Celtic’s U19s endured a gut-wrenching defeat to Atalanta in the UEFA Youth League today, succumbing to a 2-1 loss after a goal in the third minute of stoppage time. Stephen McManus’ side had been on the verge of earning a valuable point in the group stages but were undone by a last-gasp winner from Atalanta defender Lorenzo Goggi.
Coming into the match off the back of a 4-0 drubbing by Borussia Dortmund in their previous outing, Celtic were looking for a response. They appeared to be heading for a much-improved result this time, battling hard in a goalless first half. One of the key moments came when goalkeeper Declan Rice kept his side in the game, making a crucial penalty save.
Celtic took the lead early in the second half, with Francis Turley netting in the 52nd minute. It looked like the young Hoops might finally grab some points from the group, but Atalanta quickly found their way back into the game. Henry Camara levelled the score in the 68th minute.
Both sides pushed for a winner, but it seemed Celtic would hold on for a hard-earned draw. Unfortunately for the young Bhoys, they were caught out deep into injury time. Defender Lorenzo Goggi’s late header snatched all three points for the Italians, leaving McManus’ side with plenty of lessons to take away from the narrow defeat.
While it’s a bitter pill to swallow, especially after a tough outing against Dortmund, Celtic’s improved performance will provide some encouragement as they move forward in the competition.
Stephen McManus, speaking after the match told Celtic TV:
“It’s a tough one for the players, you know. Across all the games we’ve played this season, there have been some really positive performances.
“The boys were tiring towards the end, which is expected at this level. What we’re trying to instill in them is the importance of developing in all areas—physicality, running power, endurance—because in games like this, you’re going to be tested physically.
“Throughout the game we stuck to our style of play as much as possible. We tried to build from the back, overload them in central areas, and combine through the middle. We created a lot of chances, but in some moments, the players maybe picked the wrong option. But that’s what development football is all about. At this level, especially in the UEFA Youth League, you’re up against the absolute elite of European football. It’s where we want to challenge ourselves and see where we stand.”
It won’t get any easier for the young Celts with Leipzig next up!
