Soccer

Celtic deliver fireworks in barnstorming victory over RB Leipzig

Scottish champions are proving they can swim in a bigger pond, which serves as a credit to Brendan Rodgers

Celtic's Reo Hatate celebrates scoring their side's third goal of the game. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA
Celtic's Reo Hatate celebrates scoring their side's third goal of the game. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA
Ewan Murray at Celtic Park
Tue Nov 05 2024 - 22:18
Champions League: Celtic 3 RB Leipzig 1 (Kuhn 35, 45+1, Hatate 72; Baumgartner 23)

Brendan Rodgers used pre-match media duties to call for Celtic’s supporters to refrain from using pyrotechnics during the visit of RB Leipzig. Fireworks appeared alright, on the field as Rodgers and his team delivered the kind of performance which the manager yearned for when returning for a second Celtic tenure. Celtic find themselves in a hugely exciting Champions League position, having seen off the team sitting second top of the Bundesliga in a manner which belied years of struggles at this level. Rodgers was perfectly entitled to revel in it. Celtic are proving they can swim in a bigger pond, which serves as a credit to their manager.

Leipzig’s display was muted. Still, it would be unreasonable not to emphasise the part Celtic played in that. The hosts attacked with patience and purpose. They defended pretty comfortably. Pieced together, this will rank among Celtic’s finest European performances of recent times. Leipzig had no answer, to the point where they looked a beaten lot long before the end.

Celtic’s season thus far has been one of extremes. They were excellent in demolishing Slovan Bratislava and holding Atalanta to scoreless parity. Aberdeen were trounced 6-0 in a weekend League Cup semi-final. The flip side came during the harrowing 7-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund and when tossing away a 2-0 lead against Aberdeen in the league. Rodgers not only knew which version of his team he wanted to see here but knew they could play with freedom; four points claimed from three outings and favourable fixtures to come represented a favourable Champions League position.

Celtic opened with a confidence which suggested they carry no complex about playing at this level. Leipzig were strangely subdued for a team which landed in Glasgow having lost three out of three. The Germans were, however, soon to benefit from generous Celtic defending at a corner. Kevin Kampl’s inswinging delivery was dangerous rather than lethal, with the home centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers flicking the ball on at the near post rather than heading away from goal. Christoph Baumgartner dived to head past Kasper Schmeichel with Carter-Vickers’s teammates flat-footed. Loïs Openda came within inches of nodding another Kampl corner home just minutes later. Antonio Nusa lashed high and wide with only Schmeichel to beat.

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Celtic’s early promise therefore felt in vain until Nicolas Kühn, recently an outstanding performer, restored parity. There appeared little danger as Kühn jinked towards the angle of the penalty area but the 24-year-old floated a glorious shot into Peter Gulacsi’s net via a post. Gulacsi had been completely deceived. Sceptics suggested Kühn had intended to cross, which in the moment felt unfair. It marked a special moment for Kühn, once of Leipzig’s youth setup.

A better one was to come in first-half stoppage time. Leipzig got themselves into an almighty tangle when trying to play out from the right side of defence. Enter Reo Hatate, whose cross was helped on by Greg Taylor. Kühn, standing alone eight yards from goal, slammed beyond Gulasci. Celtic had a lead they barely believed but perfectly merited.

Hatate flashed a shot wide as Celtic chased a third. Of equal value to Rodgers was that by the hour mark, Leipzig were applying only minimal pressure. Unsurprisingly, Marco Rose turned to his bench as Yussuf Poulsen and Eljif Elmas were introduced to add some punch to the Leipzig display. By that second half point, Schmeichel had only been tested by a long-range Benjamin Sesko attempt. Sesko was among those removed, such was his unimpressive evening’s work. The replacements only briefly sparked Leipzig into life. Schmeichel produced an excellent save to deny Baumgartner.

A howler at the other end, from Gulasci, afforded Celtic breathing space. Alistair Johnston’s low cross should not have caused the Leipzig goalkeeper a problem. Inexplicably, he spilled the ball up and straight to the feet of Hatate. The Japanese midfielder could barely miss; and duly did not.

Very little that had come before inferred Leipzig had the capacity to reply. Indeed, Celtic remained largely on the front foot. Few could have predicted there would be seven points between these teams, in Celtic’s favour, after four matches. Nothing about that position looks like a distortion. - Guardian