MARTIN O’NEILL suffered defeat in his third comeback game as Celtic interim manager in Denmark last night.
The fairytale return was obliterated when his team conceded three goals in a devastating eight-minute spell in the first-half of their Europa League encounter with FC Midtjylland.
The Hoops were left demoralised during a torrid onslaught with the defence collapsing in front of the exposed Kasper Schmeichel from the 33rd minute until the welcoming shrill of the referee’s whistle to signal the end of the opening period.
A late penalty-kick from substitute Reo Hatate put a better complexion on the scoreline, but there was no getting away from the fact Celtic were distinctly second best for most of a lopsided confrontation.
EURO AWAKENING…Martin O’Neill gives his views after a disappointing 3-1 loss in Denmark. Image courtesy Celtic TV.
The mood of the visitors was not enhanced when teenager Callum Osmand had to be stretchered off near the end with what looked like a hamstring injury, a problem that has beset the champions with Filipe Jota, Alastair Johnston, Kelechi Iheanacho and Cameron Carter-Vickers all suffering from the problem.
As the Danes demolished the Hoops, they capably demonstrated why they have won all four of their European outings and sit at the pinnacle of the competition.
O’Neill took a deep breath before reflecting on the action and said: “We expected it to be tough, but we were well in the game with half-an-hour gone and no score. Then we conceded two goals within a minute and then a third one within seven minutes.
“So, naturally, that turns the game. We showed a lot of resilience in the second-half to keep at it because the team could have gone under at that stage.
“But they showed a bit of character and I do genuinely think that the emotion of Sunday and everything, the extra-time and all of those particular things, definitely played a part.”
O’Neill, speaking to Celtic TV, added: “The side over the past few weeks has been going through a difficult period, losing some football matches, which is unlike them, and then you come here to a very difficult away game in European football and these things can happen.
“By the time you try and refocus, the second goal goes in and then there’s a mountain to climb.
“But these things we have to address – we have to address it domestically and try and see if we can improve with the European scene.
“The second half was a start to that and, as I said, this is a very fine side we played against.
“We could have gone under, but we showed some character, which is good, and, hopefully, that will help us for Sunday’s preparation.”
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