Celtic will be hurting after an excellent performance against Shakhtar Donetsk left them with just a 1-1 draw to show for it. The Scottish side were in charge for much of the game and had chances to win it. While Ange Postecoglou will be pleased to get his first Champions League point of the season on the board, he will leave Stadion Wojska Polskiego knowing he should have had all three.
Celtic got off to a flyer, dominating the opening ten minutes as Donetsk were slow out of the gates. Reo Hatate made that early advantage count when he latched onto a Josip Juranovic long ball. The Japan international’s cross-shot was deflected in as the Hoops took a deserved early lead. Bondarenko was awarded the dubious honour of the own goal, but the sterling work of Hatate made it possible.
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Shakhtar were at sixes and sevens as they struggled to stem the green and white tide. Anatoliy Trubin made a hash of a backpass under pressure from Kyogo Furahashi. Ange Postecoglou’s side chased down every ball as they denied the home side breathing room.
Mykhaylo Mudryk’s counter-attacking goal changed the complexion of this Group F tie. Leaving Juranovic in his dust, the Ukrainian winger raced in behind and lashed a powerful shot past Joe Hart. Donetsk nearly piled on the misery straight afterwards, but former Celtic man Oleksandr Zubkov’s effort was ruled offside.
The Glasgow side started the second half with the same attacking intent that worked for them in the first. Jota went on a brilliant, direct run that was stopped by a sliding Yukhym Konoplya interception. Matt O’Riley slipped a teasing shot through a crowd which drew a good save from Trubin.
Ange Postecoglou's side are rewarded for a positive opening, with Reo Hatate forcing the ball into the net.
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David Turnbull bent one over from distance which spoke of the frustration Celtic were feeling. They were still in the ascendancy but clear-cut chances were hard to come by. Jota’s skills continued to be a scourge for Shakhtar, with another mesmerising run winning his side a corner.
Donetsk nearly sprung another surprise as Valeriy Bondar was quicker to a back-post free kick than Joe Hart or Gregory Taylor. It went out for a goal kick but illustrated Celtic were not out of the woods yet.
But Celtic still looked the most likely. Giorgos Giakoumakis had the most stellar chance to hand his side all three points. A great first touch in the Donetsk box set him well for the shot, but his effort was off-target. Even with just five minutes of normal time left you still sensed there was one more chance left for the Scottish champions.
That chance did come and it was agonising. Daizen Maeda expertly beat the offside trap but could not direct his sliding finish on goal. Postecoglou could not hide his frustration as another chance of victory slipped away.
That victory would slip away entirely, but Celtic can build on this performance. Travelling away from home and looking every inch a Champions League side, this display can boost Celtic’s European campaign. With a trip to RB Leipzig up next, the lessons from a good away performance will need to be applied once more.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject To Change
