Match ends, FC Red Bull Salzburg 2, Celtic 2.
RB SalzburgFC Red Bull Salzburg2CelticCeltic2
- Salzburg twice come from behind to draw
- Wakaso marks Celtic debut with goal
- Captain Brown nets for first time this season
- Gordon's saves help secure point for Celtic
Celtic opened their Europa League Group D campaign by drawing with Salzburg at the Red Bull Arena.
On-loan Rubin Kazan winger Wakaso Mubarak drilled home the opener in his first Celtic appearance.
Brazilian Alan levelled with the aid of a deflection as the visitors were caught short in defence.
Ramalho Silva diverted Scott Brown's volley in for Celtic's second but a superbly struck Jonathan Soriano free-kick levelled matters once again.
And, with Dinamo Zagreb beating Astra Giurgiu, Celtic and Salzburg trail the Croatian side by two points after the first round of matches.
Wakaso had waited several weeks to make an impact with the Scottish Premiership side after manager Ronny Deila was frustrated in his attempts to have the player signed before their Champions League play-off defeat by NK Maribor.
The Ghana international provided a taste of what was to come when he struck low past Peter Gulacsi's goal.
And with his next effort the 24-year-old arrowed the ball across the goalkeeper and into the corner from Kris Commons' pass.
Such an early set-back was the last thing Salzburg needed after three successive domestic defeats and there was little to encourage the home fans until Ramalho got on the end of a teasing Soriano free-kick.
The Brazilian peeled off to the back post and rose unchallenged to send his header goalwards, Gordon getting a vital touch to knock the ball wide.
Celtic's early season defensive struggles - no clean sheets in their previous six games - were apparent as Jason Denayer slipped at the vital moment for Salzburg's leveller.
Alan was allowed to run on to Kevin Kampl's pass and though Efe Ambrose got across from the right the defender succeeded only in redirecting the eventual shot past Gordon.
Salzburg's confidence grew and Marcel Sabitzer fired wide before Gordon was given more work to do in the second half.
Alan's strike was blocked and the Scotland international produced a double save to keep out Sabitzer's shot and Alan's rebound header.
However, the hosts had their own defensive vulnerabilities and Stefan Scepovic had tried to take advantage with an ambitious dipping shot from wide on the right that landed just past the near post.
And Salzburg were slow to close down Brown when he hit the 25-yard shot that Ramalho's outstretched boot would carry into the right-hand corner of the net.
Again Celtic's lead did not last, however. Emilio Izaguirre fouled Sabitzer around 30 yards out and Soriano curved the ball expertly over the wall and into the top corner.
Near-misses at either end permeated the closing stages but neither side looked convincing in attack as the clock ran down.
Line-ups
RB Salzburg
Formation 4-4-2
- 31Gulacsi
- 6Schwegler
- 5Ramalho
- 36HintereggerBooked at 90mins
- 17UlmerBooked at 10minsSubstituted forAnkersenat 82'minutes
- 44Kampl
- 24Leitgeb
- 13Ilsanker
- 7Sabitzer
- 27Borges de Carvalho
- 26Soriano
Substitutes
- 2Schmitz
- 4Ankersen
- 8Keita
- 33Walke
- 37Lazaro
- 42Quaschner
- 77Bruno
Celtic
Formation 4-3-3
- 26Gordon
- 4AmbroseBooked at 20mins
- 22Denayer
- 5van Dijk
- 3Izaguirre
- 42McGregor
- 8BrownBooked at 39mins
- 25JohansenSubstituted forKayalat 90+2'minutes
- 15CommonsSubstituted forTonevat 75'minutes
- 12ScepovicSubstituted forStokesat 68'minutes
- 32Wakaso
Substitutes
- 6Bitton
- 10Stokes
- 16Berget
- 24Zaluska
- 27Tonev
- 33Kayal
- 34O'Connell
- Referee:
- Artur Dias Soares
Match Stats
Home TeamRB SalzburgAway TeamCeltic
- Possession
- Home58%
- Away42%
- Shots
- Home22
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home10
- Away2
- Corners
- Home9
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home18
- Away15
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, FC Red Bull Salzburg 2, Celtic 2.
Substitution
Substitution, Celtic. Beram Kayal replaces Stefan Johansen.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match Stefan Johansen (Celtic) because of an injury.
Booking
Martin Hinteregger (FC Red Bull Salzburg) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
André Ramalho (FC Red Bull Salzburg) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Anthony Stokes (Celtic).
Post update
Foul by Martin Hinteregger (FC Red Bull Salzburg).
Post update
Anthony Stokes (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Alan (FC Red Bull Salzburg).
Post update
Jason Denayer (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Martin Hinteregger (FC Red Bull Salzburg) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Anthony Stokes (Celtic).
Post update
Foul by Christian Schwegler (FC Red Bull Salzburg).
Post update
Anthony Stokes (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution
Substitution, FC Red Bull Salzburg. Peter Ankersen replaces Andreas Ulmer.
Post update
Attempt missed. Stefan Ilsanker (FC Red Bull Salzburg) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Kevin Kampl.
Post update
Attempt missed. Christian Schwegler (FC Red Bull Salzburg) right footed shot from more than 35 yards misses to the right.
Goal!
Goal! FC Red Bull Salzburg 2, Celtic 2. Jonatan Soriano (FC Red Bull Salzburg) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the top right corner.
