Midtjylland 2 Celtic 1 (3-2 agg): Hoops crash out of Champions League ALREADY in nightmare start for boss Postecoglou

CELTIC’S Champions League dream is OVER after they were downed by Midtjylland in Denmark.

Callum McGregor’s stunning volley looked to have the Hoops on their way to the third qualifying round.

Reuters

Celtic were dumped out of the Champions League on a nightmare night for new boss Ange Postecoglou[/caption]

AFP

Midtjylland won in extra time to dump the Hoops out[/caption]

But they conceded an equaliser to Awer Mabil that took the tie to extra time.

And after just four minutes Celtic were behind when Raphael Onyedika thrashed a shot high into the roof of the net.

That proved enough for the Danes to hold on to progress 3-2 on aggregate.

It sees Celtic tumble into the Europa League qualifiers where they will play Czech side Jablonec.

And it heaps pressure on Ange Postecoglou and his players ahead of Saturday’s league opener away to Hearts.

Postecoglou had made a big call pre-match by naming Scott Bain in goal ahead of Vasilis Barkas.

Young Dane Murray was also handed his first Celtic start in place of the suspended Nir Bitton.

Neither side created much in the way of chances in a nervy first half.

Celtic had the best opportunities but Odsonne Edouard’s volley was off target.

David Turnbull also saw a shot saved by Jonas Lossl in the home goal.

The only real negative for Celtic in the first half was the booking shown to Stephen Welsh.

But it took a moment of magic just three minutes into the second period to blow the tie wide open.

And what a strike it was from new skipper McGregor who took a header from a corner on his chest before volleying into the far corner of the net.

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Callum McGregor’s stunning strike proved to be just a consolation[/caption]

It was a goal fit to win the Champions League final never mind a second round qualifier.

But it wasn’t done there with the Danes needing just one goal to force extra-time.

And Celtic survived a real scare when Bain juggled a ball across the face of his goal and needed his defenders to get him out of a hole.

Sub James Forrest then could have all but sent the Hoops through with a second goal but somehow dragged his shot agonisingly wide.

Celtic would pay the price for that miss barely minutes later as Midtjylland drew level in the match and in the tie.

It was a simple goal, with Mabil able to get free of Murray to meet a deep cross from Pione Sisto and head beyond Bain.

The home side had their tails up sensing momentum had switched back in their favour.

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And Tony Ralston had to make a brave block to deny Aussie international Mabil from grabbing a second.

Both teams were looking for a winner in the 90 minutes as the clock ticked down. And Forrest was denied again by a brilliant sliding block by Paulinho.

Victor Lind could have won it in injury time but sent his volley wide of the post after a brilliant chipped pass from Evander.

Onyedika, though, made no mistake after 94 minutes to pile on the heartache for the Hoops.