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Celtic are out of the Europa League with two group matches to spare after Lukas Julis’ double helped Sparta Prague come back to win 4-1 in Prague.
Things looked promising for Celtic as the return of Odsonne Edouard gave them a 15-minute lead in the Czech capital after a brilliant solo career and a finish.
Odsonne Edouard celebrates putting Celtic ahead in Prague
However, Sparta took control thereafter, leveling things out via David Hancko’s (26) close-range shot, before Julis, who scored a hat-trick in his team’s 4-1 win. at Parkhead, he scored every half (38, 80) to put the game out of reach.
Substitute Srdjan Plavsic then closed out the victory in injury time (90 + 4) when he circled Scott Bain to score.
As a result, the winless Celtic are out of the competition, with two from Lille, AC Milan and Sparta guaranteed to surpass the maximum of seven points that Neil Lennon’s team can now achieve in Group H.
How Celtic left Europe
Celtic coach Neil Lennon came to the Generali Arena under pressure and his team won just twice in their previous eight games, a terrible streak that has also seen them keep just a clean sheet in that time.
The visitors knew, therefore, that nothing less than three points were needed against a Sparta team that had won 4-1 at Parkhead last time, and they got off to a perfect start thanks to Edouard’s fine individual goal.
Sparta Prague players celebrate David Hancko’s draw against Celtic
Edouard still had a lot to do after being found by Mohamed Elyounoussi when Celtic launched a quick counterattack, only for the French under-21 international to flip his marker backwards in the area, before cutting in and finishing inside the second. stick.
However, far from reassuring Celtic, that strike seemed to stimulate their opponents, and the hosts responded with two goals before the break, both preventable.
Hancko brought his team up to speed after Celtic failed to clear a corner, before Julis found himself alone at the far post to lead an attractive cross from Borek Dockal home seven minutes before halftime.
Despite all the Celtic probes after the break, they were always in danger of being caught at the break, which is exactly what happened with 10 minutes to go when David Moberg Karlsson picked his attacking partner unmarked in the box. , with Julis doing the rest.
Plavsic made it a pretty flattering final score after another stoppage time counter, although by then Celtic’s European fate was already sealed.
Celtic’s away fights continue in the Europa League – Opta stats
- Since their name change in 2009-10, Celtic have won just two of their 24 away matches in the UEFA Europa League (D11 L11).
- Celtic are yet to win in the UEFA Europa League this season (D1 L3), with their winless streak in the competition (excluding playoffs) currently in seven matches (D2 L5).
- Lukas Julis has scored five goals in his last two UEFA Europa League games, two more than he scored in his first 19 in the competition (3).
- Odsonne Edouard has been directly involved in six goals in his last eight UEFA Europa League games (four goals, two assists).
- Odsonne Edouard has scored in two of his last three UEFA Europa League away games, after scoring in just one of his first six.
Man of the Match – David Moberg Karlsson
Karlsson was a thorn in the side of Celtic throughout the night, making the visitors’ defense uneven in the first period, before setting up Sparta’s crucial third goal for compatriot Julis.
Indeed, the Celtic players could barely put a glove on the 26-year-old for most of the first 45 minutes and then when the game opened in the second half when the visitors chased a draw, the Swede waited for his moment, before placing. a goal on a plate for that man Julis to finish the game as a contest
What the manager said …
Neil Lennon: “I know this group better than anyone. I remember late last year when we lost to the Rangers, we were all ruled out and we were being sacrificed from each and every one, whether it was our own fans or everyone else in the game, saying the league was over.
“So we’ve been here before and we hit a great run in the second half of the season.
“It feels a little different, like we have a little more work to do, but we’re pretty sure we’ll turn it around again.”
“We have a lot of work to do to catch up in the league, but it is not beyond us, far from it.
1:17
Celtic manager Neil Lennon insists he can get Celtic out of their slump in form after losing 4-1 to Sparta Prague in the Europa League.
“I’ve been in situations like this as a coach and as a player. There’s no reason to believe we’re not going to turn it around.”
“We are bitterly disappointed with the race we are in, but we know we have the minerals to turn it around.
“We know we have to turn it around quickly, but it is not going to happen overnight, but I am quite positive.
“We are out of Europe so we have to focus on housework now, and the league is the priority.”
Whats Next?
Sparta will host Teplice in the league on Sunday afternoon, while Celtic will face Ross County at Parkhead in the Scottish League Cup on the same day, with the game starting at 2pm.
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