Celtic will be delighted to come away from Bologna with a point after drawing 2-2.
Martin O’Neill’s side had a 2-0 lead going into the break after Reo Hatate and Auston Trusty put the Bhoys in a great position.
Hatate’s red card in the 34th minute, before Trusty’s goal, meant that it was going to be a tall order to keep the hosts out.
In the end they couldn’t do that but it is a point well-earned in the circumstances and keeps the Europa League dream alive.
With that, here are five things we learned from that performance.
WHAT AN EFFORT! Great point or wasted opportunity?
A proper European performance
Yes, Celtic conceded two goals and drew the game, but that doesn’t quite tell the story of the game.
To be a man down for over an hour against an impressive Bologna side, giving up 36 shots in the process, and leave without defeat is exceptional work.
Everyone in the team stuck to their roles and gave it absolutely everything. Who knows what it could have been if they had 11 all game?
This Celtic team does have fight
There have been several conversations about the lack of fight in this Celtic team this season. That can be put to bed tonight.
The going got tough and the Hoops got going. Whether it be Kieran Tierney heading everything away at the back post, or Daizen Maeda chasing down every half ball in an attempt to get Celtic further up the pitch, it didn’t stop all night.
They’ll be tired tonight but that’s the sort of never-say-die spirit we need from our players going into Hearts on Sunday.
Auston Trusty, the man mountain
Trusty will admit that his form has been a tale of two halves this season.
After being left out by Brendan Rodgers, he soon became a key player in O’Neill’s first spell before losing his way under Wilfried Nancy.
Was Auston Trusty your man of the match against Bologna?
Since O’Neill’s return, the USMNT defender has looked back to his best and was outstanding in northern Italy.
He fully deserved his goal but his defensive work was incredible to watch and long may it continue.
Lewis Ferguson’s Celtic hoodoo goes on
Lewis Ferguson may have scored plenty of goals against Celtic this season, but the Hoops have never given him a truly happy day.
His chances of beating Celtic are a lot less these days due to playing in Italy but the Scotland international was hoping that today would finally be the day he beats the Bhoys.
Our Bhoys had other ideas though and even with 10 men, he will still have to wait.
Reo Hatate undoes all of his hard work
Hatate blows hot and cold at the best of times but if we’re being brutally honest, his two yellow cards were entirely avoidable.
The midfielder had opened the scoring with an easy tap-in but then lost his head in the space of three minutes.
A needless yellow card for a foul on Lewis Ferguson set the tone before he then caught Bologna defender Juan Miranda late in front of the home dugout, which was always going to influence the referee’s verdict.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
