Celtic kept their Europa League hopes alive with a dramatic 2–2 draw against Bologna, producing a disciplined defensive display for over an hour with ten men to cling on to a point that leaves qualification in their own hands going into the final group match.
The Hoops made the perfect start in Italy when Reo Hatate capitalised on a goalkeeping error to open the scoring in the 5th minute, after Daizen Maeda intercepted Lukasz Skorupski’s loose pass and squared for a simple finish.
However, the momentum shifted sharply when the goalscorer was dismissed in the 34th minute, having collected two yellow cards in quick succession, the second for a late challenge on Lewis Ferguson. Earlier, Maeda had been booked in the 27th minute, while Bologna defender Juan Miranda entered the referee’s notebook in the 39th minute.
Despite the setback, Celtic doubled their lead before the interval. From a corner in the 40th minute, Arne Engels flicked on and Auston Trusty reacted quickest to prod home from close range, giving Martin O’Neill’s side a stunning two-goal cushion at the break.
Goals
- Goal: Reo Hatate, 5th minute, Celtic
- Goal: Auston Trusty, 40th minute, Celtic
- Goal: Thijs Dallinga, 58th minute, Bologna
- Goal: Jonathan Rowe, 72nd minute, Bologna
Bologna pressure tells after Celtic reshuffle
O’Neill reshaped his side at half-time, introducing Benjamin Nygren for Sebastian Tounekti as Celtic prepared for sustained pressure. Bologna dominated possession and began to create clear chances, with Kasper Schmeichel forced into a series of important saves.
The closest escape came in the 55th minute, when Benjamin Dominguez struck the crossbar with a sliding effort, a moment that underlined how precarious Celtic’s position had become.
The breakthrough for the hosts arrived in the 58th minute, as Thijs Dallinga powered home a close-range header from a crowded six-yard box, cutting the deficit to 2–1 and lifting the home crowd.
Rowe stunner levels the contest
Wave after wave of Bologna pressure continued, and the equaliser came in spectacular fashion in the 72nd minute. Jonathan Rowe cut inside from the right and unleashed a fierce strike from the edge of the area that flew beyond Schmeichel and into the top corner, leaving Celtic clinging desperately to the draw.
Celtic responded with a series of late substitutions to shore up their defence, with Paulo Bernardo replacing Arne Engels in the 88th minute, while earlier Anthony Ralston and James Kenny had been introduced in the 76th minute to add fresh legs and defensive solidity.
Five minutes of added time, heroic defending
There were five minutes of stoppage time, during which Bologna continued to pile forward, forcing Celtic into last-ditch clearances and blocks. Auston Trusty was outstanding throughout, finishing with multiple headed clearances and blocks as Celtic absorbed sustained pressure.
Schmeichel made several key interventions in the second half, including a close-range save from Nicolo Casale, helping Celtic survive a barrage of crosses and shots in the closing stages.
What the result means
The draw keeps Celtic in the final play-off position heading into the last Europa League fixture, with qualification still in their own hands should they beat Utrecht at Parkhead. Bologna, meanwhile, remain just one point outside the automatic qualification places after failing to convert dominance into victory.
For Celtic, this was a result built on resilience rather than rhythm — a performance defined by discipline, sacrifice and defensive organisation under extreme pressure in Italy.
