THEY were dared to dream.
Challenged to leave nothing out there to try and make the impossible possible.
Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic did that and more in the Allianz Arena last night – but were still left devastated.
Nicolas Kuhn scored against his old club Bayern to make their fans belief.
But cruelly in the final, dying seconds of four minutes of stoppage time Alphonso Davies booked the Bundesliga giants’ place in the last 16.
Rodgers’ side were moments away from taking this tie into extra-time after producing a performance no-one saw coming.
It just wasn’t meant to be with gut-wrenching agony coming with virtually the last kick of the ball.
But the Scottish Premiership champions did themselves and the country proud.
It’s incredible to think Celtic had FOUR huge chances to score inside the first 20 minutes.
Real, proper opportunities to take the lead and really stun their opposition.
They set traps for Bayern.
And the German, Bundesliga giants walked right into them.
Callum McGregor just needed to show a little bit more composure when he burst through on goal instead of going for power and missing the target.
Kuhn just needed to get a little bit more on his shot which was cleared off the line by defender Raphaël Guerreiro.
Daizen Maeda just needed to take a step forward when Arne Engels flashed as low ball across goal and he would have had a tap in.
Just seconds later he just needed to take a little bit off his attempted chip over Manuel Neuer.
Down on the touchline Rodgers held his head in his hands at each passed up chance, fearing they’d live to regret them.
What the moments did, though, was convince Celtic’s players they could cause Bayern problems.
It wasn’t backs to the wall either.
It wasn’t a Scottish team defending for its life.
Celtic were outstanding in the first-half.
The odds were always stacked against Rodgers’ side even before a ball was kicked.
Bayern hadn’t lost at home in UEFA’s flagship competition for four long years.
While Celtic came here knowing they had never won on German soil.
Ever.
Rodgers talked the talk in the build-up – insisting anything was possible – but it was a huge ask for his players to go out and walk the walk.
Bayern had the added incentive of this season’s final being here in their awesome Allianz Arena on May 31.
The last time that happened, in 2012, they were left devastated to lose to Chelsea in a penalty shootout.
The German giants have lifted the trophy twice in the years since. But the prospect of going all the way this time was there for them.
Ending that dream felt insurmountable for Celtic.
There wouldn’t have been many of their supporters who were genuinely confident of seeing history being created.
Rodgers and his team have given them some special European memories this season with big wins over the likes of Slovan Bratislava, RB Leipzig and Young Boys, along with draws against Atalanta, Dinamo Zagreb and Club Brugge.
Sure, the defeats to Borussia Dortmund and Aston Villa were humbling.
But overall Rogers can point to genuine progress at this elite level. And this performance typified that like nothing else.
Bayern would have been worried at the break, no doubt about it.
They had moments of their own in front of Kasper Schmeichel’s goal with Harry Kane closest to scoring with a shot from outside the box which rattled the crossbar.
Jamal Musiala and Michael Olise were always a threat.
But the way Celtic defended, the way they got back into their shape when they lost possession, was sensational.
Seeing Kane fail to appear for the second half was a boost for Celtic.
Kompany clearly wasn’t kidding when he rated the England striker as an injury doubt, even though he started.
Because other than the shot off the woodwork he did next to nothing.
Bayern could have gone ahead right at the start of the second half but Schmeichel denied Leon Goretzka with a good block.
But Celtic’s composure remained.
After an hour Rodgers changed it with Jota taken off after running out of energy. Adam Idah went opt and was pushed through the middle with Maeda moved onto the left.
And in 63 minutes they attacked on the break to take the lead.
Defender Dayot Upamecano didn’t cover himself in glory with his attempted challenge on Kuhn after brilliant play from Maeda.
But what a finish from the winger.
After powering his way into the box, he steadied himself and slammed his shot low and hard past Neuer.
The away fans high up in the stands went wild as they started to dream big.
Bayern were stunned.
This wasn’t in the script with Celts more than worth their lead on the night.
They still had it all to do, though, with Kompany’s side going all out to get the next goal and book their place in the next round.
Schemeichel made saves with his team-mates in front him throwing themselves in front of shots to protect their lead.
They were literally seconds away from taking the tie to extra time after four minutes of stoppage time.
But agonisingly, it wasn’t means to be.
In their very last attack of the night, a cross into the box saw Schmeichel save a point blank header.
But the ball broke between Davies and Carter-Vickers with it finding the net.
The final whistle was blown and it was over.
- Bayern Munich XI: Neuer, Stanisic, Upamecano, Kim, Guerreiro, Kimmich, Goretzka, Olise, Musiala, Gnabry, Kane. Subs: Urbig, Sane, Coman, Dier, Palhinha, Davies, Ito, Boey, Vidovic, Müller, Laimer, Pavlovic.
- Celtic X: Schmeichel, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Schlupp, McGregor, Engels, Hatate, Kühn, Maeda, Jota. Subs: Sinisalo, Bain, Scales, Taylor, Idah, Yang, McCowan, Nawrocki, Kenny, Murray, Ralston, Bonnar.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
