Last-gasp Celtic joins big guns in Euro group stage
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Celtic produced a superb comeback to beat Shakhter Karagandy and qualify for the Champions League group stage on Wednesday, while AC Milan, Zenit St Petersburg and Real Sociedad also booked their place among Europe’s elite.
The Scottish champion had given itself everything to do after losing 0-2 to Shakhter in Kazakhstan in the first leg last week, but a terrific strike from Kris Commons gave it hope just before half-time in front of a typically raucous Parkhead crowd in Glasgow.
Giorgos Samaras then leveled the tie on aggregate three minutes into the second period, but it was not all plain sailing for Neil Lennon’s side.
Anthony Stokes hit the bar for the hosts before Sergei Khizhnichenko struck the woodwork at the other end.
But it was to be Celtic’s night, with Stokes doing brilliantly to set up James Forrest to make it 3-0 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate with virtually the last kick of the game. “It’s the best feeling ever, we are in the Champions League, where we should be,” Forrest said.
In contrast to Celtic, Lyon never really threatened to overturn a two-goal first-leg deficit against Sociedad as the French club missed out on reaching the group stage for the second season running.
Remi Garde’s side was looking to do what no team had ever done before by overturning a 0-2 first-leg defeat at home to win a European Cup tie. It proved too great a task as Mexican forward Carlos Vela scored a second-half brace to take the La Liga club through 2-0 on the night, 4-0 on aggregate.
France will only have two clubs — Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille — in yesterday’s group-stage draw in Monaco, but there will be three Italian teams — along with Juventus and Napoli — after AC Milan eased to a 4-1 aggregate win against PSV Eindhoven.
The seven-time European champion had a brace by Kevin-Prince Boateng and a second-half Mario Balotelli strike to thank for taking it past PSV, the 1988 European Cup winner which has not graced the Champions League proper since 2008-09.
Zenit St Petersburg eased past Portuguese minnow Pacos Ferreira with a 4-2 win in Russia to advance 8-3 on aggregate.
Meanwhile, Czech champion Viktoria Plzen won 1-0 away to Maribor in Slovenia to progress 4-1 on aggregate.
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