LASK 5-1 Celtic: Four Goal Lead Vanishes in Linz Disaster

A four goal aggregate lead vanished into thin air as Celtic suffered a crushing 5-1 defeat after extra time against LASK in Austria. The Hoops had travelled to Linz holding a commanding 3-0 victory from the first leg of this UEFA Champions League play-off tie. That solid win in the opening leg put Celtic in complete control of their European destination before kick-off in the second leg. However, what followed was a nightmare evening as the host team produced a sensational five goal comeback to snatch the tie away from Celtic.

Everything seemed to be going according to plan early on for the visiting team. Callum McGregor scored for Celtic in the 21st minute of the second leg to extend the aggregate scoreline to 4-0 in favour of the Hoops. It was a massive moment that should have settled any pre-match nerves among the travelling Celtic supporters. With a four goal cushion in the tie, Celtic appeared destined to march safely through the play-off round.

Moses Usor refused to give up and started the fightback for the home side. Moses Usor scored for LASK in the 32nd minute to give the home crowd something to cheer about. That goal brought the second leg score to 1-1 and pulled the aggregate margin back to 4-1. While Celtic still held a comfortable lead at that point, the strike gave LASK a vital surge of momentum shortly before the half time break.

Austrian Comeback Begins

The second half began in the worst possible way for Celtic as LASK struck again immediately after the restart. Robert Ljubičić scored for LASK in the 48th minute with a sharp finish to make it 2-1 on the night. His goal cut Celtic's aggregate advantage down to 4-2 and sent a wave of belief through the stadium. Celtic suddenly looked shaky at the back as the hosts pressed forward with numbers.

The pressure continued to build on Celtic as LASK pushed for more goals. Samuel Adeniran scored his first goal of the second leg match for LASK to heighten the drama. That strike put LASK up 3-1 in the second leg and squeezed Celtic's overall aggregate lead down to a single goal at 4-3. The Celtic defence was struggling to cope with the relentless attacks from the Austrian side.

The ultimate setback for Celtic arrived in the final minute of normal time. Florian Flecker scored for LASK in the 90th minute to make the score 4-1 on the night to LASK. That dramatic late goal leveled the aggregate score at 4-4 and wiped out Celtic's entire three goal advantage from the first leg. The referee blew the whistle for full time shortly after, sending this thriller into extra time.

Extra Time Heartbreak

Extra time delivered even more heart-stopping action for both sets of fans. LASK were awarded a golden opportunity to take the lead when the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Samuel Adeniran stepped up to take the penalty during extra time, looking to complete the comeback for the hosts. However, Viljami Sinisalo saved the penalty taken by Samuel Adeniran with a brilliant stop to keep Celtic alive in the tie.

Viljami Sinisalo provided a massive moment of hope for Celtic with his penalty save during extra time. Unfortunately, the Celtic defence could not capitalise on that heroic moment to take the match to a penalty shootout. Samuel Adeniran made amends for his saved penalty by scoring his second goal of the match for LASK in extra time. That decisive goal pushed LASK ahead 5-1 on the night and gave them a 5-4 lead on aggregate.

The final whistle blew to confirm a remarkable 5-1 win after extra time for LASK, meaning LASK win 5-1 after extra-time to go through 5-4 on aggregate. Celtic had held a four goal aggregate advantage after Callum McGregor scored in the 21st minute, but five LASK goals turned the entire tie on its head. It was a heartbreaking result for Celtic in this UEFA Champions League play-off.

The Costly Aggregate Shift

The story of the tie changed completely across the two legs. Celtic built a strong 3-0 first leg lead, and Callum McGregor made it 4-0 on aggregate with his 21st minute goal in Linz. But goals from Moses Usor in the 32nd minute, Robert Ljubičić in the 48th minute, Samuel Adeniran, and Florian Flecker in the 90th minute dragged LASK back to 4-4 on aggregate.

Even after Viljami Sinisalo saved the penalty from Samuel Adeniran in extra time, Celtic could not prevent Samuel Adeniran from scoring his second goal to finalize the 5-1 second leg score. That extra time goal sealed a 5-4 aggregate victory for LASK and ended Celtic's Champions League play-off campaign. Celtic must now regroup following a devastating collapse in Austria.