UEFA Europa League
Group H
Stade Pierre Mauroy
Thursday, October 29, 2020

LILLE… 2
(Celik 67, Ikone 75)

CELTIC… 2
(Elyounoussi 28, 33)

CELTIC clinched a point against Lille on Matchday Two of the UEFA Europa League group stages this evening (Thursday), in what was a thoroughly entertaining 90 minutes of football. A dazzling first half display saw the Hoops go into the break two in front, courtesy of two fine Mohamed Elyounoussi strikes, and a great penalty stop from goalkeeper Scott Bain ahead of half-time.

However, the in-form French Ligue 1 side dominated play in the second period, and goals from Mehmet Celik and Nanitamo Ikone saw Christophe Galtier’s men pull level.

Celtic started the match on the front foot with Callum McGregor, Olivier Ntcham and Mohamed Elyounoussi combining well at the top end of the pitch. Two minutes in, the latter won a free-kick 30 yards from goal, but Ryan Christie’s ambitious effort was dragged wide of the mark.

At the opposite end, a deep out-swinging free-kick into the Hoops’ box was well defended, first by Kris Ajer then Scott Brown, as Christophe Galtier’s men sought to edge themselves into proceedings. To this end, Shane Duffy was forced into a fine block from a wide ball moments later, before sending the ball high and long from danger.

Over the 10-minute mark, much of the play was resigned to the middle of the pitch as both sides fought for possession. On 13 minutes, Lille carved the first clear-cut chance of the opening stretch when Boubakary Soumare pounced on a loose ball on the angle that demanded a strong right-hand from Scott Bain. Celtic’s stopper was once more called into action three minutes after that again, when he slapped a Yusuf Yazici free-kick wide for a corner.

At the other end, the Hoops had the ball in the net on 19 minutes, when Elyounoussi slipped Albian Ajeti into the box. The Swiss internationalist fired the ball low past Mike Maignan, but the striker was rightly flagged for offside.

This flash of attacking play seemed to ignite Neil Lennon’s men, Diego Laxalt and Christie especially, but a well-organised Lille handled the intensity of Celtic’s play in the final third. On the counter, Bradaric posed a constant threat on the left flank, which demanded concentrated defending from Jeremie Frimpong on a handful of occasions.

On 24 minutes, Celtic’s best chance of the half so far fell to Ajeti when Laxalt carved open the Lille backline with a deft through-ball to the overlapping Elyounoussi. He in turn cut the ball back to his striking counterpart, who couldn’t keep his effort down in front of goal. Two minutes after that, Frimpong did superbly well to cross from the right by-line for Ajeti, but he was deemed to have fouled Soumaro as he battled for the high ball.

The visitors weren’t made to wait long for their next opportunity, however, when Elyounoussi put the Hoops in front. After capitalising on a defensive error on the inside-left channel, Ajeti flicked the ball onto the attacker who moved quickly inwards into the pitch, before unleashing a fine curling right-foot from 25 yards which left Maignan rooted to the spot.

Just five minutes later, Elyounoussi bagged himself a brace when he latched onto a Frimpong square-ball to fire the ball first-time across the keeper, low and hard into the far corner of the net. It was an intelligent finish which epitomised the Hoops’ collective offensive just over the opening half-hour, and underscored the response Celtic manager Neil Lennon had asked for ahead of Matchday Two in the competition’s group stage.

With the blockbuster half approaching its final five minutes, Shane Duffy was deemed to have fouled Lille striker Jonathan David inside the box and the referee pointed to the spot. The 20-year-old Canadian took the ensuing spot-kick, only to be denied by the outstretched leg of Bain. Moments later, luck was on the Celtic keeper’s side when he spilled a cross ball at the edge of his box, only for Dutch defender Sven Botman to send the loose ball onto, and over, the bar.

The second period had a lot to live up to from Celtic’s point of view, and Lille stepped out in the opening quarter-hour in search of a goal. Frontmen David and Yazichi combined well for the home side as they pinned the Hoops deep, who were dealt a blow when the injured Kris Ajer made way for Nir Bitton on 53 minutes.

As the match passed the hour, Celtic were intent to sit in and take the sting out of Lille’s high-intensity advances. They moved the ball well on the break when required, and were given new attacking options when, on 64 minutes, Ajeti made way for the returning Odsonne Edouard.

On 67 minutes, Lille pulled one back when full-back Mehmet Celik reacted well to poke the ball home at the back post following a deep cross into the box. Despite Elyounoussi carving a chance for the visitors immediately from kick-off, the home side’s onslaught did not let up as they sought to overload the Hoops’ defensive third.

With 15 minutes of normal time remaining, Lille capitalised on their fierce momentum with an equaliser courtesy of Nanitamo Ikone, when goalscorer Celik slipped the ball to Yazici, whose scuffed shot fell into the path of the Frenchman yards from goal.

Celtic introduced Ismaila Soro, Tom Rogic and Stephen Welsh in the closing 10 minutes, whose fresh legs helped the visitors gain a foothold further up the pitch – but the match finished 2-2 after five minutes of added time. The point sees the Hoops sit third in Group H after two games, behind AC Milan and Lille, and in front of next week’s opponents at Paradise, Sparta Prague.

LILLE: Maignan; Celik, Soumaoro, Botman, Bradaric; Ikone, Andre (Renato Sanches 64), Soumare, Bamba (Arujo 64); Yusuf Yazici (Weah 82), David (Burak Yilmaz 64)
Subs not used: Karnezis, Chevalier, Tiago Djalo, Fonte, Xeka, Lihadji, Pied, Mandava

CELTIC: Bain; Frimpong, Duffy, Ajer (Bitton 53), Laxalt; Brown (Soro 82), McGregor, Christie (Rogic 82), Ntcham (Welsh 82), Elyounoussi; Ajeti (Edouard 64)
Subs not used: Barkas, Taylor, Griffiths, Klimala, Turnbull, Henderson, Dembele

Man of the Match: Callum McGregor

Well-contested Euro tie sees Celts held to a draw against Lille