Catastrophe, capitulation, calamity. All applicable, all too familiar, all can be levied at Celtic after their Champions League qualification blunder away to LASK.

A night that began with hope as Celtic surged to a 4-0 aggregate lead within the first 21 minutes ended in a staggering 5-4 aggregate defeat after extra time, marking a chapter of deep humiliation for the club.

Last season, at a similar stage, Celtic’s disheartening loss to Kairat Almaty set off a wave of negative sentiment among fans, overshadowing the entire season.

This is how Celtic’s harrowing evening unfolded.

23′ LASK 0-1 Celtic (agg 0-4) – McGregor

LASK started out strong, though far from as strong as they would finish. Missing early opportunities, they fell behind as Yang Hyun-jun made a well-timed advance down the left before setting up captain Callum McGregor. McGregor’s strike deflected off a defender, leaving the goalkeeper helpless and giving Celtic a 4-0 aggregate advantage.

Celtic fans celebrated, singing, “We’re having a party in the Champions League,” with advancement seeming almost certain.

32′ LASK 1-1 Celtic (agg 1-4) Usor

LASK showed signs of life after the break. Samuel Adeniran missed an early opportunity but soon, Moses Usor capitalized on Benjamin Nygren’s pass, finishing smoothly to ignite hope among the home fans. James McFadden commented on BBC Radio Scotland, calling Usor’s goal “a lovely composed finish, but that is an absolute gift.”

48′ LASK 2-1 Celtic (agg 2-4) Ljubicic

The second half began with little fanfare until Robert Ljubicic struck, completing a turnaround. Auston Trusty’s defensive lapse allowed Ljubicic the time he needed to find the net, stunning Celtic. McFadden labeled Trusty’s defending as “unacceptable,” as major vulnerabilities became evident in Celtic’s attempt to counter LASK’s aggressive play.

58′ LASK 3-1 Celtic (agg 3-4) Adeniran

LASK continued to press, as a brilliant effort from Adeniran, who curled a shot in from 25 yards after receiving a well-placed pass from Sascha Horvath, brought the home side within one goal of leveling the aggregate score. Celtic struggled to respond, appearing lackluster and devoid of confidence as LASK began to dominate possession.

90′ LASK 4-1 Celtic (agg 4-4) Flecker

Despite their fervent efforts, LASK failed to equalize on aggregate during regular time, hitting the bar and wasting numerous opportunities. However, the breakthrough finally came in four added minutes when Florian Flecker scored from close range after a remarkable save by goalkeeper Sinisalo had kept a header from going in.

McFadden noted, “Credit LASK because they haven’t given in, but Celtic have created problems for themselves.” As the aggregate score stood at 4-4, they found themselves hanging on as extra time approached.

109′ LASK 5-1 Celtic (agg 5-4) Adeniran

Extra time often lacks excitement, especially in high-stakes matches, but LASK had different ideas. Luke McCowan’s slow decision-making led to a turnover that resulted in another stunning goal from Adeniran, sealing Celtic’s fate. An earlier save by Sinisalo denied Adeniran a hat-trick from the penalty spot, yet it did little to change the outcome.

At the end of 120 minutes, a 5-4 aggregate loss left Celtic in disbelief. Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon remarked, “It looked to me as if Celtic were exhausted. Huge credit to LASK. They battered Celtic tonight, physically and on the football side. It could have been more.”

Catastrophe, capitulation, calamity.

All applicable, all too familiar, all can be levied at Celtic after their Champions League qualification blunder away to LASK.

A night that started full of hope and optimism as Celtic edged four goals clear on aggregate after 21 minutes ended in deep humiliation in a 5-4 aggregate defeat after extra time.

Advertisement

At the same stage last season, their disastrous loss to Kairat Almaty ultimately cast a long shadow over their season and was the nexus point for an overflow of negative fan sentiment towards the club.

Here’s how Celtic’s nightmare evening unfolded.

23′ LASK 0-1 Celtic (agg 0-4) – McGregor

LASK started strongly but nowhere near as well as they finished it.

