Celtic FC Women have taken a step closer to the UEFA Women’s Champions League group stages after overcoming KuPS in a thrilling extra-time match on Wednesday.
In a game held in Lithuania, Celtic found themselves trailing early when KuPS’s Roosa Ariyo scored in the 18th minute. However, Celtic’s resilience shone through, with substitute Saoirse Noonan heading in an equaliser in the second half, bringing the score to 1-1.
The match intensified as it extended into extra time, where Noonan proved her mettle by scoring two more goals, completing a remarkable hat-trick and securing a 3-1 victory for Celtic. This win propels the Glasgow club into the final of the Round One qualifier, where they will face the winner of the upcoming match between Gintra and Anenii Noi of Moldova.
This match should conclude at around 6 pm Celtic Park time, and then the Ghirls will find out their next opponent.
The decisive match is scheduled for Saturday, and should Celtic emerge victorious, they will advance to a two-legged playoff that will determine their entry into the prestigious 16-team group stage of the Women’s Champions League.
It would be massive for the side if they could get into the Champions League group stages, but there is a lot of work to go in on the field before they can think about this.