LASK Ends Celtic's Champions League Dream in Epic Extra Time

LASK dismantled Celtic at the Raiffeisen Arena in a playoff round encounter that swung decisively in the Austrian club's favour after half-time. The hosts delivered a clinical second-half display that transformed what had been a competitive first 45 minutes into a route, ultimately requiring extra time to settle the issue once the scoring reached 4-1 at the whistle.

Celtic struck first through Callum McGregor's finish in the 21st minute, but LASK responded with M. Usor's leveller 11 minutes later to level at the break. The momentum shifted entirely after the restart. Ljubičić restored LASK's lead just two minutes into the second half, then Adeniran added a third in the 58th minute to make it 3-1. The visitors crumbled under sustained pressure, and when Flecker made it 4-1 in the 90th minute, LASK appeared to have sealed safe passage. That proved premature.

The decisive moment arrived almost immediately after the interval. LASK's second-half intensity overwhelmed Celtic's backline, which had held firm in an open first period but simply could not cope with the hosts' rhythm and precision once play resumed. Ljubičić's early goal after half-time set the tone for what followed, and Celtic never recovered from that concession.

LASK controlled large passages of the match but made their superiority count only when it mattered most. Celtic offered genuine threat in the opening half, with McGregor's goal reflecting their early intensity, but they lacked the defensive organisation required to withstand LASK's sustained assault. By the final stages of normal time, the contest had become one-sided, yet the visitors held on long enough to force extra time.

Yellow cards issued to D. Kuhbauer, M. Usor and Alemão for LASK, and M. O'Neill and L. McCowan for Celtic, suggested both sides remained competitive in their challenges despite the scoreline's trajectory. The caution awarded to McCowan in the 103rd minute came as LASK tightened their grip, and Adeniran sealed matters with his second goal in the 109th minute to confirm a 5-1 final scoreline and a place in the next round for the Austrian hosts.

LASK's passage to the next stage ends Celtic's Champions League ambitions at the playoff hurdle. The Austrian club's intensity and second-half ruthlessness proved too much for the Scottish visitors, who will rue their inability to build on McGregor's early strike. For LASK, this dominant victory sends them through to face stiffer competition, though this performance suggests they will arrive with genuine momentum.