Nicolas Kuhn scored a powerful double as Celtic secured back-to-back dwelling wins on this season’s Champions League with a convincing 3-1 win in opposition to RB Leipzig.
The Hoops once more proved their dismal exhibiting in Dortmund was a one-off as they took perception from their draw in opposition to Atalanta final outing to stun the aspect sitting second within the Bundesliga.
Christophe Baumgartner headed the guests in entrance however Kuhn curled a shocking shot in off the put up and smashed Greg Taylor’s cross into the online earlier than the break.
Parkhead was rocking and Reo Hatate put the sport out of attain as he slammed the ball in after Leipzig keeper Peter Gulacsi made a multitude of Alistair Johnston’s cross.
Daizen Maeda had the ball within the web in stoppage time however the offside flag was up.
Celtic now have seven factors from 4 video games with 4 video games remaining, whereas RB Leipzig are but to get off the mark within the competitors.
Champions League development stays inside Celtic’s attain
Kuhn got here by the Leipzig youth ranks earlier than arriving in Glasgow in January following spells within the B groups of Ajax and Bayern Munich and at Fast Vienna, and no person would have loved Celtic’s redemption in opposition to German opposition greater than him.
The house aspect appeared assured in possession and pressed their guests effectively within the opening levels. Arne Engels had a shot blocked after Maeda acquired in behind and Kuhn drifted previous his marker to place a harmful ball throughout the face of objective.
The complexion of the sport fully turned when Benjamin Sesko curled simply vast with assistance from a deflection. Any objective might need been disallowed for what appeared a foul on Auston Trusty within the centre circle however Celtic immediately struggled to get out of their half or retain possession.
Leipzig’s Christoph Baumgartner scores to make it 1-0
Kasper Schmeichel pushed Lois Openda’s shot vast after Trusty had gifted Leipzig possession and the guests took the lead from Kevin Kampl’s nook halfway by the half. Cameron Carter-Vickers’ flick inadvertently arrange Baumgartner, who dived to move dwelling from shut vary.
Kuhn was the catalyst for the sport to activate its head once more. The previous Germany youth worldwide was concerned in some good play down the correct simply earlier than receiving Engels’ flick, reducing inside and clipping an inch-perfect shot in off the put up from 20 yards within the thirty fifth minute.
Kuhn quickly gained the ball again deep in personal half and was on the centre of some good possession play earlier than reducing the Leipzig defence open with a beautiful cross with the skin of his foot. Maeda couldn’t maintain his shot down from the sting of the field.
Celtic stored the stress on. Johnston had a shot saved earlier than Kyogo Furuhashi beat two males and angled a goal-bound shot which was diverted vast by Orban’s sliding block.
Kuhn doubled his tally in stoppage time when he slotted dwelling after Greg Taylor had helped Hatate’s cross throughout the six-yard line.
Celtic’s Reo Hatate celebrates scoring to make it 3-1
The vast participant had a half-chance for a hat-trick inside 4 minutes of the restart following Callum McGregor’s dynamic break however he skied his shot.
Hatate got here shut from 20 yards earlier than Leipzig had some stress and Schmeichel made an excellent diving save from Sesko following a protracted ball.
Celtic quickly rediscovered their verve. Hatate compelled a diving cease after sensible wing play from Kuhn and a number of other balls fizzed throughout the Leipzig field.
Schmeichel produced a wonderful cease from Baumgartner’s volley however Celtic have been quickly again on the assault and Hatate was readily available to web from three yards within the 72nd minute when Gulacsi spilled Johnston’s low cross.
‘Excellent’
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Celtic supervisor Brendan Rodgers hailed his gamers after their spectacular 3-1 win in opposition to RB Leipzig within the Champions League.
Celtic supervisor Brendan Rodgers:
“I think we started the game with a real good confidence. We then conceded the goal, so we got rocked for a little bit and we were a bit loose on our passing, but I think the maturity in the team to then recover from that, score the first goal and continue to play.
“I am all the time demanding, particularly on the urgent aspect of the sport and the aggressive aspect of the sport, I assumed that we have been completely excellent in that.
“I felt tonight we had that combination of the vibrancy and excitement in attack from the Bratislava game and then the real tactical discipline in our defending from Atalanta.
“I feel we pulled these two collectively to provide an impressive workforce efficiency in opposition to a very, actually, actually good aspect, who’ve solely conceded 5 targets all season.
“So to score three and have other opportunities to score, I tip my hat to the players.”
