Celtic 2-1 Astra Giurgiu

Stefan Scepovic savours his first goal for Celtic after netting the opener against Astra Giurgiu of Romania

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.

Stefan Scepovic rises to nod his first goal for Celtic and give his side a crucial lead against Astra Giurgiu

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.

Norwegian midfielder Stefan Johansen buries the second goal for Celtic after a goalkeeper error

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
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Celtic

• 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

• 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

Posted at

Match ends, Celtic 2, Astra Giurgiu 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+4'

Second Half ends, Celtic 2, Astra Giurgiu 1.

Posted at 90'+3'

Attempt missed. Stefan Scepovic (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.

Posted at 90'+1'

Attempt blocked. Stefan Scepovic (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

Posted at 89'

Beram Kayal (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 89'

Foul by George Florescu (Astra Giurgiu).

Posted at 89'

Foul by Beram Kayal (Celtic).

Posted at 89'

Júnior Morais (Astra Giurgiu) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution

Posted at 88'

Substitution, Astra Giurgiu. Laurentiu Rus replaces William de Amorim.

Substitution

Posted at 88'

Substitution, Astra Giurgiu. George Florescu replaces Vincent Laban.

Posted at 86'

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.

Posted at 85'

Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).

Posted at 85'

Júnior Morais (Astra Giurgiu) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 83'

Attempt missed. Beram Kayal (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Stefan Scepovic.

Goal!

Posted at 81'

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.

Posted at 81'

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.

Posted at 80'

Foul by Jason Denayer (Celtic).

Posted at 80'

Constantin Budescu (Astra Giurgiu) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Goal!

Posted at 79'

Goal! Celtic 2, Astra Giurgiu 0. Stefan Johansen (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.

Substitution

Posted at 78'

Substitution, Astra Giurgiu. Kehinde Fatai replaces Takayuki Seto.

Substitution

Posted at 78'

Substitution, Celtic. Beram Kayal replaces Anthony Stokes.

Posted at 77'

Attempt missed. Scott Brown (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is too high following a set piece situation.

Posted at 76'

Anthony Stokes (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 76'

Foul by Cristian Oros (Astra Giurgiu).

Posted at 76'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Vincent Laban.

Goal!

Posted at 73'

Goal! Celtic 1, Astra Giurgiu 0. Stefan Scepovic (Celtic) header from very close range to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Anthony Stokes with a cross following a set piece situation.

Booking

Posted at 72'

Cristian Oros (Astra Giurgiu) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 72'

Mubarak Wakaso (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 72'

Foul by Cristian Oros (Astra Giurgiu).

Posted at 71'

Foul by Mubarak Wakaso (Celtic).

Posted at 71'

Gabriel Enache (Astra Giurgiu) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Booking

Posted at 70'

Aleksandar Tonev (Celtic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 70'

Foul by Aleksandar Tonev (Celtic).

Posted at 70'

Júnior Morais (Astra Giurgiu) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 67'

Attempt missed. Vasileios Pliatsikas (Astra Giurgiu) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Gabriel Enache.

Substitution

Posted at 67'

Substitution, Celtic. Mubarak Wakaso replaces Charlie Mulgrew.

Posted at 65'

Attempt missed. Cristian Oros (Astra Giurgiu) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Vincent Laban with a cross following a corner.

Posted at 65'

Corner, Astra Giurgiu. Conceded by Mikael Lustig.

Posted at 62'

Attempt missed. Seydou Yahaya (Astra Giurgiu) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Takayuki Seto.

Posted at 60'

Attempt missed. Aleksandar Tonev (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Anthony Stokes.

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