Hoops let not so great Danes off the hook but still favourites to progress
Neil Lennon guided his side to a 1-1 draw with Copenhagen in the last 32 of the Europa League last night which gives the advantage to the men in green and white for the return leg in Glasgow next week.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man as Odsonne Edouard does what he does best – score on the big occasion – as he put his side 1-0 in front after just 14 minutes with a beautifully clipped finish, Fraser Forster was the other hero on the night with a penalty save late on keeping the scores level.
The Hoops gaffer reverted to a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 formation with news pre-match that Leigh Griffiths wouldn’t be available which may have affected their fluency in attack, with the striker not expected to be out for long he should make the home tie and be ready to fire his side through to the last 16.
How far will Celtic go in this season's Europa League?
Celts fans took to Twitter at full-time happy with the result but were left to rue a missed opportunity with a poor second-half performance letting their hosts off the hook.
1st half the game should’ve been won, score draw & an away goal is the best we’d get given that 2nd half. Some save from FF, we need a capacity crowd rocking next Thursday, let’s keep making history, focus back on the league on Sunday, unbeaten in 2020, let’s keep it going 🍀
— Danny (@DannyCFC1967) February 20, 2020
Frimpong brutally exposed at this level. Hayes awful again and there is no justification for him starting. Lennon’s management in that second was terrible.
This tie could be over.
— Shaun (@TheTweetofShaun) February 20, 2020
Based on chances alone, disappointed not to win but most of us would have taken away draw before the game. Without La Gran Muralla could easily have lost 2-1 so at least we enter 2nd leg as favourites. Take a bow Forster, Jullien, Brown, Forrest & Edouard in particular. #COYBIG
— Michael McDonald (@Mikey_Bhoy_1993) February 20, 2020
Positive result to take back to Glasgow. But that second half performance was absolutely abysmal
— 𝐑𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐞 (@ReeceMckay67) February 20, 2020
We could & should have won. Very, very complacent second half & are lucky to be leaving with a draw.
All being said it’s still a positive result & let’s get the job done next week!
— Everything Celtic (@aboutceltic) February 20, 2020
Before the game I would’ve took the away goal and not losing, but considering how the match went we definitely deserved more than that, Fraser Forster saving us again!
— connor 🇮🇪 (@hctelfih) February 20, 2020
Celtic fans will know that their team has a few gears to go up and will be firm favourites to progress at Paradise with a full stadium and home advantage, few would back against them seeing out the tie in relatively comfortable fashion after coping with what Copenhagen had to offer.