RB Leipzig beat Celtic 3-1 to pick up their first points in this season’s Champions League and move ahead of their opponents into third place.
The first half was played at a great intensity, Christopher Nkunku opening the scoring after going round Joe Hart and finishing clinically following a brilliant counter attack from a Celtic corner. But it wasn’t the first time the Frenchman ‘scored’ after VAR had chalked off an earlier goal for offside.
Celtic came out of the blocks quickly after the break, with Reo Hatate playing a smart pass to Kyogo Furuhashi who set up Jota to score the equaliser.
Leipzig thought they had regained the lead after the hour but a VAR check went against them, to the delight of the Celtic fans.
However their joy was short-lived as just moments later Hart played a poor pass out from the back handing a chance to Silva, who netted into the far corner.
Silva then made it 3-1 in the 77th minute with a fine team goal to wrap up the points.
TALKING POINT – CELTIC TOO OPEN
Ange Postecoglou has been on the receiving end of much praise since taking over at Celtic due to his positive and exciting style of football. However, trying to implement that in Europe against top class opposition is proving tough. The Scots tried to play their attacking and high pressing way but RB Leipzig moved the ball so well with their technical quality and broke many times at such pace they could have scored more.
At this level in the Champions League, trying to play that way, teams will punish you – especially away from home. You could call it naive but at the same time Celtic were fun to watch and performed better than they previously have done in Europe. Another day, if they take those chances then Leipzig’s could’ve been in trouble.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – CHRISTOPHER NKUNKU
You can see why Chelsea want him. Nkunku was simply brilliant and devastating on the counter attack. He was unlucky to only score once due to a toenail offside, both finishes were quality and made Hart look silly. For the third goal he played a key part floating the ball over to the run of Mohamed Simakan with an-inch perfect pass. He can score, create and he works hard off the ball.
PLAYER RATINGS
RB Leipzig : Gulacsi 6, Simakan 8, Orban 6, Gvardiol 7, Raum 7, Kampl 7, Schlager 7, Szoboszlai 8, Nkunku 9, Werner 6, Silva 8.
Subs: Blaswich 6, Forsberg 7, Haidara 6, Halstenberg 6, Poulsen 6.
Celtic: Hart 4, Juranovic 6, Welsh 6, Jenz 5, Taylor 6, McGregor 5, O’Riley 6, Hatate 7, Maeda 5, Jota 6, Kyogo 7.
Subs: Abildgaard 6, Haksabanovic 6, Forrest 5, Giakoumakis 6, McCarthy 6.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
27′ GOAL (NKUNKU) – Celtic were having a good spell but have been punished on the counter attack. Schlager robs McGregor and they are away. Silva with an inch-perfect through-ball to Nkunku – he goes round Hart and slides in.
47′ GOAL (JOTA) – What a start! Leipzig give it away and Hatate fires the ball forward quickly to Kyogo and the hosts are wide open. He slides it across to Jota and he finishes so well.
64′ GOAL (SILVA) – 37 seconds!!! They have just been let off the hook with that debatable decision with the offside goal but Leipzig do go ahead. Hart with an awful pass out to Szoboszlai and he plays it to Silva and he slides it into the net.
77′ GOAL (SILVA) – What an incredible team goal. They play out a tight area, a wonderful switch of play to the run of Simakan breaking into the box. He volleys a cross to Silva. His touch is superb bringing it down and finishing. 3-1 game over.
