Elfsborg 0-0 Celtic (agg 0-1)
Last updated on .From the section Football
Celtic endured a nervous 90 minutes in Boras to complete an aggregate win against Elfsborg and progress to the Champions League play-off round.
Mohamed Bangura, who is on loan at Elfsborg from Celtic, threatened to draw the Swedes level in the tie before Joe Ledley had a shot well saved at the other end.
The hosts were lively going forward but lacked the necessary cutting edge.
And proved to be enough to send Celtic through.
Elfsborg drop into the Europa League play-off round, and the draw for that and the Champions League play-off stage will take place on Friday.
Celtic manager Neil Lennon could hardly hide his delight at the final whistle but a player he had signed just under two years ago looked more than capable of denting the manager's ambitions in the early stages at the Boras Arena.
Sierra Leone international Bangura, 24, controlled a cross with his back to goal and attempted an overhead kick that was not far wide of Fraser Forster's left-hand post.
The visitors went in search of a precious away goal but Mikael Lustig's endeavour to get to the byline was not rewarded with a header on target by Georgios Samaras.
Ledley had an even better chance to score after getting the break of the ball in a crowded penalty area, while Commons' low free-kick hit the base of the defensive wall and the Welshman retrieved only to see his shot superbly saved by former Manchester City goalkeeper Kevin Stuhr Ellegaard.
Though the hosts were seeing plenty of the ball, their final product was often poor while Celtic struggled to retain possession on the artificial pitch.
Elfsborg were in the ascendancy throughout the second period and a long throw-in gave Forster and his defence cause for concern, though the offside flag did eventually halt the attack.
The home side appealed for a penalty when Kelvin Wilson, who is expected to return to Nottingham Forest later this week, slid in to challenge James Keene in the box on the hour but referee Vladislav Bezborodov allowed play to continue, despite Keene's claim of a foul.
There was still time for Keene to blaze an injury-time volley over the bar, but Celtic held on to book their place in the next stage of the Champions League.
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@410 There's no way of telling how we'd get on in the EPL. Maybe we underestimate how difficult the league is but most English underestimate how big the TV money would have (£100m compared to £2m next season + improved sponsorship etc). Not one of our current side would still be in the squad.
Fingers crossed for you, Steelmen & Fermers.
How can you cast aspersions when you support a mid-table side like Liverpool?
Think you should be more concerned with the shambles that has befallen your own team, don't you?
Surprised, they even bother to watch any other footy. Take note Germany and Spain, apparently you need to take a leaf out the English Games book.
celtic set out not to lose, as elfsborg did in the first leg. that was the most important thing. at this stage pretty football doesnt matter, its qualifying for the group stage
So less moaning and congratulate the team on getting through another round. NL and the rest of the team will know they have to step it up for the next round. So well done, keep up the good work. p.s. i'm a Ranger supporter.
Bitter bitter sad people.
Arsenal did not make it to the last 8. They made it to the same stage that Celtic did.
As for England being better than Scotland, I am not arguing that point. The fact that Scottish football is so poor according to your post, is that anything to boast about?
English football is way over-hyped and the national team will be an embarrassment to you next year.
This tie was a banana skin and they got through. RFC fell continually at qualifying stage to average opponents and so do other decent clubs around Europe.
Mind, I'd take 6 qualifying rnds to get in CL for LFC
Lennon is doing a great job with the resources he has,.
Scotland's premier club should lead by example.
Well wetboy I give you credit for your persistence.
We are now looking forward to ten in a row
The tribute act pretending to be rangers are staring at another administration.
We are looking forward to the chsmpions league.
The tribute boys cannae beat forfar and until keith chegwin and gazza are installed as the new management team you should cry like a fish.
I'm not bitter at all mate. I'm merely pointing out that the EPL isn't all that it's hyped up to be. Most games I watched last season were dire. The teams did shockingly bad in Europe.
The Bundesliga is light years ahead of the EPL in my opinion.