Celtic salvaged pride despite exiting the Europa League as Luke McCowan’s first-minute strike earned a 1-0 win over Stuttgart, leaving the Scottish side beaten 4-2 on aggregate.
Trailing 3-0 from the first leg, manager Martin O’Neill rested eight regulars ahead of Sunday’s Old Firm match, but his changed side started brightly. Junior Adamu’s slide-rule pass found McCowan, who scored after just 28 seconds for his first European goal and Celtic’s first-ever victory on German soil.
Celtic had an early chance when Daizen Maeda miscued from an Adamu cross, but Stuttgart soon settled. Stand-in goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo, making his European debut, made several important saves to preserve the lead. When Deniz Undav appeared to score, VAR ruled Ermedin Demirovic offside in the build-up, keeping Celtic ahead on the night.
The win provided a morale boost after the heavy first-leg defeat and a disappointing domestic loss to Hibs, with travelling Celtic fans delighted as their team left Europe on a positive note. Celtic and Bayern Munich were the only sides to have beaten Stuttgart at home this season.
O’Neill said the performance and Sinisalo’s showing gave him “food for thought” ahead of the Ibrox clash. The 24-year-old Finn made six saves and looked assured, putting pressure on Kasper Schmeichel for the goalkeeper spot after the Dane’s inconsistent displays. O’Neill praised the whole squad’s attitude and determination, admitting McCowan’s early goal briefly made him believe a comeback was possible. He also noted a late chance for Seb Tounekti might have made the closing minutes nervier for Stuttgart.
Despite the aggregate exit, Celtic leave with a rare away win and renewed selection dilemmas for their manager as they prepare for the Old Firm.