A few chances passed them by before Yang Hyun-jun showed great poise wide on the left to drive forward, cut inside, and pull it back for captain Callum McGregor to step on to.

His strike was deflected past a helpless goalkeeper and gave his side a 4-0 aggregate lead after 21 minutes.

Advertisement

“We’re having a party in the Champions League” was the chant coming from the pocket of Celtic fans over on the far side.

Their passage to the Champions League seemed nigh on inevitable.

32′ LASK 1-1 Celtic (agg 1-4) Usor

Samuel Adeniran nodded off target just after the restart and then pulled one wide – the warning signs were there.

LASK had passed up a glut of chances but didn’t need to work hard to draw level on the night.

Moses Usor pounced on Benjamin Nygren’s pass straight into his path and coolly finished to spark a little bit of hope inside the Raiffeisen Arena.

Surely Celtic had banished their Kairat demons? Surely this would be scant consolation for the hosts?

Advertisement

“It’s a lovely composed finish, but that is an absolute gift,” James McFadden said on BBC Radio Scotland.

48′ LASK 2-1 Celtic (agg 2-4) Ljubicic

An uneventful opening few minutes to the second half came and went without note.

Then Robert Ljubicic gave the home fans an almighty dose of confidence.

Defender Auston Trusty was caught lacking, and Ljubicic was afforded far too much time to shape and shoot on the edge of the area.

Viljami Sinisalo was beaten low to his left, and Celtic were utterly stunned.

“That is unacceptable,” McFadden said on BBC Radio Scotland when describing Trusty’s defending.

Advertisement

Major cracks were exposed in Celtic’s ability to deal with LASK’s rampant press and front-foot football.

LASK took the lead on the night. 48 minutes, 2-1.

58′ LASK 3-1 Celtic (agg 3-4) Adeniran

LASK pulled further into the lead on the night and were only one goal back on aggregate thanks to a sensational Adeniran strike.

Alarm bells were blaring for the visitors.

Sascha Horvath did ever so well to advance the ball, lift his head, and roll it into his team-mate’s path, who stepped on to the ball and curled it in from 25 yards with a sumptuous first-time effort.

Celtic had no response. The hosts were the only side looking likely to score.

Advertisement

The team were flat-footed and bereft of all confidence; from this point on, the game was played almost exclusively in their half.

90′ LASK 4-1 Celtic (agg 4-4) Flecker

For all of LASK’s huffing and puffing, they were unable to find the all-important leveller in the tie.

The bar was struck, crosses whizzed across the goal, and chance after chance was spurned.

The home side chucked everything they had at Celtic. Corners were whipped in, headers glanced wide, and through balls drilled into the area.

They couldn’t get it over the line, though. That one final bounce of the ball didn’t drop in their favour.

Advertisement

Sinisalo pulled off a terrific stop to slap Alemao’s close-range header away, but no-one had picked up Florian Flecker, who nodded in the equaliser as the time ticked into the four added minutes shown by the fourth official.

McFadden said: “Credit LASK because they haven’t given in, but Celtic have created problems for themselves.”

Celtic had come so close to the Champions League proper, they were now clinging on.

Extra time loomed.

109′ LASK 5-1 Celtic (agg 5-4) Adeniran

Often, extra time is a damp squib these days, particularly in big games.

Neither side wants to lose, and both will be happy to take a chance on penalties.

Advertisement

LASK were not in this mood.

With 11 minutes still to play, Luke McCowan won the ball back for his side, but he was far too pedestrian in his decision-making, and he was dispossessed.

Another Adeniran goal from outside the box punished Celtic yet again.

The Champions League now felt like a distant dream, in stark contrast to the tangible next step of earlier on.

Sinisalo got down to make a huge save to deny Adeniran a hat-trick from the spot, but a few minutes later it meant nothing.

120 minutes. 5-4 on aggregate. Celtic’s humiliation complete.

“It looked to me as if Celtic were exhausted,” former Celtic manager Neil Lennon told Amazon Prime. “Fragile in duels. It only looked like there would be one winner.

“Huge credit to LASK. They battered Celtic tonight, physically and on the football side. It could have been more.”