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Celtic’s 2-zero loss within the first leg of their Champions League playoff towards Kazakh champions Shakhter Karagandy was embarrassing. The Scottish double winners had been proven up by a membership from a country that has by no means ever reached the Champions League group stage before and gained notoriety for sacrificing a sheep earlier than the match. But after a threat from UEFA, Shakhter shunned partaking in one other animal sacrifice earlier than the second leg and that, mixed with Celtic remembering that they were playing Shakhter Karagandy, led to a very different outcome.
A Kris Commons blast just before halftime gave Celtic hope of a comeback and a Georgios Samaras equalizer simply after halftime totally restored their confidence. Then, within the second minute of injury time, James Forrest added a 3rd (video of all goals below) to seal Celtic’s place back in the Champions League group stage and the £20 million that comes with it.
Celtic supervisor Neil Lennon was so excited that he skipped down the touchline and joined the person pile by the corner flag after Forrest scored. After the match, he was nonetheless feeling so euphoric that his reminiscence was completely wiped clean. He instructed Sky Sports activities:
“That is the greatest night of my footballing life.
“I do know it doesn’t suggest lots within the footballing world but what we have come via within the last six or seven weeks has been actually difficult and to realize more or less I think the impossible tonight, speaks volumes for the players in that dressing room and my backroom staff – they have been planning this for a long, very long time.
“I’ve just bought a huge feeling of reduction however an enormous feeling of delight, I do not want to go through this once more!”
Coming again from 2-zero to achieve the Champions League group stage is unquestionably a wonderful, great achievement…but it surely was still Shakhter Karagandy. The greatest evening of footballing life? In said Champions League group stage last season, he beat Barcelona 2-1 at Celtic Park. It was an even so particular that it made Rod Stewart cry. Rod Stewart. A man who has seen some s in his lifetime.
It’s additionally price noting that Lennon’s footballing life contains seven Scottish Premier League titles and 10 domestic cups. So to say that saving face in opposition to a Kazakh membership was the best moment of his footballing life is quite the statement. Rod Stewart won’t agree.
Celtic manager Neil Lennon says beating Kazakh side better than beating Barcelona
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