Salzburg served up a lot of red bull, but were lucky with key decisions. Celtic helped, of course, with terrible defending. Celtic got off to a dream start. Just under two minutes on the clock, McGregor hits a nothing ball forward. Odsonne Edouard, who hasn’t scored for some time, out-muscled Ramalho at the edge of the box, kept his composure and fired home a quick-fire first goal. That lead lasted to half time. Salzburg huffed and puffed, but didn’t look like doing anything in front of goal.
Edouard was denied a second goal just before half time by the offside flag. He was offside, but key decisions like this win or lose games. Tierney and Forrest on the flanks had the beating of the full backs but were penned in their own half.
And it was Forrest who caused a penalty and the third goal, scored by Manus Daburr, who had been booked earlier in the first half for moaning. Small margin. There was plenty to moan about in the penalty decision. First, James Forrest was being fouled. He was being fouled outside the box and he wasn’t the last man. Let’s just say the ref made a hash of it and guaranteed Salzburg victory.
But Celtic had helped them along the way. The first goal was a case in point. The ball bounced about three times in the Celtic box, Lustig watched the ball bounce and Takumi Minamino hit the ball off about three players before it ended up in the back of the net. Lucky bastard. There was nothing lucky about the second goal, a ball cut back, the Celtic defence playing statues and Ramalho scoring. The only upside to this defeat Youssuf Mulumbu had a decent game and doesn’t look out of depth at this level. Glorious defeat is still defeat. We expect better and when RB Salzburg come to Parkhead we’ll see if Tierney and Forrest’s stand in can take advantage of the full backs.
odonnellgrunting 