Champions League playoff round: Celtic 1 (Maeda 79) Bayern Munich 2 (Olise 45, Kane 49)
At 2-0 down, Celtic were staring at the invidious scenario of a box-ticking exercise in Munich next week. Their response, clawing their way back into this tie via Daizen Maeda, permitted fresh hope.
Bayern Munich will remain the favourites to progress to the last 16. Indeed, for 78 minutes they looked irritated at being forced to play an extra couple of games to get there. Yet Celtic are due praise for their refusal to wilt against such stellar opposition. They will believe they can cause further Bayern scares in the Allianz Arena.
Celtic had already reached Brendan Rodgers’ stated goal by qualifying for this playoff in the first place. Yet, to their credit, there was no sense of the Scottish champions settling for this position. A series of strong home European performances – Celtic were unbeaten in six – raised confidence for Bayern’s visit. Within 30 seconds, an already fevered atmosphere was raised a further notch when Nicolas Kühn cut in from the left and unleashed a low shot past Manuel Neuer. The problem was, Adam Idah had moved into an offside position directly in front of Bayern’s veteran goalkeeper.
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It felt as if Bayern heeded the warning. They dominated possession for the rest of the opening period, Leroy Sané proving a particular menace to the Celtic defence. The visitors did not so much deploy a high press as an outright suffocation tactic. Michael Olise was the first to properly test Kasper Schmeichel, though, after a one-two with Harry Kane.
Schmeichel subsequently dived to bat away a teasing Kane cross. In the stands, the vociferous Bayern contingent unveiled banners that appeared to take aim at their own club for not donning their traditional red and white strip. Bayern’s away colours – a rather vulgar mix of black, green and pink – were on display. Uefa had apparently deemed the writing on Bayern’s home kit to be unreadable. Strange business.
Also peculiar was seeing Celtic restricted so heavily on their own pitch. Bayern’s passing, movement and physicality was a joy to behold at times. Not that they created much by way of clear cut opportunities in the opening 45 minutes. Schmeichel saved excellently at point-blank range from Kane but there was an offside in the build-up. Celtic’s organisation had been excellent; it was just that crossing the halfway line was a novelty.
Kane should have put Bayern in front three minutes before the break. Instead, the England captain headed into the side-netting from Olise’s corner. Just as Bayern’s lack of ruthlessness threatened to be costly, Olise opened the scoring in emphatic style. The 23-year-old lashed a terrific, left-footed shot high beyond the despairing Schmeichel right on half time. Olise had benefited from the break of the ball, 20 yards out. Bayern merited their lead, with Celtic left to rue the timing of them claiming it.
Kane looked upset by his rare wastefulness. He was to atone for it, peeling away from the Celtic defence to meet an inswinging Joshua Kimmich corner. The volley hit the net as Schmeichel hit the turf. This was Kane’s 29th goal of the campaign. With 40 minutes of the first leg still to play, the hosts had to somehow alter the sense that the tie was over. Reo Hatate offered hope. The Celtic midfielder met an Arne Engels cutback, only to see his shot deflected wide.
Officialdom almost gave Celtic a helping hand. There was no appeal for a foul on Engels inside the Bayern penalty area and the assistant referee flagged for an offside. The VAR decided Jesús Gil Manzano, the referee, should review the matter. After what felt an interminable delay, the Spanish official decided there was no cause to award a spot-kick. Replays did suggest Dayot Upamecano took the ball before minimal contact with Engels. It was puzzling, in fact, that the VAR got involved at all.
Rodgers turned to Jota in a bid to increase Celtic’s effectiveness going forward. Vincent Kompany spared Sané and Olise the closing 25 minutes. Their replacements, Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry, were unlikely to make Celtic breath much easier.
Indeed, Schmeichel produced a fine low block from Gnabry as Bayern chased No 3. Neuer’s failure to meet a back pass allowed Maeda an opportunity, which the Japanese forward flashed across goal.
Maeda made no mistake with his next chance, affording Celtic unlikely salvation. An Engels corner was met by Auston Trusty and Yang Hyun-jun before landing on the head of Maeda. He nodded home from close range. This time, Celtic survived a VAR check for offside.
Alistair Johnston stung Neuer’s palms as seven minutes of stoppage time began. Celtic actually finished on the front foot, with Bayern showing signs of jitters. Rodgers will have no fear heading to Munich. – Guardian
Other results:
Club Brugge 2 (Jutgla 15, Nilsson 90+4) Atalanta 1 (Pasalic 41)
Feyenoord 1 (Paixao 3) Milan 0
Monaco 0 Benfica 1 (Pavlidis 48)
