Celtic vs Shakhtar Donetsk. UEFA Champions League Group F.
Celtic ParkAttendance57,478.
Match report as Celtic's European hopes are ended by a 1-1 draw with Shakhtar Donetsk; Giorgos Giakoumakis fired the Hoops ahead in the first half; Mykhailo Mudryk's stunning strike equalised for the visitors
Wednesday 26 October 2022 09:39, UK
Celtic's European campaign was ended by a stunning Mykhailo Mudryk strike as they drew 1-1 with Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.
Ange Postecoglou's side knew they had to beat the Ukrainian side in their final home match in the Champions League to have a chance of dropping into the Europa League.
They started strongly and Giorgos Giakoumakis swept home Liel Abada's deflected shot in the 34th minute to take the lead inside a packed Celtic Park.
Mudryk looked threatening and smashed home the equaliser for the Ukrainian side in the second half to reignite their own hopes of reaching the knockout stages of Europe's elite competition.
Danylo Sikan then missed a golden opportunity to take the lead before Celtic once again passed up a number of chances to claim their first Champions League victory since 2017.
Ange Postecoglou employed a 4-2-4 formation with Giakoumakis and Kyogo Furuhashi starting together for only the second time, and the first since a 2-0 win over St Johnstone 12 months ago.
Furuhashi dropped deep to engineer Celtic's first shooting chance, which led to Giakoumakis hitting a first-time effort over from 25 yards.
Shakhtar took the sting out of the game early on and Celtic needed some good covering from Greg Taylor to stop the visitors' main threat, Mudryk, dribbling through on Joe Hart.
Giakoumakis headed off target and Matt O'Riley curled not far wide from 20 yards but Celtic took the lead in the 34th minute through their first real opportunity.
Sead Haksabanovic struggled to make set-pieces count in the first half but he made the difference by getting to the byline and driving in a low cross. Abada's effort was blocked and Giakoumakis turned the ball home from seven yards.
Celtic kept the pressure on and both O'Riley and Giakoumakis forced saves from long range.
But the hosts had Hart to thank for going in ahead at half-time. Mudryk was played through by Lassina Traore and the goalkeeper did well to narrow the angle and block the Ukraine international's shot with his chest.
Mudryk was at the heart of another chance for the visitors which ended with Oleksandr Zubkov sliding in to hit the side netting, and the 21-year-old soon did it all himself in the 58th minute.
Celtic lost the ball just inside the Shakhtar half and Mudryk was soon sprinting towards the home box. The wide player cut inside and made space for himself to fire into the roof of the net from 20 yards.
The hosts had an excellent chance to swiftly regain the lead when Giakoumakis played in Furuhashi but the Japan forward scuffed a weak effort straight at the goalkeeper.
The home side had a huge let-off following another blistering break from Mudryk, who squared for what looked like a certain goal for Danylo Sikan. But the substitute casually side-footed wide of an open goal from six yards.
O'Riley forced a decent stop from long range and stroked a first-time effort wide from 15 yards but Celtic were generally lacking in conviction in their passing around the
Shakhtar Donetsk's European campaign remains alive, but it will be a night to forget for Danylo Sikan.
Mykhailo Mudryk slipped the ball square to the unmarked foward but he took a terrible touch in front of an empty net and the ball trickled past the post.
Ange Postecoglou praised his players after his first Champions League campaign as Celtic manager:
"I'm obviously disappointed we didn't make more of an impact, but we set out to play football a certain way at this level and try and be as bold as we can be.
"Credit to the players, they've done that.
"From my perspective that's all I really asked of them to test ourselves and measure ourselves against the best and we've done that.
"We know the areas we've fallen short in, but you don't realise that unless you actually go out and test yourself and I think we've done that."
Celtic are back in Scottish Premiership action on Sunday when they travel to Livingston, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 12pm. Their final Champions League fixture is a trip to Real Madrid on Wednesday November 2.
Shakhtar will play Oleksandriya in Saturday in the Ukrainian Premier League. They then host RB Leipzig in the Champions League next Wednesday,
