Celtic Out of Europe as Lazio Defeats, Shakhtar Donetsk Triumphs over Antwerp

The UEFA Champions League Group E football match between Lazio and Celtic Glasgow at the Olympic stadium in Rome witnessed Kyogo Furuhashi displaying his disappointment as he reacted at the end. Celtic Glasgow, the Scottish champions, faced elimination from Europe after suffering a 2-0 defeat against Lazio. Meanwhile, Shakhtar Donetsk claimed a 1-0 victory over Antwerp in Germany.

At the beginning of the match, Celtic found themselves at the bottom of Group E with only one point, whereas Lazio were in a comfortable position in second place with seven points, anticipating Atletico Madrid’s upcoming match against Feyenoord. Celtic’s game was of utmost importance as they required a victory to maintain their chances in either the Champions League knockout phase or the remaining fixtures of the UEFA Europa League. Conversely, if Lazio emerged triumphant, they would secure their spot in the knockout rounds.

Luis Alberto had an initial chance to give Lazio the advantage, yet his header towards the rear post missed its mark. Despite this moment of unease, Brendan Rodgers’ team displayed a sturdy defense. Unfortunately, their aspirations were crushed when two goals in a span of three minutes sealed their inevitable outcome. Ciro Immobile netted two goals, the first one in the 82nd minute and the other just three minutes after. This outcome pushed Lazio two points ahead of Atletico Madrid, but their position is not yet secure until the result of their game against Feyenoord is known. On the other hand, Celtic ended up at the bottom of the group, having no opportunity to advance to the Europa League.

In Group H, Shakhtar Donetsk faced a challenging situation as they commenced the game three points behind both Porto and Barcelona, who had accumulated nine points each. Because of the continuous conflict in Ukraine, Shakhtar had to hold their home game at Volksparkstadion in Hamburg, Germany. Conversely, Antwerp had faced four consecutive losses in their previous matches and were playing to uphold their own dignity.

Shakhtar quickly gained an advantage as Mykola Matviyenko scored a goal in the 12th minute. This turned out to be the sole goal of the match, ensuring a vital win for the hosting team. Antwerp experienced even more frustration when Arbnor Muja was shown a red card in extra time, adding to their existing troubles. By securing these three points, Shakhtar reached the same level as Barcelona and Porto in the group standings.

In general, Celtic had a disappointing evening as they were eliminated from European competition, while Shakhtar Donetsk celebrated a crucial win that kept their aspirations alive in Group H.