JOE LEDLEY's goal 21 minutes from time rekindled Celtic's hopes that they can still escape this group, but to do so they will have to avoid acts of sabotage like that committed by Cha Du-Ri, whose own goal was another calamity for Neil Lennon to endure.
Celtic’s habit of undermining any chance they have of achieving their objective in Europe appeared to have plumbed new depths. Lennon had admitted a point here was the minimum his team required if they were to progress to the knockout stage, but the South Korean made sure they had to fight for it.
They did so with a resolve which delighted their manager, who conceded that exceptional second-half saves by Fraser Forster from Julien Feret and Youssouf Hadji, then an even better one in injury time from Jonathan Petroipa, played a significant part in keeping Celtic level with Rennes in the group.
Celtic’s away record in Europe has become a burden. They had won one and drawn three of 31 matches before this. The road to redemption in Rennes was travelled without Daniel Majstorovic, finally jettisoned from a defence which has been as porous as a colander.
The partnership of Glenn Loovens and Charlie Mulgrew had more pace, and in his quest for more security, Lennon moved Cha into right midfield ahead of Adam Matthews -- that didn’t work out so well -- with Joe Ledley reverting to left-back, Victor Wanyama and Biram Kayal in front of the back four and Anthony Stokes operating as the lone striker.
Celtic settled quickly and Ki Sung-Yueng had a good shot well held by Benoit Costil. However, Rennes gained the ascendancy with clinical passing and the action was concentrated in the Celtic half, but this time Lennon’s team at least managed to avoid the concession of another early goal, something which they had failed to do in Sion and Madrid.
Celtic next attacked on 24 minutes, when Mulgrew fashioned an opportunity for Stokes, only for the striker to spurn the chance by firing his shot almost directly at Costil, who flicked it over. Stokes had a similar opportunity just after the hour, but again drilled his shot directly at the goalkeeper.
Ki had also brought Costil into action as Celtic enjoyed their best spell of possession, when his free-kick was taken high in the air by the keeper, it was the prelude to another mad moment from Lennon’s team .
The goalkeeper’s quick kick was too strong, and Tettey had given it up as a lost cause. However, Cha, heading toward Forster’s goal under no pressure, inexplicably decided to pass it back to the goalkeeper, who was already on his 18-yard line and found himself wrong-footed and stranded as the ball trickled past him and agonisingly over the line.
As cheap goals go, this one was definitely from the bargain basement, and both Cha and Forster must accept responsibility for their part in the debacle. Celtic were a goal down, and Forster had still not had a shot to save.
Ki did have a chance to bring Celtic level a minute later, but Costil proved much more decisive than Forster and was quickly off his line to smother the through ball.
The signs of panic were still evident whenever Rennes moved forward, however, as Celtic’s fragile confidence fragmented. Alexander Tettey was afforded too much space on the right to deliver a cross which Hadji headed over after out-jumping the hapless Cha.
The same player had another clear look at goal at the start of the second half as Rennes moved up through the gears, but Loovens and Mulgrew managed to exert enough pressure to deny him a shot.
It was Forster’s turn to come to the rescue when Feret crafted an opening for Chris Mavinga, the goalkeeper spreading himself well to block from close range.
Celtic proved profligate in front of goal, Stokes, Cha and Ki all missing chances. Ledley, however, did not pass up his opportunity when it arrived. Cha was fouled on the right and the Welshman rose to flick Mulgrew’s free-kick into the top corner of Coistil’s net, sparking scenes of delirium from the visiting support directly behind that goal.
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