CELTIC 2 STURM GRAZ 1
BENJAMIN NYGREN was Celtic’s head Bhoy as Brendan Rodgers’ men came back to overcome spirited Austrians opponents at Parkhead tonight.
It looked as though the Hoops were facing another Europa League embarrassment as they toiled 1-0 down at the interval and carelessly passed up a conveyor belt of chances.
Nygren missed two good chances along with Johnny Kenny and Reo Hatate before defender Liam Scales stepped forward to show his team-mates how it was done with a neat finish on the hour mark for the equaliser.
And just four minutes later, the grounded exploded in joy when Arne Engels, impressive all night, swung in another inviting left-wing corner-kick.
Nygren materialised smack in front of goal to make perfect contact and his header thumped into the net before the Austrians had a clue what was going on.
THE OLD ONE-TWO…Liam Scales (above, extreme right) watches as his low shot eludes the keeper for the equaliser and (below) Benjamin Nygren (No.8) flicks in the headed winner.
It was a victory Celtic deserved, but they made it so tough for themselves against combative rivals who ended up with 10 men after Tochi Chukwuani’s red card in the 70th minute for a disgraceful over-the-top challenge on Callum McGregor.
Luckily the captain responded to treatment which is more than could be said for Kelechi Iheanacho and comeback Bhoy Alistair Johnston as both were removed before the half-hour mark.
The Nigerian forward lasted exactly one minute and 48 seconds before he went down with a puzzling injury. There looked no sign of a challenge on the striker, but he hirpled off with Kenny racing on to take his place.
In the 13th minute, the young striker had the opportunity of getting the Hoops off to a flying start when he chased a long pass from Johnston down the right wing.
It looked the defender’s ball all day, but Kenny persisted, won the challenge and then darted into the danger zone. As the home fans held their breath in optimistic expectation, the frontman lashed his effort wide of the far post.
OH NO…Johnny Kenny shows frustration at a miss.
Two minutes later, Kasper Schmeichel was picking the ball out of the back of his net after the visitors took the lead.
A slack pass from Kieran Tierney on the left was seized upon as the ball was swiftly worked across the pitch to Toni Horvart.
Cameron Carter-Vickers looked slow to come out to close down his opponent and the player simply walloped an unstoppable 30-yard drive high into the top right-hand corner of the net.
A hush swept around Parkhead as the fans wondered if they were watching an extension of the previous Euro encounter when the Portuguese of Sporting Braga eased to a 2-0 triumph.
Johnston joined Iheanacho in the dressing room when he pulled up only 25 minutes into his comeback game after missing 10 in a row with a hamstring injury. Colby Donovan came on in his place.
OH NO…Reo Hatate can’t believe he has missed the target.
It could have got even worse five minutes later when Schmeichel was left motionless as a wicked drive from Otar Kiteishvili thudded against his left-hand post and ricocheted to safety.
The Hoops blew two excellent chances to equalise before half-time when Nygren headed wide from a good position after an inviting left-wing cross from Hatate and then Kenny was slow to react to a low ball from the dangerous Sebastian Tounekti.
Engels was also out of luck with a header that was hacked off the line as the hosts battled to get back into the contest.
The second-half started in similar fashion when Hatate blazed waywardly over the bar from 14 yards after carving out a good opening and Nygren was off target with another header after a great angled high ball into the box by Scales.
And it was left to the true grit Republic of Ireland international defender to lead the way when he sidefooted in the leveller after some great work at a right-wing corner-kick.
Nygren rolled the ball to Engels who picked out Donovan who knocked the ball into an opening in front of Scales.
The centre-back displayed poise and calmness to whip an effort low into the far corner to net the club’s first European goal in Glasgow in the third game.
OH NO…Benjamin Nygren rues a missed chance.
And four minutes later there was bedlam as Engels provided the ammunition with another first-class set-play delivery and Nygren buried the winner behind the Austrian keeper.
Sturm Graz were reduced to 10 men shortly afterwards and then Rodgers took off the hard-working and enterprising Tounekti to send on Michel-Ange Balikwisha in the 78th minute.
The Belgian came so close to killing off the Austrians bear the end when he waltzed in from the left, but his final effort curled just wide of the target.
It would have brought down a fitting curtain to a true grit performance from Celtic, but the manager, the players and the fans were quite happy and content to get three points on the board after a hard-fought contest.
TEAM: Schmeichel; Johnston (sub: Donovan 25), Carter-Vickers, Scales, Tierney; Engels, Nygren, McGregor, Hatate; Iheanacho (sub: Kenny 2), Tounekti (sub: Balikwisha 78).
