Daizen Maeda offers Celtic sliver of Champions League hope with fans left wondering on night of what ifs – 5 talking points
Harry Kane scored the killer goal for Bayern Munich at Parkhead and left Celtic with a Champions League mountain to climb.
Brendan Rodgers’ side lost their play-off first-leg 2-1 as goals from Michael Olise and England captain Kane gave the Germans a vital lead in the tie. Daizen Maeda pulled a goal back with 10 minutes left to give Celtic hope - but they’ll have to overturn a deficit and win in the Allianz Arena next Tuesday to make the last-16.
Vincent Kompany’s men dominated large spells of the game and deservedly went in front through Olise’s stunning strike just before half-time. Shortly after the break, Kane made it 2-0 with a back post volley from a corner as Celtic looked to be out of the tie.
But Maeda’s close range header late on kept them in it. Manuel Neuer’s injury time save from Alistair Johnston denied the Hoops an equaliser - which could have been crucial ahead of the second-leg against the Bundesliga giants.
Here's five talking points from Parkhead
Celtic will need to produce the performance of their lives in the Allianz Arena next week after losing at home to Bayern - and deep down Brendan Rodgers will have known a play-off tie against this standard of opposition was always going to be a tall order for his side. It’s highly unlikely they’ll be able to overturn a one-goal deficit in Germany but they’ll be able to look back on their Champions League campaign with pride having reached the knock-out phase and made progress in Europe’s top competition - just like the manager vowed to do when he returned to the club.
His one gripe will be that his team failed to find their A game when it mattered here, even though Bayern are a top outfit. Celtic had to play with an intensity they rarely require in