Valencia vs Celtic report: Celtic Match Report + Twitter reaction
Celtic’s Europa League campaign came to an end in the last-32 stage for the second time in two years. This time, after losing to Valencia at home in the first leg, they couldn’t manage to turn it around at the Mestalla. The Spanish side won the second leg 1-0 to cruise past the Hoops.
Brendan Rodgers’ men went down to 10-men in this game when Jeremy Toljan was sent off in the 37th minute for pulling Goncalo Guedes twice.
Coming into this game 0-2 down from their home leg, the task was always going to be steep for the Scottish champions and hopes faded when they went a man down.
Prior to that incident, Kristoffer Ajer had goal-bound shot blocked and Jozo Simunovic’s header was comfortably saved by the Valencia keeper. After the hosts got the extra-man advantage, they sprung into life and began to put more pressure on the Celtic defence.
Scott Bain saved two good efforts from Daniel Parejo and Santi Mina before half-time to keep the visitors alive in the tie.
The second half was all about the home team piling on the pressure against a depleted team and things started to fade away for Rodgers’ men. Things just got better for the Spanish side when they scored in the 70th minute through Kevin Gameiro.
The build-up to that goal was superb as Guedes was aware of the run made by fullback Daniel Wass and found him with a cracking diagonal ball. The latter then headed the ball into the six-yard box for the striker to score.
Celtic players tried their best but it wasn’t enough and it is safe to say that the damage was done in the first leg itself.
Here’s how the Celtic fans reacted to this game:
1/ No matter what tonight, the Bhoys can hold their heads up high and their chests puffed out, that’s the kind of European performance we want to see, gave it their all, blighted by a sending off, and held the lines well until the goal, the real fans are proud of you tonight,
— Danny (@DanTheManMax) February 21, 2019
Can’t fault the effort, everyone put in a shift
— David (@davelav5) February 21, 2019
It was a great effort from the Bhoys just a shame known that toljan shouldn’t have been off it was a completely different game with him on the park but none the less we move on and look forward to cheering the Bhoys on Sunday. Hh 💚💚
— Daniel mcclafferty (@Danielmcclaffe4) February 21, 2019
No shame in that result, brilliant performance from 10 men away in Europe
— Mick Reid ®™ (@mickreid) February 21, 2019
Great effort tonight just shows that we can compete, just wish the board would back brenden more.
— Armstrong Oko Flex CSC (@OkoCsc) February 21, 2019