Celtic v Utrecht live: Europa League updates from race to qualify for knockouts in league phase finale – UK Times

GOAL! Utrecht have made it very interesting!

Adrian Blake has put the finishing touches on a superb counter-attack, sweeping in from distance to cut the lead to just one goal!

Changes for the visitors as Rodriguez and Murkin make way for Bozdogan and El Karouani.

CLOSE! That’s more like it!

McGregor fires a through ball into the path of the overlapping Donovan, who cuts it back to Nygren.

The Swede has the space to get the ball out of his feet and shoot from around eight yards, but Barkas makes a good save to tip it over.

Celtic are beginning to grow back into the game as the second half continues, with the hosts starting to turn the screw in attack once again.

A promising attack ends in a corner, and though the set-piece is cleared Celtic come again, with Nygren almost able to direct a shot at goal when arriving onto a cross at the near post.

More threat from the visitors but Cathline’s cross isn’t troubling Schmeichel.

Groans from the home fans though as Maeda gives the ball away too easily as he tried to hold up play, before another Cathline cross flies past the attacker at the back post.

Celtic have given the ball away far too easily a couple of times but it hasn’t harmed them yet.

Tounekti goes down under a challenge in the area but it was a fair one.

Half a chance for Utrecht as Blake makes the space on the wing for a cross before fizzing a ball in between Schmeichel and his defenders, but nobody is there to tap in!

Back underway in Parkhead after a brief delay (as all the matches needed to kick off at the same time).

Celtic remain in control but they need to switch back on early on in this second half.

It was all looking so rosy for Celtic, and while they still have a huge advantage this evening, they should be out of sight after a first half that they dominated.

Utrecht barely threatened at all until Celtic sat off and allowed De Wit to shoot on 44 minutes, with the Dutchman finishing well to give his side a lifeline.

Celtic should be able to control the second half and score more if they want to, but they need to switch back on after a couple of silly mistakes and some laziness towards the end of that half.

We’ll be back underway soon at Celtic Park.