Celtic draw with Bologna in Europa League as Ferguson starts in Roma victory

Jadon Sancho on target as Aston Villa guarantee Europa League top-eight finish

Thijs Dallinga of Bologna scores against Celtic. Photograph: Alessandro Sabattini/Getty
Thijs Dallinga of Bologna scores against Celtic. Photograph: Alessandro Sabattini/Getty

Ten-man Celtic lost a two-goal half-time lead but held on for what could be a precious Europa League point in Bologna.

Reo Hatate opened the scoring early on before collecting two yellow cards in three minutes.

Auston Trusty doubled Celtic’s lead but Martin O’Neill’s side came under sustained pressure after the interval and goals from Thijs Dallinga and Jonathan Rowe brought Bologna level.

Although the Italian side managed 37 attempts at goal in total, both teams had chances to win it before the game finished 2-2.

The Celtic fans celebrated the result, which puts their team on eight points ahead of their final game against the already eliminated Utrecht at Parkhead next week. A win should see Celtic qualify for the playoff round.

Hatate opened the scoring in the sixth minute after a gift from Bologna goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski, who passed the ball straight to centre-forward Daizen Maeda. The Japan forward squared the ball for his compatriot to roll into an empty net.

Bologna grew into the game and had a few shots on goal before Hatate was booked for a foul on Lewis Ferguson before needlessly flicking out a boot to catch Miranda in the 34th minute as the pair chased a ball that was heading into the Bologna half. A red card followed and O’Neill also received a yellow card for his protests.

The Celtic fans were celebrating again five minutes before the break as Trusty netted in off the bar at the back post after Arne Engels had headed on Kieran Tierney’s inswinging corner.

Bologna piled pressure on Celtic’s goal and it paid off in the 58th minute when Dallinga got in front of Colby Donovan to nod home from six yards after Jens Odgaard had headed on a cross.

The equaliser came in the 72nd minute as former Norwich winger Rowe made space on the edge of the box and evaded substitute Benjamin Nygren to smash a shot into the roof of the net past a motionless Kasper Schmeichel.

Celtic emerged from their shell and had opportunities to snatch an unlikely win. Substitute Irish striker Johnny Kenny forced a save and might have been able to play Maeda in on a counter-attack while Scales had a looping header tipped over.

Roma are in the top eight of the Europa League table after a 2-0 win over Stuttgart, where Evan Ferguson played all 90 minutes. Ferguson made an impact for the second goal, dribbling towards the corner and catching out the defender for a goal that was scored by Niccolo Pisilli, his second goal of the game.

Aston Villa guaranteed themselves a top-eight finish in the Europa League after Jadon Sancho’s first-half header secured a 1-0 victory over Fenerbahce in Turkey.

Villa’s impressive European record went to new heights as they earned a sixth win from their seven matches this season and brought Fenerbahce’s unbeaten record at home to an end in the process.

Sancho opened his account in Villa colours in what proved to be the only goal of the game in front of a loud Sukru Saracoglu atmosphere.

Villa’s home match with RB Salzburg next week will be nothing more than a formality, knowing their place inside the round of 16 is safe.

Rangers beat Ludogorets 1-0 thanks to a goal by Mohamed Diomande, while Nottingham Forest were beaten 1-0 by Braga from a Ryan Yates own goal. Elliott Anderson was sent off in stoppage time. Robbie Keane’s Ferencváros drew 1-1 with Panathinaikos.

  • Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date

  • What’s making headlines in the rugby world? Listen to The Counter Ruck podcast with Nathan Johns

  • Sign up for push alerts to get the best breaking news, analysis and comment delivered to your phone