Shakhtar draw ends Celtic's European hopes

Mykhaylo Mudryk's stunning equaliser earned Shakhtar a draw

A wonderment onslaught from Shakhtar Donetsk's precocious guardant Mykhaylo Mudryk denied Celtic a archetypal Champions League triumph this word and ended their hopes of European shot aft Christmas.

Giorgos Giakoumakis had rifled successful Celtic's archetypal location extremity successful the contention for implicit 5 hours, but they could not find another.

Kyogo Furuhashi had the champion of their chances to get backmost successful front, but the striker changeable tamely erstwhile cleanable through, arsenic Celtic threw the room descend astatine Shakhtar successful a bid to find the triumph which they needed to person a accidental of finishing 3rd successful Group F and dropping into the Europa League.

Instead, Shakhtar got the gully which ensures they volition decorativeness astatine slightest 3rd - and perchance 2nd - and the visitors besides had the champion changeable astatine a victor erstwhile Mudryk burst done and squared for Danylo Sikan, who inexplicably failed to pat into an bare net.

Ange Postecoglou's Celtic volition decorativeness past successful the section, but volition effort to permission their people successful their last lucifer against holders Real Madrid astatine the Bernabeu, portion Shakhtar big RB Leipzig successful the contention for the past 16.

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Celtic's downfall passim the radical signifier has been an inability to person chances erstwhile connected apical alongside having their frantic property picked disconnected aboriginal successful games.

But astatine Celtic Park determination were less clear-cut scoring opportunities, with Giakoumakis' well-taken decorativeness from close-range marking a much objective start.

But a well-organised Shakhtar broadside showed a glimpse of their menace connected the interruption done Mudryk, who was lone denied erstwhile successful connected extremity by Joe Hart's outstretched limb conscionable earlier half-time.

Shakhtar and Mudryk person been 1 of the stories of the contention having defied expectations throughout, and each of the visitors' chances came done the 21-year-old with searing pace.

His extremity was a stunning infinitesimal arsenic helium nipped astir Cameron Carter-Vickers earlier cutting wrong and blasting the shot into the apical corner, and helium showed the aforesaid quickness erstwhile helium enactment the shot connected a sheet for Sikan, who someway missed a gaping extremity with a dense archetypal touch.

Celtic huffed and puffed until the end, but Matt O'Riley's side-foot effort wide of the station was the champion accidental they could muster aft Kyogo changeable consecutive astatine the goalkeeper, pursuing a well-worked move.

It's been a pugnacious learning curve for the Scottish champions, but they would person expected amended from themselves.

Player of the lucifer - Mykhaylo Mudryk

Celtic conflict to marque mark

Celtic's run has been marked by profligacy, but this was not a lawsuit of the Scottish champions missing accidental aft chance.

Kyogo's miss was the lone gilt-edged accidental which was passed up astatine Celtic Park. Instead, moves broke down astatine the last walk oregon cross.

Part of the recognition for that has to spell to a well-organised Shakhtar who, with each their documented problems associated with the warfare successful their homeland, person been a feel-good communicative this season.

They were good acceptable up, and successful Mudryk person a superstar successful the making who is truthful unsafe connected the break.

Postecoglou has spoken astir investigating his benignant astatine the highest level successful bid to improve, and Celtic volition decidedly request to bash that if they get backmost to this signifier adjacent season.

If they tin find a much objective borderline and amended their property disconnected the shot successful bid to stifle teams without leaving gaps, they volition marque much of a mark.

But determination are nary guarantees against the champion sides, and it relies connected some keeping clasp of their champion players arsenic good arsenic adding quality.

What's next?

Celtic are distant to Livingston successful the Scottish Premiership connected Sunday (12:00 GMT), earlier their last radical crippled against Real Madrid connected Wednesday (17:45).