Match ends, Celtic 2, Astra Giurgiu 1.
CelticCeltic2Astra GiurgiuAstra Giurgiu1
Celtic laboured to victory against an Astra side who will feel they might have left Glasgow with at least a point.
The Romanians created more chances than the hosts but failed to break through.
They were made to suffer when Celtic finally found the net as Stefan Scepovic headed his first goal for the club before Stefan Johansen lashed high into the net.
Gabriel Enache quickly reduced the deficit but Celtic held out.
The Scottish champions have picked up seven points from three Europa League Group D games and sit top of the pile, with a trip to Romania up next for Ronny Deila's side in two weeks.
The manager will be keen to accentuate that positive aspect but the supporters will attest to the fact they once again witnessed a below-par Celtic performance.
Just as they had at times looked second-best here in the win over Dinamo Zagreb, they allowed Astra to dictate too often and but for good goalkeeping again by Craig Gordon and some wayward finishing, they would have been behind.
These were opponents with only one win in their last eight games, a run of form that had brought about a change of manager in the past fortnight.
That sequence includes a 5-1 thumping by Dinamo Zagreb in their opening fixture in Group D, followed by a 2-1 home loss to Salzburg.
They had, though, beaten Olympique Lyon on away goals in the qualifiers and after a turgid opening 20 minutes, during which Celtic dominated possession but failed to threaten the visitors' goal, Astra began to look more like that calibre of team.
Indeed, they had four clear-cut opportunities within 10 minutes as Gordon saved well from a powerful drive by Siedu Yahaya and a close-range Constantin Budescu effort, while Takayuki Seto and Enache both shot narrowly wide.
Celtic created little in the first half but Scepovic missed two glaring openings after the break before Astra again caused a handful of scares around Gordon's goal.
But Serbian striker Scepovic, looking increasingly forlorn, eased the tension as he rose to head an Anthony Stokes free-kick into the net.
And within moments, Johansen gave the home fans further cause to celebrate and relax as he capitalised on a fumble by the Astra keeper to hammer home.
It seemed Celtic were desperate to make life difficult for themselves though and so it was as Enache nipped in at the near post to clip the ball over the hitherto unbeatable Gordon.
But there were to be no late moments of anxiety for those in green and white, who will nonetheless know they will not often get away with such a display.
Line-ups
Celtic
Formation 4-3-3
- 26Gordon
- 23Lustig
- 22Denayer
- 5van Dijk
- 3Izaguirre
- 8Brown
- 21MulgrewSubstituted forWakasoat 67'minutes
- 25Johansen
- 42McGregorSubstituted forTonevat 57'minutesBooked at 70mins
- 12Scepovic
- 10StokesSubstituted forKayalat 78'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Matthews
- 4Ambrose
- 24Zaluska
- 27Tonev
- 28Griffiths
- 32Wakaso
- 33Kayal
Astra Giurgiu
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Lung Jr.
- 22Pliatsikas
- 5S Ben Youssef
- 15OrosBooked at 72mins
- 13Morais Júnior
- 6YahayaBooked at 8mins
- 14LabanSubstituted forFlorescuat 88'minutes
- 9Enache
- 8SetoSubstituted forFataiat 78'minutes
- 91de AmorimSubstituted forRusat 88'minutes
- 10Budescu
Substitutes
- 4Florescu
- 19Bukari
- 20Chitu
- 21Fatai
- 25Gaman
- 26Rus
- 33Coman
- Referee:
- Kristinn Jakobsson
Match Stats
Home TeamCelticAway TeamAstra Giurgiu
- Possession
- Home63%
- Away37%
- Shots
- Home20
- Away15
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away4
- Corners
- Home9
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Celtic 2, Astra Giurgiu 1.
Post update
Attempt missed. Stefan Scepovic (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Stefan Scepovic (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Beram Kayal (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by George Florescu (Astra Giurgiu).
Post update
Foul by Beram Kayal (Celtic).
Post update
Júnior Morais (Astra Giurgiu) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Astra Giurgiu. Laurentiu Rus replaces William de Amorim.
Substitution
Substitution, Astra Giurgiu. George Florescu replaces Vincent Laban.
Post update
Attempt missed. Constantin Budescu (Astra Giurgiu) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Vincent Laban from a direct free kick.
Post update
Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).
Post update
Júnior Morais (Astra Giurgiu) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Beram Kayal (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Stefan Scepovic.
Goal!
Goal! Celtic 2, Astra Giurgiu 1. Gabriel Enache (Astra Giurgiu) with an attempt from the left side of the six yard box to the centre of the goal.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Gabriel Enache (Astra Giurgiu) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by William de Amorim with a cross.
Post update
Foul by Jason Denayer (Celtic).
Post update
Constantin Budescu (Astra Giurgiu) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!
Goal! Celtic 2, Astra Giurgiu 0. Stefan Johansen (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
Substitution
Substitution, Astra Giurgiu. Kehinde Fatai replaces Takayuki Seto.
