World media reacts as Celtic send Young Boys into 'the valley of tears' and prove fortune favours the brave
It wasn't pretty from Celtic but they got the job done – and sent Young Boys home to the 'valley of tears' according to the Swiss media.
The Hoops needed a win to make sure of their passage to the Champions League round of 16 and got there in the end after Adam Idah forced a late own goal from Loris Benito, which proved the only goal of the game. The first half was wild but somehow ended goalless, Kyogo seeing a hattrick of goals ruled out – two for offside and one for a foul in the buildup by Callum McGregor – before Arne Engels saw his penalty saved by the impressive Marvin Keller.
The second half was nervy and cagey but just as Brendan Rodgers might really have thought Lady Luck had a vendetta against his team, they got the break they wanted. It was sub Idah who forced it, racing onto a brilliant Reo Hatate pass, before his shot ricocheted off keeper and defender, then over the line.
Even Daizen Maeda's late red card couldn't sour the wild celebrations as the Hoops now move onto the knockout phase with the pressure off to an extent against Aston Villa in Birmingham next week. As for Young Boys, they remain bottom without a point. And boy, did the media in Switzerland let them hear it...
Blick (Switzerland)
YB suffered a dramatic 0-1 defeat at Celtic in Glasgow. An own goal shortly before the end proved to be the Bernese team's downfall.
It was almost there – the first point for the Young Boys in the Champions League. But shortly before the end, an own goal by Loris Benito sent the Bernese team into the valley of tears. YB lost 0-1 to Celtic in Glasgow.
In the first half, the Scots hit the turbo. They outplayed YB. Three goals by Kyogo Furuhashi were disallowed - two for offside, one for a foul that had been committed beforehand. In addition, Arne Engels failed to score from the penalty spot against YB goalie Marvin Keller shortly before half-time.
And then came this unbelievable own goal - minutes before the final whistle. A football evening could hardly be more dramatic. Despite the huge disappointment, YB can be more than satisfied, especially with the second half.
The Guardian (UK)
Fortune favours the brave. With five minutes of this game to play Celtic were in precisely the position they had not wanted to be in, glancing anxiously at other Champions League scorelines and potentially heading to Villa Park needing some reward to continue involvement in the competition. An own goal altered the scene here entirely. If that winner was freakish, nobody could reasonably deny the hosts deserved it. Even Daizen Maeda’s subsequent red card could not halt wild celebration.
Brendan Rodgers returned to Celtic (in 2023) with a stated aim of making the Champions League knockout stage. He can tick that one off and, impressively, with a game to spare. Celtic will miss Maeda’s relentlessness against Aston Villa but the outcome for the Scottish champions next Wednesday is basically irrelevant. Celtic are worthy of their further opportunity against the elite of Europe, which Rodgers is entitled to relish.
Berner Zeitung (Switzerland)
Three goals disallowed, a missed penalty: Young Boys had a lot of luck in the Champions League against Celtic Glasgow. And then they lost through an own goal
Darian Males puffs out his cheeks and expresses his displeasure. Then the YB winger sits down on the bench, alone with his thoughts for the time being.
How could he not convert those chances? Why did Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel react so strongly? These are the questions that must be going through his mind after he was substituted. He will always come back to the 63rd minute, when Joël Monteiro broke through on the left and served him perfectly in the penalty area. Males shot with his left, then with his right. The result was the same: Schmeichel saved.
They will be mourning this for a while. Next week they will host Red Star Belgrade. For YB it will then be a matter of avoiding the shame of last place.
L'Equipe (France)
Celtic escape Swiss trap
A missed penalty, disallowed goals galore and a Keller who seemed impenetrable... Celtic gave themselves a scare against the competition's bottom team. It took a late own goal from the unfortunate Benito to give the Scots victory. Valiant, the Swiss remain at 0 points.
Japan Today (Japan)
Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi had a first-half hat trick of disallowed goals in the Champions League against Young Boys on Wednesday.
Watched at Celtic Park by the Scottish champion’s most famous fan, Rod Stewart, a penalty kick by Arne Engels also was saved. Somehow, Celtic went in at halftime still at 0-0.
Young Boys has lost all six games so far in the new Champions League format. Kyogo was judged offside after he found the net with shots in the sixth and 34th minutes, and another neat shot in the 31st was overturned on video review because of a foul by captain Callum McGregor before he passed to the Japan forward.
Young Boys goalkeeper Marvin Keller dived to his left to save a spot-kick in the 41st from Engels, who did not deceive with a stutter-step run-up to the ball.
Koha (Kosovo)
Scottish Celtic have achieved a great victory over Swiss Young Boys.
Celtic narrowly won 1-0 against the bottom team on Wednesday night. They have secured the knockout stage of the Champions League, as they have 12 points in 18th place.
The eliminated Young Boys remain without points. Arne Engels missed a penalty in the 41st minute, while Loris Benito's own goal decided the match in favour of the home team.
Suedostschweiz (Switzerland)
It wasn't far off. Just a few minutes and the Young Boys would have won their first point in the new Champions League at the seventh attempt. But in the end it was the same as always against Celtic Glasgow in this botched European Cup campaign, and the Bernese had to leave the field as losers after conceding a late goal.
The Scots, who lead the domestic league 13 points ahead of rivals Rangers, were too strong at home when they last played at Celtic Park.
It was probably the bit of luck that the Young Boys had mostly lacked in the Champions League up to now, but which now seemed to be on their side in their second-to-last appearance in this competition. At least until Benito's distraction. Because the longer the game went on, the more the Young Boys ventured into the offensive. Alongside Joel Monteiro and Silvere Ganvoula, Darian Males missed two excellent chances to score.
In a week's home game against Red Star Belgrade, YB will now have to bid an honourable farewell to the big stage. With a point, they could perhaps give up the shameful last place in the table to Slovan Bratislava.
