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Celtic suffered their second successive home defeat as AC Milan secured a 3-1 victory in their Europa League Group H opener.<\/p>\nCeltic suffered their second successive home defeat as AC Milan secured a 3-1 victory in their Europa League Group H opener.<\/p>\n
The Scottish champions were still smarting from their 2-0 loss in Saturday\u2019s Old Firm derby at Celtic Park when they had to contend with the Italian giants.<\/p>\n
The Serie A side dampened an enthusiastic start by the hosts in the 14th minute when midfielder Rade Krunic headed in a cross from Samuel Castillejo before Brahim Diaz added a second with a drive just before the break.<\/p>\n
Celtic\u2019s response was admirable and Mohamed Elyounoussi reduced the deficit with a header from fellow second-half substitute Ryan Christie\u2019s 76th-minute corner but Milan substitute Jens Petter Hauge clinched the win with a counter-attack goal in added time.<\/p>\n
It was the first time Celtic have lost back-to-back games since December 2018, when they went down to RB Salzburg and then Hibernian but boss Neil Lennon will have been encouraged by their second-half display when they refused to give up.<\/p>\n
The 2-0 defeat by their Old Firm rivals Rangers had no doubt stunned Celtic.<\/p>\n
Lennon made two changes with strikers Leigh Griffiths and Albian Ajeti in as a partnership for the first time, replacing Patryk Klimala and Elyounoussi.<\/p>\n
AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli made five changes to the side which beat rivals Inter 2-1 at the weekend to remain unbeaten this season and top of Serie A.<\/p>\n
However, evergreen Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who scored twice against Inter, was again leading the line at the age of 39 and making his first appearance at Parkhead since coming on as a substitute for Ajax in a Champions League qualifier in 2001.<\/p>\n
Once again there were no fans allowed inside the stadium but Celtic started as if they were being cheered on by a packed house.<\/p>\n
However, they were hit by an Italian sucker punch.<\/p>\n
Castillejo drifted in from the right and flighted a cross in for Krunic to get in between defenders Stephen Welsh and Shane Duffy to direct his header past keeper Vasilis Barkas.<\/p>\n
Celtic kept up a good tempo as they fought back but then the Serie A side began to occasionally flex their muscles and by the interval they had doubled their lead.<\/p>\n
In the 42nd minute Ibrahimovic sent defender Theo Hernandez racing down the left and when he passed inside to Diaz, the attacker neatly side-stepped Duffy and Callum McGregor and slotted a shot low past Barkas.<\/p>\n
Lennon replaced Welsh and Griffiths with Elyounoussi and Christie for the start of the second half and went to a back four in a reshaped formation with some early joy.<\/p>\n
In the 51st minute, Celtic wing-back Diego Laxalt, on loan from the visitors, ended a promising move by driving just over the bar from the edge of the box.<\/p>\n
Tom Rogic replaced skipper Scott Brown in the 64th minute but it was another replacement, Elyounoussi, who gave Celtic a lifeline when he headed in from Christie\u2019s delivery.<\/p>\n
The home side gave it their all in search of a leveller but in the second minute of three added, Milan broke and Alexis Saelemaekers played in Hauge and his fellow substitute slipped the ball past Barkas.<\/p>\n