LASK beat Celtic 5-1 after extra time to complete a stunning 5-4 aggregate comeback and reach the Champions League as the Hoops drop into the Europa League.
Celtic travelled to Austria on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, protecting a commanding 3-0 first-leg advantage. Their position appeared even stronger when captain Callum McGregor scored after 21 minutes, extending the aggregate lead to four goals.
What followed was a dramatic collapse. Moses Usor equalised on the night before Robert Ljubicic, Samuel Adeniran and Florian Flecker forced extra time. Adeniran then struck again to complete one of LASK’s greatest European comebacks.
McGregor Gives Celtic the Perfect Start
McGregor delivered what appeared to be the decisive moment. After Yang Hyun-jun combined with Kieran Tierney, the Celtic captain met the move with a first-time shot that deflected past the goalkeeper.
However, Celtic’s advantage encouraged caution instead of further attacking ambition, allowing LASK to keep believing.
Usor provided the hosts’ first breakthrough in the 32nd minute. He punished a loose Benjamin Nygren pass, levelling the match and giving the Austrian side hope before half-time.
LASK Transform the Tie After Half-Time
The momentum changed completely after the interval. Three minutes into the second half, Usor overpowered Auston Trusty before finding Ljubicic, who drove a powerful effort home from approximately 20 yards.
Adeniran added LASK’s third in the 58th minute with an outstanding first-time strike from 25 yards that curled into the top corner. Celtic’s four-goal aggregate cushion had been reduced to one.
LASK continued attacking while Celtic retreated. Goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo saved well from Sascha Horvath and João Victor Tornich headed narrowly wide. Adeniran also struck the underside of the crossbar as the pressure intensified.
Manager Martin O’Neill responded by introducing Liam Scales and Dane Murray, leaving Celtic with four central defenders alongside Trusty and Cameron Carter-Vickers. The strategy protected the penalty area temporarily but removed much of the visitors’ attacking threat.
Celtic were seconds away from surviving when Sinisalo saved Tornich’s stoppage-time header. Flecker reacted quickest to the rebound, heading home LASK’s fourth and taking the tie into extra time.
Adeniran Delivers the Decisive Goal
Celtic briefly stabilised during the opening extra-time period.
In the 109th minute, Adeniran dispossessed Luke McCowan and fired another long-range finish beyond Sinisalo. The goal put LASK ahead on aggregate for the first time and completed his decisive two-goal performance.
Sinisalo later denied Adeniran a hat-trick by saving his penalty, but Celtic could not produce the goal required to force a shootout. LASK protected their advantage and celebrated an extraordinary qualification.
Why Celtic Collapsed in Austria
Celtic’s failure was not caused by a single mistake. Careless possession allowed Usor to score the first LASK goal, while declining midfield control repeatedly exposed the defence after half-time.
The visitors became increasingly passive and stopped offering a reliable counterattacking outlet. Defending deeper invited further pressure, and the introduction of additional defenders did not solve the underlying inability to retain possession.
Celtic also struggled physically during the closing stages. Carter-Vickers battled cramp before being replaced, while LASK continued winning loose balls and shooting confidently from distance.
The Guardian match report described the defeat as one of Celtic’s lowest European moments and estimated that missing the league stage represented a financial blow exceeding £20 million.
What the Result Means
LASK advance to the Champions League league phase after overturning what appeared to be an impossible deficit. Their intensity, courage and shooting quality earned a historic result.
Celtic miss the Champions League for a second consecutive season and will instead enter the Europa League. Questions will surround game management, squad planning and the decision to sell midfielder Arne Engels shortly before the first leg.
The manner of elimination will hurt as much as the outcome. Celtic held a four-goal aggregate advantage during the second leg yet could not control the match when LASK increased their tempo.
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Verdict
LASK deserved qualification because they continued attacking despite facing a four-goal aggregate deficit. Usor sparked the revival, Ljubicic accelerated it, Flecker forced extra time, and Adeniran supplied the decisive quality.
Celtic’s defensive retreat and loss of midfield authority turned a comfortable position into a damaging European exit. For LASK, the night represented resilience and history; for Celtic, it became an unforgettable warning about assuming any knockout tie is truly finished.
