2018-10-04: FC Salzburg 3-1 Celtic, UEFA Cup

(jimmy mac of KDS)

I didn't expect much given the players we were missing, our form at the moment and the fact that Salzburg are bloodya good side.Add that our away form in Europe for the past 20 years is shocking then tonight followed an all-too-familiar pattern.

First-half was okay but the writing was on the wall as we were shocking at keeping the ball. But we frustrated them by defending really well. They were always going to come out better in the second half and we really need to weather the storm but two cheap goals to give away both preventable and then the penalty killed the game off.

The biggest disappointment and frustration is continuing inability to keep the ball away from home for a consistent period of time. It has been happening for years all the more disappointing that under Brendan we have not improved. We have shown in flashes and we can do it, obviously not tonight, but until we can keep the ball for more than 10 seconds and string a few passes together then nights like tonight against top opposition will remain the same.

(sevillano of KDS)

Referee:Sergey Boyko

Red Bull Salzburg 3 – 1 Celtic: Second-half collapse in Austria

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/celtic/red-bull-salzburg-3-1-celtic-second-half-collapse-in-austria-1-4810254

Salzburg proved simply too good for Celtic as they came back from an early deficit to beat the Hoops 3-1 in their Europa League clash. French striker Odsonne Edouard gave the visitors a stunning lead in the Red Bull Arena after less than two minutes when he used his strength to fire in from 12 yards.

The Austrian champions, who reached the semi-final of the tournament last season, found Brendan Rodgers’ side resolute in defence until the 55th minute when Israel international Munas Dabbur levelled.

Takumi Minamino put the home side ahead six minutes later before Celtic winger James Forrest was sent off by referee Serhiy Boiko in the 72nd minute for denying Salzburg skipper Andreas Ulmer an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

Dabbur slotted home the resulting penalty to take Salzburg to the top of Group B with six points from two fixtures.
Celtic’s next game is away to German side RB Leipzig on October 25 and, while they will travel with three points from their match day one win over Rosenborg, will surely do so with some trepidation after their second-half display here.
Rodgers was dealt a blow before the game when skipper Scott Brown was forced to pull out with a hamstring strain.
His place was taken by Youssouf Mulumbu, who was making his European debut for the Hoops, while left-back Kieran Tierney captained a side which enjoyed an early boost.

There looked no immediate problem for the hosts when midfielder Callum McGregor helped Tierney’s pass forward but 20-year-old Edouard – the club’s £9million record signing from Paris St Germain this summer – brushed aside the weak challenge of Andre Ramalho and calmly placed his right-footed shot past goalkeeper Alexander Walke.
The goal stung Salzburg and they upped their tempo and forced Celtic back towards keeper Craig Gordon, who in the 12th minute watched a header from Minamino fly over his bar, before Dabbur drove just wide from the edge of the box.
The Hoops rearguard stood firm under relentless pressure, although Minamino again got a header in from a Xaver Schlager cross but was unable to direct it on target.
A minute from the interval Edouard had the ball in the Salzburg net after Walke had parried a Forrest shot but was rightly ruled offside.

Salzburg started the second half at top speed and Gordon did well to block a close-range effort from Dabbur for another corner which was defended.However, the equaliser arrived 10 minutes after the break when Hannes Wolf collected a Minamino head-flick and cut the ball back for Dabbur to squeeze his shot past Gordon from six yards.
Scott Sinclair replaced Leigh Griffiths on the hour-mark but a minute later the home side went ahead when Ulmer’s cut-back was tucked away by Minamino at the second attempt, the direction of the points now changed completely.
Salzburg swarmed all over the Scottish champions looking for a third which came after Forrest bundled Ulmer to the ground inside the box after being caught in possession, with Dabbur taking care of the spot-kick.
In the 87th minute Salzburg substitute Zlatko Junuzovic struck the post with a drive and Celtic survived on that occasion, but a night which started so promisingly for the Parkhead club ended in disappointment with another tough test in Germany next on the European agenda.

James Forrest was sent off as Celtic let a first-half lead slip on the way to a bruising defeat in Salzburg.
It was a dream start for the Scottish Champions in Austria in this Europa League tie when Odsonne Edouard fired them ahead after two minutes.
But Munas Dabbur and Takumi Minamino scored after the break, before Forrest was red-carded after conceding a penalty, which Dabbur converted.
Zlatko Junuzovic also hit a post as Celtic had no response.
After an assured defensive performance in their opening 45 minutes, the Austrians picked holes in Celtic with poor defending at all three goals.
Their opening win over Rosenborg leaves them level on points with Germans Leipzig, who beat the Norwegians 3-1 in the other group fixture, and three behind Salzburg.

A case for the defence

Celtic's defence has so often been maligned, and in the shadow of the Austrian Alps it was at times their biggest asset and at others their worst enemy.
Brendan Rodgers set his side up with a familiar three at the back, knowing Kieran Tierney and Forrest could make it a flat five.
But few could have predicted the start.
Against a side who have not lost at home in almost two years, Celtic were ahead in just over a minute as Edouard outmuscled Andre Romalho, swivelled and guided the ball low past Alexander Walke on the angle.
Celtic's record signing found the net again just before the break only to see the assistant referee's raised flag deny him number two, but in the 44 minutes in between, it was all about the defence.
The half ended with the home side pouring forward and the second period started exactly the same with Craig Gordon forced into an early save from Dabbur. The Celtic backdoor continued to bend and creak but still it stood.
Dabbur did break through when Hannes Wolf cut back inside the box and the Israeli swept home low past Gordon. All of a sudden Celtic looked tired, vulnerable and a little unorganised.
When Minamino slotted past Gordon with the Celtic defenders falling over themselves, it looked to be unravelling spectacularly.
And as the wheels came off, they went flying.
Forrest had no real complaints at his red card after bringing down Andreas Ulmer inside the box and Dabbur looked the coolest customer in Austria as he stepped up to slot home number three from the spot.

Celtic swagger has gone – analysis

Celtic went into this match making all the right noises, but behind the scenes there was concern.
Salzburg were in red-hot form at home and they knew their visitors' stuttering start to their own domestic season could be seized upon and exploited.
And when the home side turned the screw, Celtic had no answers. That will be of huge concern to Rodgers, who has continually talked about progression in his first two years in Glasgow.
Crashing out of Champions League qualifying in Athens was the first sign that progression was stalling. In Salzburg there was a realisation that they have a long way to go to get anywhere near where the former Liverpool manager wants them to be.
The swagger that led this group of players to a double treble looked gone. The zip, drive and belief was missing and defensive deficiencies were, at times, badly exposed by a very decent side.
Two years ago this group would have relished a tough test – more often than not, they rose to the challenge. But the pre-match concern was justified and Celtic need to find their mojo if they're to compete with the best.