This has been a week of heartache and pain for some teams, yet on the flip side of that, others have suffered at the hands of punishment and embarrassment.
Across three nights of action-packed European football, we saw one team win outright, one team demoted to the Europa League and three teams dumped from European football altogether. Let’s take a look back at all the action; some may want to avert their gaze.
A LASK it wasn’t to be for Celtic
Celtic kicked off proceedings in Austria on Tuesday night as they went into their Champions League qualifier having beaten LASK 3-0 on aggregate, so for many, the tie was already settled before stepping onto the pitch, or so they thought. What prevailed in Austria was nothing short of a miracle for the home side and, quite frankly, an embarrassment for Celtic; no lighter term will suffice.
The Glasgow side opened the scoring in the 23rd minute through McGregor, which surely put the match out of sight for LASK. However, five goals across the hour made sure Celtic were sent packing. Usor clawed one back for the hosts before Ljubicic doubled the score. Adeniran joined in the action to make it three, sending nervous tingles down Celtic spines, and matters only became worse. Flecker levelled the scoring with a fourth goal in the first minute of stoppage time and forced extra time to be played. The final nail in Celtic’s Champions League coffin came from Adeniran, who netted his second of the evening and LASK’s fifth – well and truly a night to forget for Celtic!
This result left many, and rightly so, questioning what led to this total collapse of a sure-footed result? Well, the answer is a tumultuous one.
Of course, so many individual errors are at play. Nygren’s slack pass gifts LASK their first goal, Donovan doesn’t track his man properly, which aids in another goal, and McCowan loses the ball for the fifth. The three players named are not the only ones at fault; the whole team were poor. There was little creativity and a lack of leadership.
When breaking down Celtic’s performance, or lack of it, it highlights their desperate plea for a stronger midfield – a factor that I’m sure will be addressed before the close of the transfer window. This result meant Celtic now dropped down to the Europa League despite such a poor performance.
Hearts are on the rise
The only team in Scotland to secure a win in Europe during the week was Hearts, as they defeated Rapid Wien on penalties. Hearts had to dig exceptionally deep for their result, but they showed true passion and desire to go on and advance to the group stage of the Conference League.
This tie was at a stalemate from the previous game at Tynecastle last week, as both teams bagged themselves two goals, and the theme of good things coming in twos continued as they cancelled each other out once again.
Kara opened the scoring for Rapid Wien to afford their home support a lift. However, as the match ticked into the 79th minute, Kaboré equalised for Hearts to send the match to extra time. Calvin Miller, who has been a standout performer since his move to Hearts, pulled the Gorgie side ahead in the 100th minute, leading them to within touching distance of a victory. Yet, Cvetković had other ideas as he drew the scoreline level just seven minutes later.
Both sides were equally deserving of a place in the competition; however, there could only be one winner, and to the victor, the spoils, as Hearts hailed their goalie the hero after Reus saved two penalties to send his side through.
What quality did Hearts possess that others didn’t? They showed an ounce of fight. The significance of the result in Vienna was etched on the faces of the players and staff, the fans in the stands were jubilant, and that sense of fight was what booked them their space in the competition.
Well, it was great while it lasted
Motherwell’s performances in the Conference League qualifiers have been nothing short of commendable. They have faced every hurdle head-on and have been backed by thousands of fans throughout their journey, but on Thursday night, the European chapter drew to a close.
Although the scoreline on paper looks as though the Steelmen suffered an absolute hiding, 7-2 on aggregate, their performances do not reflect this. Motherwell fought to the end, they played with belief and, even when they fell behind, they dusted themselves off and rose again.
Freiburg opened the scoring shortly after kick-off through Scherhant, and that looked to place the tie out-with Motherwell’s reach. However, the Steelmen weren’t going down without a fight as Longelo pulled one back 15 minutes later.
Motherwell were playing some fantastic football, much is to be expected from them now, and they caught Freiburg on the counter-attack but just couldn’t muster that end product, so the signs were there that the Steelmen could claw their way back. The feeling of possibility slowly dwindled as Girdwood-Reich was sent off for a foul, leaving the Steelmen down to ten men for the final 30 minutes, which Freiburg sought to take full advantage of.
The German side went on to nudge three more goals beyond the Lanarkshire team, through Matanović, Irie and Goto, to send this game well beyond the grasp of Motherwell.
Despite a rather heavy scoreline, the Steelmen gave a fantastic account of themselves in Europe and provided their fans with a season to remember for European travels. With the ambition of this club soaring, they will be hoping for another crack at the competition next season.
Penalties send Rangers home
The season continues to go from bad to worse for Rangers as they will have no European football this campaign after being shut out of the Conference League by sixth-place Czech side Jablonec.
Take nothing away from the Czech side; they took their shot, but Rangers were absolutely dismal. They lacked any sort of connectivity across the pitch and certainly lost their drive as the game ticked by.
The Gers were clinging onto their one-goal advantage as they travelled to the Czech Republic, and they gripped onto the goal until the 73rd minute, when Chanturishvili equalised for the hosts, sending the game to extra time.
Even with an additional 30 minutes to find a winner, Rangers looked lost. They were out of ideas, and penalties seemed their only option for heading into the Conference League, but even they couldn’t save Rangers from despair.
The Czech Republic will haunt them for seasons to come as Curtis sent his penalty over the bar and Penrice had his saved to confirm their exit from the competition. This swift exit from the cup just piles on the mounting pressure that Derek McInnes is experiencing, with many fans calling for the manager to be sacked before the season gets any rockier.
Despite having bought and acquired so many players, there appears to be a lack of quality within the team. Now, that’s not a lack of individual quality; I’m talking about a missing piece to the puzzle in terms of a team performance. But who else do they buy? How do they solve their problem?
European lights out in Leith
Much like Motherwell, Hibernian were unlucky not to progress through to the Conference League, and nothing can be taken away from their determination and the support garnered from the home crowd on Thursday night.
Hibs played very well, they looked organised, and belief was woven into every fibre of Easter Road as Gent came to Edinburgh, but in the end, they just fell at the final hurdle.
Despite a great start from Hibs, Gent took the lead through Vergara six minutes before half-time. Hibs weren’t disheartened, though, and emerged swinging in the second half. Kerr nodded in the equaliser 10 minutes after the restart before Passlack fired his effort goalbound in the 77th minute.
The energy lifted at Easter Road. Hibs were just 13 minutes from qualification glory. However, sometimes the universe has other ideas, as Burgess equalised in the 84th minute for Gent and, as the match was headed for extra time and potential penalties, the sucker punch was headed for Hibs.
Nothing is worse than conceding in the closing embers of the game, but add to that an own goal and the gut-wrenching heartbreak becomes tenfold. That’s the feeling every home fan at Easter Road endured as Obita’s foot connected with a Gent cross to roll the ball past his keeper, sending Gent through.
Hibs most definitely did not receive their just deserts on that evening. They were incredibly unlucky not to progress through and, given the strides David Gray has made at Hibs during his tenure, the team deserves their plaudits. Although they won’t experience any more European football this season, it would come as no surprise if they found themselves in Europe next time around.
It was a mixed bag of results for those in Europe, and although many will be disappointed, for those no longer competing, the league becomes a priority. As the higher the league position, the closer the European dream.
