Celtic 1-1 Club Brugge: Daizen Maeda stunner secures Celtic battling point against Belgian champions - Eurosport

Celtic came from behind after a terrible own goal by Cameron Carter-Vickers to secure a 1-1 draw against a skilled Club Brugge team in their UEFA Champions League match at Celtic Park.

The guests had experienced the most impressive offensive plays in the first half, but they took the lead in the 26th minute due to a mistake from the home defender, Carter-Vickers. He tried to make a blind pass back but accidentally sent the ball into his own goal while Kasper Schmeichel was far from his line.

However, Celtic managed to level the score brilliantly just after the hour mark when Daizen Maeda unleashed an incredible shot that hit the post and went in from a sharp angle, leaving goalkeeper Simon Mignolet reaching out in vain.

The Belgian champions believed they had clinched the win in the 68th minute when Ferran Jutgla took advantage of some careless defending from the home team to score from close range. However, VAR footage revealed that he was offside.

In the end, a tie seemed to be the fair outcome, as Celtic now has eight points from five games, placing them 20th. Brugge sits just below them in 22nd, with one point fewer than Brendan Rodgers' team.

Celtic Displays Resilience To Secure A Point

Celtic is expected to perform better in the UEFA Champions League this season, even if they end up with a loss. Therefore, this should be viewed as a positive step in their ongoing effort to advance to the knockout stage.

Nicky Hayen's Brugge demonstrated why they overcame Aston Villa in their previous match with a strong performance on the road. Meanwhile, Celtic remained focused and managed to secure a point in a chaotic game, despite not being at their best. A significant part of their struggle can be attributed to the quality of the opponents.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers commented on TNT Sports, "The first half was lacking, but we improved significantly in the second half. Of course, we aim to win every match, but during the first half, our pressing was too passive. It was clear that they are a strong team."

In the second half, we made a few changes that improved our pressing game, enabling us to maintain pressure on the opposition. Daizen delivered an outstanding finish, and we played with much more confidence in that half.

"I'm really happy with how we performed in the second half. We stayed persistent and showed a strong will until the final whistle. Getting a point against a solid team is great for us. We'll carry this momentum into our next match."

Match Hero: Daizen Maeda

The Japanese winger scored his third goal in the UEFA Champions League and has reached a total of ten goals this season. He put in another relentless effort for the home team, and his brilliant goal for Celtic was a fantastic way to secure a point in a challenging match against a strong Brugge squad.

Celtic Player Ratings: - Schmeichel: 7 - Johnston: 6 - Carter-Vickers: 6 - Trusty: 7 - Taylor: 6 - McGregor: 7 - Hatate: 7 - Engels: 6 - Kuhn: 7 - Maeda: 7 - Kyogo: 6 Substitutes: - Idah: 6 - Valle: 6 - Yang: 6 - Bernardo: 7 - Forrest: 6

Club Brugge: Mignolet 7, Ordonez 7, Skov Olsen 7, Tzolis 7, Jutgla 7, Onyedika 7, Vanaken 7, Jashari 7, Mechele 7, De Cuyper 7, Seys 7. Substitutes: Vermant 6, Nielsen 6, Talbi 6.

Brugge is applying more pressure early in the match, with Celtic yet to make their presence felt. The visitors are trying to counter quickly. Andreas Skov Olsen takes a good shot at goal, but it deflects off target. The resulting corner kick is disappointing, allowing Celtic to easily defend.

26' GOAL! CELTIC 0-1 BRUGGE (CARTER-VICKERS OWN GOAL) A terrible blunder by the American defender occurs when he attempts a blind back pass and accidentally sends the ball into his own net, leaving Kasper Schmeichel far from his goal. It’s a nightmare scenario for him. The visitors have just been handed an unexpected gift.

In the 48th minute, CELTIC ALMOST GAVE UP A GOAL IMMEDIATELY! The visitors executed a fantastic counter-attack, but Celtic's goalkeeper Schmeichel made an excellent save, skillfully deflecting Maxim De Cuyper’s shot just past the post.

60' GOAL! (MAEDA) CELTIC 1-1 BRUGGE What an incredible goal from Daizen Maeda, marking his 10th of the season! He skillfully maneuvered past his defender and unleashed a powerful shot that hit the post and went in. A fantastic strike from a tight angle. Celtic has equalized at the hour mark!

69' VAR update! The goal has been disallowed! Ferran Jutgla was flagged for offside in the area. He was barely offside, and now their 2-1 advantage is gone. It was the correct call in the end.

The 1-1 tie at Celtic Park marked the inaugural encounter between the two teams in European tournaments.