Celtic avoided finishing bottom in Europa League Group C after a miraculous comeback against Rapid Vienna.
Celtic avoid wooden spoon in Group C after courageous display
Celtic avoided finishing bottom in Europa League Group C after a miraculous comeback against Rapid Vienna.
It took Rapid just 30 seconds to break the deadlock in the Gerhard-Hanappi-Stadion as Stephen McManus made a hash of his clearance which allowed Nikica Jelavic to turn on the edge of the area and hit a pinpoint shot past Artur Boruc.
Jalevic doubled his tally just seven minutes later as he poked home Hamdi Salihi's cross at the backpost, before the goalscorer turned provider in the 19th minute to set up Salihi for another close-range finish.
Marc-Antoine Fortune pulled one back for the Hoops soon after, turning well inside the Rapid area to slam the ball into the roof of the net, which set up a thrilling second half.
Fortune bagged his second with 23 minutes to go after the impressive Niall McGinn crossed from the left for the striker to tap home, and Paul McGowan completed the comeback in injury time with a well-taken strike.
A Group C campaign which began with a defeat in the heat of Israel against Tel Aviv concluded in freezing conditions in Vienna but, if nothing else, Mowbray will be warmed by the fighting spirit of his players.
Aside from McGowan's inclusion, the Hoops boss had given rare starts to Willo Flood, Mark Wilson, Paul Caddis and McGinn.
However, on a freezing cold Austrian night, the ploy to keep players fresh for
Sunday's league game at Hearts backfired spectacularly as the visitors found themselves a goal down before a minute had lapsed.
Error
McManus surrendered possession at the back to Rapid captain Steffen Hofmann and the ball was moved on to Jelavic who drilled a low shot from the edge of the box past Boruc, with just 33 seconds on the clock.
Celtic and their small band of supporters were stunned and were visited by more woe in the eighth minute after their offside trap was cut wide open.
Salihi cut the ball across the six-yard box for Jelavic, who had scored in the
1-1 draw at Parkhead, to knock the ball over the line from a yard out despite the attentions of Hoops defender Glenn Loovens.
It became even more embarrassing for the Glasgow side in the 19th minute when Jelavic returned the favour for his strike partner, turning Loovens inside out before setting up Salihi who slid the ball in from eight yards for number three.
The Parkhead side were handed a lifeline in the 23rd minute when Wilson's cross into the box from the left broke kindly for Fortune who turned and slammed a shot from 10 yards high into the net.
Moments later, with Celtic having at last found some belief, McGinn forced a decent save from Rapid's stand-in goalkeeper Raimund Hedl with an angled shot.
The game had settled down and it was the Hoops, inspired by Fortune's strong running, who were edging possession.
Seven minutes from the break, though, Celtic midfielder Landry N'Guemo gave possession away to Veli Kavlak in the middle of the park and, after brushing past Caddis, his shot was deflected past for a corner which the visitors survived, albeit unconvincingly.
But it was Celtic who ended the half stronger and a minute before the break Hedl had to dive high to his left to push McGinn's long-distance drive away from the top corner, with the visitors failing to take advantage of the corner.
Bright
Celtic began the second half brightly and within minutes of the restart Hedl made yet another fine save from McGinn, who had been set up inside the box by McManus, by tipping a low drive past the post.
The Parkhead side were back on the ascendancy but it began to look as if it was not McGinn's night as Hedl blocked another angled drive from the Northern Ireland international, this time with his foot, before making a more comfortable save from his left-footed drive moments later.
Rapid had lost their early momentum, perhaps understandably, and as Celtic chased, harried and probed, they struggled to make any inroads towards Boruc.
Celtic got their just rewards in the 67th minute when quick thinking by Flood at a free-kick sent McGinn racing down the right channel and when his cross came in to the middle Fortune had the simplest of tasks to score from barely a yard out.
Graham Carey replaced McGinn to make his Celtic debut with around 13 minutes left and still the Parkhead side pushed for the leveller as the hosts continued to deteriorate.
And in the first minute of stoppage time McGowan drove in from close range after Marc Crosas had chipped into the box to end a disappointing campaign on a positive note.
