Wow. Is everyone ok? What a night – in the end – and what an achievement. Celtic secured progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time since 2013, after an than eventful 1-0 win over Young Boys.
Where to start? Parkhead bristled with expectation, anticipation, and a conditioned sense of trepidation. I try not to romanticize the atmosphere or fall weak at the knees from the glowing testimonies of football’s elite but on these nights, it is something else. The noise is truly stunning. Decibel levels are high in any stadium with 60,000 people in attendance but Celtic Park's tone is different, feral, primal even. As the camera pans right to left, opposition players stand for the Champions League anthem and try to act cool. Instead, they appear thrown by the noise, engrossed in the spectacle but with the sudden realization that, it is anything but a welcome. The long wait for an 8 pm kick-off, builds towards a crescendo, the itch of all-day anxiety, scratched in unison, an outpouring of impatience, en masse.
There was a point in the second half when it looked like it might not happen. Certainty we would score had given way to doubt and Young Boys started to grow in confidence and possession. To say it was worrying is an understatement but that was due to the prize at stake, the jeopardy involved. A culmination of previous disappointments at this level, extensive and archived by season, started to flick through the mind, a reel of poor luck and incompetence in Champions League games, gave this a real, here we go again look.
Immense frustration but the crowd stuck with it. In no small part due, to the intent shown by the team, especially in the first half. Celtic had peppered the Swiss champions and would have been worthy of a 3-0 lead. Playing like a team possessed, going for the throat at every opportunity, this was the complete opposite, of the timid, second-guessed first half against Brugge. 3 disallowed goals, a missed penalty – by Arne Engels – and a spate of dangerous attacks, yet still goalless at halftime. If we added finesse to the frenzy, this game would have been done.
We were made to wait until the 87th minute for the breakthrough. Adam Idah ran onto a perfectly weighted, curled, defence-splitting pass from Reo Hatate. Having cut the ground of the defender and let the ball roll across his body, Idah’s bottom corner attempt was saved by Keller, only for it to ricochet fortuitously off Benito, into his net. Parkhead erupted.
There was time for more madness, of course, heaven forbid the moment could be savoured and enjoyed. Daizen Maeda, who, despite the manic playing style, seems so earnest and wholesome, lashed out at Camara after a tangle of legs and was sent off. 10 men Celtic hung on thanks to an injury-time stop from Schmeichel. The relief was palpable, the success deserved. 12 points and qualification with a game to spare.
Next up in the Champions League is Aston Villa away to conclude the group stage. Send out the B team.
A chapter ends abruptly.
Hardly anyone had reached their front door before the news of Kyogo’s imminent departure had broken. Twitter sources had the Japanese striker heading to Rennes in a £10 million deal, and indeed, that strange Italian transfer guy Fabrizio Romano has confirmed it this afternoon. He’s signing for them today and that’s that. 85 goals in 165 games and some amazing memories along the way but I feel it’s a positive move. The Japanese striker has struggled in the last 18 months, and there are better fits, out there, for this team.
Arigato Kyogo, what fun we had.