QARABAG 0 (0)
CELTIC 0 (1)
CELTIC SEALED THEIR progression to the play-off stage of UEFA Champions League qualifying with a drab goalless draw at Qarabag on Wednesday.
The Scottish champions led 1-0 from last week’s first leg in Glasgow, in which Dedryck Boyata found the net, but rarely threatened to add to their slim advantage at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium in Baku.
Indeed it was Qarabag who posed the bigger threat for the most part, Craig Gordon leaping to his right to keep out a Richard Almeida strike midway through the first half.
But the hosts lacked the required quality in the final third and failed to punish a lacklustre Celtic display, although – in defence of Ronny Deila’s men - they did not need to score and will not concern themselves with the manner of their progression in difficult conditions.
Much had been made of the state of the pitch in the build-up to the fixture, with the playing surface having endured soaring temperatures in the Azerbaijan capital, but stadium bosses – with the help of a Scottish groundsman – managed to bring it up to a playable standard.
And it was the home side who took control early on, although Reynaldo’s use of an arm spelt the end of a promising opportunity after eight minutes.
Qarabag continued to look most likely to break the deadlock and, after seeing Gordon flap at a cross from the right moments earlier, Almeida drew a superb diving save from the Scotland international with a strike from 20 yards out.
Players were afforded a drinks break on the half-hour mark to combat the impact of the heat, but the hosts’ thirst for an equalising goal in the tie remained unquenched at the break.
Alharbi El Jadeyaoui failed to test Gordon with an attempted chip shortly after half-time, before Nadir Ciftci curled over from the edge of the box at the other end following some neat build-up play.
Chances remained few and far between as hopes of an upset began to fade for Qarabag, but they saw calls for a penalty rejected when an apparent Boyata push went unpunished.
Stefan Johansen poked wide for Celtic in the closing stages, yet that miss did not come back to haunt them as Deila’s side held on for an aggregate victory.
Elsewhere, Robin Van Persie will not be playing Champions League football this season, after his Fenerbahce side were defeated 3-0 on the night and 3-0 on aggregate by Shakhtar Donetsk.
Genuinely not having a go, but why not just stay off it, away from it and completely avoid social media. People will always oppose strong opinions and equally strong opposition to those opinions.
@blindside: I think its because he is trying to stay relevant.
@blindside: even if he didn’t have a profile online the abuse would still be there. Obviously he didn’t help himself last week, but every November he gets more than anyone’s share of abuse
@Adrian Carroll: Wrong. Players these days are isolated and they need it. Mich like us now.
@Louis Jacob: *much
@Adrian Carroll: clown
I’m sure he gets fairly bad insults from social media and during matches but certainly don’t help himself wearing balaclavas putting it up on social media either
The abuse he gets from his fellow countrymen is nearly every bit as bad as bad as what he gets across the water. The fella is the first one to put his hand in his pocket whenever there is fundraising for anything, he can never be found wanting for effort each and every time he pulls on a green jersey. While he may have made a mistake last week it in no way justifies the abuse he gets.
@Mel Roberts: my god for once I agree with u
@Mel Roberts: It was a badly misjudged joke on his part. Naive and Stupid. But there’s no doubt he receives way worse online than his joke last week.
Priceless asking McClean to take a cut Even though he’s donated a lot of money in the last month not to mention other causes in the last few years.McCleans not on the same money as the lads at the very top,he won’t be getting that money when he retires and what he does earn now will be taxed heavily.Yes he can live comfortably now but he’s not obliged to take a cut,he’s doing his bit in this crisis.
Let’s be honest here the abuse is vile and wrong but he puts out stuff like last week that brings it on ,I’m not justifying what the trolls have said to him but he should know by now what will be said to him , I have a serious problem with his ability on the pitch and he makes me angry but I dont wish harm on him , ya he gives it 100% every time he plays in green but that’s just him running about like a headless chicken , unfortunately he will still make the squad at the moment but let’s call a spade a spade here , he has in no way lived up to the hype from the start of his career and now never will
If the stories of his donations in the past few weeks are true then fair play to him he is doing more than the owners of alot of clubs and should be commended
OMG , when you are in a massive hole, ffs stop digging.
He is a media gift that just keeps giving.
Has he shit for brains or what. Has he no advisors or does he just not listen to friends or family.
Just play football and shut up trying to justify your stupid actions of posting yourself in a balaclava .
rich people try to buy their way into our hearts with their donations or cover their badness,in any case it should be done and it’s tax efficient for him.
Now he is using reverse psychology that he is the victim and totally innocent.
I suppose through time he will lead us to the ‘ it has effected my family and they are receiving treatment as a result ‘ bit to buy him some sympathy or his sister will LEAK what a good boy he is putting someone up for Christmas .
Don’t make me laugh
Your going to reap just what your sow!
Sticks and stones