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Odsonne Edouard’s goal in the second half ruined Sarajevo and led Celtic to the group stage of the Europa League.
The Scottish champions dominated the ball in the one-legged tie in Bosnia and Herzegovina without really putting local goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic to the test in the first half.
Celtic continued their relentless pursuit of a goal and in the 69th minute the French forward, replacing the injured Albian Ajeti, hit the ball from very close after Kovacevic failed to counter a shot from the excellent Ryan Christie.
Parkhead’s side will deservedly take their place in the group stage draw on Friday.
FULL MATCH DETAILS
Neil Lennon was so pleased with his team’s 3-0 loss to Hibernian at the weekend that he made only one change, forced, with Edouard replacing Ajeti.
However, there was another injury to the Hoops coach after just nine minutes when defender Nir Bitton was unable to ignore the effects of a foul by Aleksandar Pejovic and was replaced by his Israel teammate Hatem Elhamed.
Celtic kept pace and moved the ball well across the field for long stretches, but in the 13th minute, on one of Sarajevo’s rare breaks, Parkhead goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas pushed an angled shot from Benjamin Tatar around his first post, the corner came to nothing.
The home team, which has changed a lot from the one they lost at home and away from Celtic in the first qualifying match of the Champions League last season, were well organized on defense.
Celtic created an opportunity five minutes before the break when Edouard set up Mohamed Elyounoussi, but his shot from 16 yards was comfortably stopped by Kovacevic.
Seconds before halftime, as Sarajevo countered with pace again, former West Ham winger Matthias Fanimo had a fresh-air shot at angle from 12 yards.
Sarajevo continued to frustrate after the break as Celtic kept pushing.
In the 52nd minute, Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer stabbed a Christie’s corner kick from six yards and then Kovacevic saved Elyounoussi’s shot from 20 yards.
Celtic, with full-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Greg Taylor providing roominess, kept pushing, but there always seemed to be a block or tackle from the men in maroon.
A long-range effort from Christie in the 63rd minute just cleared the crossbar and Elhamed volleyed deflected from a corner from Christie.
Sarajevo was barely able to get out of his own field, although former defender Hrvoje Milicevic had headed a corner just past the far post.
However, the breakthrough finally came when Edouard pounced when Kovacevic missed a drive by Christie to steer the ball over the line from eight yards.
Sarajevo’s attitude changed, but Christie seized her chances and poked Kovacevic’s palms with another powerful push.
There was something of a late rally from Sarajevo, but nothing that Celtic couldn’t handle and they can now look forward to European football for at least the rest of the year.
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