Celtic Triumphs Over Sturm Graz with Late Goals

Match Overview

Celtic rallied to secure a 2-1 victory against Sturm Graz in the Europa League, scoring two goals in quick succession during the second half to overcome an initial deficit.

Early Lead for Sturm Graz

Sturm Graz had taken the lead through a stunning long-range effort by Tomi Horvat, which aimed to position them alongside Barcelona’s 2007-08 team as one of the few squads to defeat both Celtic and Rangers in Europe in a single season. Concerned over their performance, Celtic was desperate for points after accumulating only one point from their initial two matches in the competition.

Celtic’s Comeback

Despite missing several opportunities, Celtic found their rhythm shortly after the hour mark. Goals from Liam Scales and Benjamin Nygren, both resulting from corner kicks, turned the game around for Brendan Rodgers’ side. The visitors faced a significant setback when Tochi Chukwuani received a red card in the 70th minute for a reckless challenge on Callum McGregor, allowing Celtic to manage the game more comfortably.

Injury Concerns for Celtic

Unfortunately, Celtic suffered injuries early in the match, losing striker Kelechi Iheanacho and full-back Alistair Johnston to hamstring issues. Johnston was making his return from a similar injury sustained during a Champions League playoff two months ago. With Daizen Maeda already unavailable due to injury, Johnny Kenny filled in as a forward for most of the game, and both he and Nygren were close to scoring multiple times.

Manager’s Frustration

Following a disappointing defeat to Dundee, Brendan Rodgers openly criticized the performance of his squad, likening their abilities to being asked to drive a Honda Civic like a Ferrari. In a bid to enhance the team’s attacking prowess following six games without finding the net, he included Arne Engels for his fifth start of the season and aligned Nygren on the right of the front trio.

First-Half Highlights

Kenny created an early opportunity when he intercepted the ball on the right flank but narrowly missed the far post with his shot. Graz got on the scoreboard in the 15th minute when Horvat expertly struck into the top corner after receiving the ball from a well-coordinated passing sequence. Just before halftime, Otar Kiteishvili almost doubled Graz’s advantage but struck the post from a cutback.

Celtic continued to produce chances, though they sometimes struggled with execution, echoing their manager’s earlier comments regarding their attacking speed. Nygren misfired on three headed attempts and squandered a clear shooting opportunity, while Kenny’s attempt from a tight angle forced a save but was marred by a heavy touch on another chance. Engels had a header cleared off the line after a cross from Kieran Tierney, who was causing difficulties for the Austrian side.

Second-Half Turnaround

In the second half, Graz posed some early threats, but Celtic equalized when Engels played a short corner, setting up Colby Donovan to assist Scales in slotting home the goal. Shortly thereafter, Engels delivered a fantastic corner, enabling Nygren to head the ball in from close range.

Celtic extended their lead when Chukwuani was sent off for a dangerous challenge on McGregor. The hosts had opportunities to further consolidate their lead, with Kenny missing the target on two crosses and later forcing a save. Substitute Michel-Ange Balikwisha nearly added another with a curling effort, but Graz’s attempts to pressure in the closing stages yielded little return.