Linz ASK staged a remarkable comeback and qualified for their first Champions League despite being three goals down at kick-off against Celtic
The Austrian champions accomplished a remarkable feat on Tuesday in the Champions League play-off second leg game. Having lost 3-0 in the first leg match in Scotland, Linz overturned Celtic’s lead the match after extra time (5-1) and secured, for the first time in their history, a place in the main stage of the competition game.
The liberation came late, but what a beautiful one it was. With his right foot, from about fifteen meters out, Samuel Adeniran turned around an evening that seemed doomed (109 minute) match played. Trailing by three goals scored at kickoff and forcing extra time in the dying seconds, the Austrian champions secured their first-ever Champions League qualification against Celtic club (5-1,).
The Scots had seemed to have killed any suspense, scoring the first goal through Callum McGregor (21 minute). But Linz refused to give up. Moses Usor took advantage of a poorly positioned defense to reduce the deficit at (32 minute), before Robert Ljubicic scored (48 minute) and then Adeniran, with his left foot – from the same spot as his historic goal scoring (58 minute) – brought the Austrians within a single goal of equalizing on goal aggregate.
Celtic club then resisted as best they could. Until the 90 minute when Florian Flecker headed home a rebound after Viljami Sinisalo had parried the ball, forcing extra time win. Linz could believe the unthinkable. And despite missing a penalty kick (115 minute), the unthinkable had a name: Samuel Adeniran.
