In moments during this game, Club Brugge seemed to embody the spirit of the legendary 1970 Brazil team. As Cameron Carter-Vickers inadvertently scored an own goal to give the Belgians the lead, it appeared to be a question of how many goals they would score. The stars were shining brightly in their stripes. Celtic rarely suffer such setbacks on their home ground.
Celtic need not be concerned about their fortunate draw. Brugge's missed opportunities should not worry Brendan Rodgers. This draw, secured by a magnificent strike from Daizen Maeda, keeps Celtic on track to reach the playoff round of the Champions League. This outcome beautifully illustrated the unpredictability of football; Brugge's style and confidence were ultimately matched by Celtic's determination not to lose. Celtic demonstrated that they can compete effectively when the stakes are raised beyond their domestic dominance. As the game progressed, Celtic looked more likely to score. Given the earlier events, this was a surprising turn of events.
Three games seemed to erase years of frustration. Celtic's thrashing of Slovan Bratislava, draw against Atalanta, and excellent win over RB Leipzig instilled a sense of belonging in the Champions League. Past seasons where the Scottish champions struggled at this level were suddenly forgotten; high expectations greeted Brugge's visit. Even Celtic's 7-1 loss in Dortmund felt like a distant memory before kick-off. The new Champions League format, along with some fine performances, has brought opportunities and a renewed mindset.
Brugge arrived in Glasgow fully aware of how Celtic had stifled Leipzig in their previous encounter. The Belgians started strongly, with Ferran Jutglà narrowly missing the target within the first five minutes. Celtic's attacks were more hopeful than expected. Jutglà opted to hit the ground rather than shoot towards Kasper Schmeichel after outpacing Carter-Vickers to receive a through ball from Hans Vanaken.
Brugge were significantly more cohesive during the opening quarter of the game, largely due to Celtic's malfunctioning midfield. Andreas Skov Olsen was next to miss the target with Schmeichel out of position. Further, more consequential, Celtic mistakes followed. Nicolas Kühn probably should not have ventured back towards his own goal but might argue he had little choice given Brugge's aggressive press. The German passed to Carter-Vickers, who then attempted to find Schmeichel. The issue was, Celtic's Danish goalkeeper was 10 yards away from where Carter-Vickers played the ball.
With Schmeichel unable to recover, Carter-Vickers scored into his own net. If not for its seriousness for Celtic, it would have been a comical moment. Carter-Vickers was woefully careless, resulting in a painful outcome. After the penalty fiasco against Aston Villa, Brugge are becoming accustomed to benefiting from bizarre Champions League moments. Their lead was well-deserved. Celtic needed the interval to regroup.
Brugge should have extended their lead early in the second half. Instead, Schmeichel turned Maxim De Cuyper's effort wide after the full-back had surged towards goal. Celtic responded with Reo Hatate's long-range attempt, which had Simon Mignolet struggling. Brugge had dampened the atmosphere at Celtic Park. Rodgers had urged his players to harness the 'power' of the stadium during pre-game media duties. Instead, the crowd was jittery.
There was agitation that Celtic could not gain a foothold in the tie after an hour. Anxiety among Brugge's supporters was only because their side's advantage felt disproportionate to the game's dynamics. Skov Olsen should have changed that but fired over from a superb De Cuyper cross. Celtic made the visitors pay for their wastefulness. Maeda, who had been largely peripheral, cut inside before beating Mignolet via the goalkeeper's left-hand post. There was disbelief mixed with jubilation among the home fans. Maeda's intervention was of stunning quality.
Jutglà thought he had restored Brugge's lead after Celtic failed to clear a cross from their right flank. The striker soon cursed the influence of VAR, which correctly disallowed the goal for offside. This encounter tested Brugge's patience. Substitutions clearly disrupted the flow of the match. Celtic's introduction of Adam Idah to spearhead the attack suggested Rodgers aimed to secure all three points. Hatate attempted an audacious volley that was closer to the corner flag than the goal. Exhausted, Celtic settled for a draw. Eight points from five games ensure respectability for Rodgers and his players. Brugge can ponder their missed opportunities; for them, this was an evening of lost chances.
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