Updated at 22.45
CELTIC WERE HELD to a 1-1 draw away to Maribor in the first leg of the Champions League play-offs on Wednesday, while Porto took control of their tie against Lille after securing a 1-0 victory in France.
Celtic, who were reinstated to Europe’s premier club competition after Poland’s Legia Warsaw were punished for fielding an ineligible player, made a bright start against the Slovenian champions when Callum McGregor gave them a 14th-minute lead.
McGregor, enjoying a fine start to his debut season with the Glasgow giants, pounced on a rebound after Jo Inge Berget was initially denied by Maribor goalkeeper Jasmin Handanovic to fire home his fourth goal in seven matches.
However, Ronny Deila’s men were pegged back just before the quarter-hour as Zeljko Filipovic thread the ball through to Damjan Bohar who held his composure to calmly steer beyond Celtic ‘keeper Craig Gordon.
Filipovic then came to his side’s rescue to clear Charlie Mulgrew’s header off the line before Celtic midfielder Stefan Johansen unwittingly got in the way of team-mate Virgil Van Dijk’s goalbound effort.
Maribor, whose lone appearance in the Champions League group stage came 15 years ago, kept Gordon on his toes with a pair of long-range attempts with Celtic proving far more resolute defensively than they were in the previous round against Legia.
Johansen squandered a golden chance to put the Scottish champions in the driving seat midway through the second half as he lost his balance having escaped clear of the Maribor defence but Celtic will remain confident of completing the job in Tuesday’s return leg at Parkhead.
“I think we were closer to winning the game than they were,” Celtic boss Deila told SkySports afterwards.
“The performance was good, I’m pleased and it’s going to be very exciting to play them at Celtic Park next week.”
Two-time former European champions Porto will take a 1-0 advantage into next week’s second leg against Lille in Portugal.
Mexico international Hector Herrera popped up with the game’s lone goal on 61 minutes at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy to leave Porto on the cusp of a fourth straight group stage appearance.
Oleg Shatov’s 16th-minute strike put Zenit St Petersburg in control of their tie as Andre Villas-Boas’ men secured a 1-0 win at Belgium’s Standard Liege.
Slovan Bratislava striker Robert Vittek equalised 10 minutes from time in a 1-1 draw at home to Belarusian outfit BATE Borisov to leave the Slovak title-holders in with a fighting chance of the reaching the group stage for the first time.
APOEL Nicosia, surprise quarter-finalists in the 2011-12 competition, secured a vital away goal courtesy of Brazilian midfielder Vinicius as the Cypriot champions recovered to earn a 1-1 draw at Danish side Aalborg.
Champions League results in full
Maribor (SLO) 1 (Bohar 14) Celtic (SCO) 1 (McGregor 6)
Lille (FRA) 0 FC Porto (POR) 1 (Herrera 61)
Slovan Bratislava (SVK) 1 (Vittek 80) BATE Borisov (BLR) 1 (Jablonsky 44-o.g.)
Standard Liege (BEL) 0 Zenit St. Petersburg (RUS) 1 (Shatov 16)
Aalborg (DEN) 1 (Thomsen 16) APOEL Nicosia (CYP) 1 (Vinicius 54)
Played Tuesday:
Besiktas (TUR) 0 Arsenal (ENG) 0
FC Copenhagen (DEN) 2 (Jørgensen 9, Amartey 12) Bayer Leverkusen (GER) 3 (Kiessling 5, Bellarabi 31, Son Heung-min 42)
Steaua Bucharest (ROM) 1 (Chipciu 88)Ludogorets (BUL) 0
Napoli (ITA) 1 (Higuain 68) Athletic Bilbao (ESP) 1 (Muniain 41)
Salzburg (AUT) 2 (Schiemer 16, Soriano 54) Malmo (SWE)1 (Forsberg (90+1)
I’m a united fan, but, in united, the Glazers have their own personal license to print money, (literally billions). The only way they’ll ever be gotten rid of is legislation, or if its no longer profitable.
Media/social media pressure, will make zero difference.
@Martin Malone: Social media pressure is making a huge difference. Team Viewer who recently partnered with the glazers at United saw stocks fall by 4% in one day. Trustpilot now banning reviews pn them after all the negativity. Once sponsors start falling, the Glazers become out of pocket and will sell
@Hugh: I genuinely hope you’re right …I just think news comes and goes so quick these days ..In a few weeks it will be as if nothing has happened…we’ll pay over the odds for Sancho…and all will be forgotten… we’ll pick up odd cups here and there…and eventually when the club is no longer as profitable…it will be sold. Hope ta f I’m wrong.
Get out of my club and take your debt with you.
@Jason Flynn-Wall: to be fair it’s his club
@thomas walsh: how do Mancunians find their way to our 42 page?
@Joe: beats me
Their rattled, promise the sun moon and stars now..
I don’t support United. But i certainly don’t support the glazers either.
Gary Neville mentioned the ground at old Trafford is in dire need of upgrading , rats were reported seen around the seats last year and so forth , he said the glaziers are siphoning money out of the club etc . I’m lost in wonder when I consider the glazers have pumped almost a billion in to buying players , they’ve won numerous trophies and sacked managers the fans weren’t happy with . Sir Alex never complained about them and I think he wouldn’t hold back if he thought the club was being wronged , especially when he had nothing to lose at the end of his reign .They are business people at the end of the day . The recent rioting by united yobs was disgraceful , the decent ones are disgusted I’d imagine ? A peaceful one should have been the norm .
@Tricksy: glazers bought the club with a loan
Transferred the debt of the loan to the club
Have put $0 of their own money back into the club
All transfers have came from revenue
They have taken 2 billion from the club
Agree with the peaceful protest.
@Pauly Kels: previous Liverpool owner hick s and Gillett did the exact same and nearly put the club out of business , but they never sourced transfers like the Glazers Pauly . It seems this is an American business model ? Don’t think if fsg came under the same model but definitely the price they paid is only a pittance to what it’s worth now . I think the breakaway would destroy the game , but the fiddler calls the tune and it won’t go away .Sir Alex always had me wondering about why he stayed quiet on the Glazers . Stan kronke put a brand new stadium around Arsenal , so what owners do isn’t all bad .
@Tricksy: lfc were very lucky hicks and gillett owernship only lasted 3.5 years, this is going on 16 yrs with utd.the transfers that were sourced all funds were made available from revenue not a cent from the glazers pockets.yes exactly that breakaway would have destroyed football.
Straight out of the ‘row with the missus’ playbook.
There’s only one winner here bud
If they’re not going to reduce the mountain of debt they’ve lumped on the club then this letter is useless as that’s really the core issue most fans have. If they don’t reduce debt then they can feck off. They’re only parasites feeding off the club.
Thw money from united went to gwt tom brandy to to the Bucs. They win thw super bowl and the money stays in Tampa
Orignally when they bought the bucs. They wanted a new stadium or they moved. The Tampa government built one. Been there a few times fine place. But again a freebee. Ols Trafford hasnt been updated in years, it will fall behind the rest. All because of greed.
They want you all out not talking more
They should f off back to Jacksonville
The horse has bolted long ago. No point in closing the door now Joel.