header clawed away, they’d seen Commons’ free-kick pawed clear by Mokin even though the goalkeeper looked like he hadn’t the first clue what he was doing at the time. Commons had put in a beautiful cross at one point but there was nobody there to meet it. Celtic had about five reasonable chances to break the deadlock and hadn’t done it.

Shakhter were in dreamland. Eventually referee Svein Moen of Norway started punishing them and for a short spell he issued yellow cards like he was dishing out snuff at a wake, but Shakhter plodded on regardless. Celtic were huffing and puffing. They were high-energy, high-tempo, high-emotion, but were as low as could be in the goal count and for all the noise and the possession and the chances, goals were the only thing that could save this night from becoming one of the greatest, costliest and most head-wrecking missed opportunities in their history.

Before the Commons-Samaras double whammy – and again soon after – you got to thinking about the gallows instead of the goals. Sure, there was buckets of time to go but how many times have we seen a team waste chances only to be punished soon after? Happens all the time. You got to thinking about all of Celtic’s chances and their lack of a ruthless goalscorer to bang a few of them in. Gary Hooper’s presence in this team seems a lifetime ago. Because Hooper has gone, because Amido Balde is nowhere close to this level and because Celtic have failed to land any one of their 27 targets up front – or does it just seem like 27? – their chief striker was Stokes, a player Lennon has rarely trusted in big European games, a player who has only ever scored in one European match in his career and that was an awfully long time ago.

Stokes it was, though. And Stokes it was who hit the crossbar from point-blank range 15 minutes into the second half. Had he scored, Celtic would have been 3-0 ahead. Not home-free, but setting sail for home. His miss seemed to give Shakhter the mightiest lift. Within three minutes, his team were given two terrifying reminder of how precarious their reality still was despite what Commons and Samaras had done for them. Adam Matthews had to clear off his own line one minute and in the next, Shakhter hit the Celtic crossbar.

Redemption at the end. Redemption in so many ways. Redemption for Stokes whose brilliant slaloming run created the winner for Forrest. Redemption for last week’s horror-show in Kazakhstan. Redemption for Peter Lawwell who would have been hit square between the eyes with the ire of the supporters had Celtic had not pulled this off. Lawwell is now free to loosen the purse strings and spend the kind of money on the kind of player, or players, that will see his team as a competitive force when they rejoin the elite of European football.

The hilarious irony of the end-game was that Forrest had spent the minutes preceding his winner seemingly asking his manager to take him off. In his moment of triumph, wheeling away to take the acclaim of a stadium that had understandably and brilliantly lost its senses, he suddenly metamorphosed into a boy that you couldn’t have removed with a JCB. Celtic Park on such nights? Honestly, you could not make it up.

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