Stuttgart vs Celtic; UEFA Europa League Knockout Play-offs
Stuttgart vs Celtic. UEFA Europa League Knockout Play-offs.
MHP ArenaAttendance58,500.
Stuttgart 0-1 Celtic (agg 4-2): Luke McCowan's first-minute strike salvages pride for Martin O'Neill's side despite Europa League exit
Report as Luke McCowan's first-minute goal gives Celtic a 1-0 win at Stuttgart in Europa League play-off round but Hoops bow out of Europe 4-2 on aggregate; Deniz Undav sees goal ruled out after half-time as Celtic hold on for first-ever win in Germany
Thursday 26 February 2026 21:50, UK
Celtic salvaged some pride despite exiting the Europa League at the hands of Stuttgart 4-2 on aggregate as Luke McCowan's first-minute strike earned them a first-ever victory in Germany.
Trailing by three goals from the first leg and needing a minor miracle to progress to the last 16, Martin O'Neill decided to rest eight first-teamers against a side fourth in the Bundesliga ahead of a crunch Old Firm game on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
O'Neill's players did not share his apparent willingness to throw in the towel and stunned the MHPArena with just 28 seconds on the clock as Junior Adamu's slide-rule pass was fired home by McCowan for his first European goal.
- As it happened | Teams | Stats
- Europa League results & fixtures
- Got Sky? Watch Sunday's Old Firm LIVE on your phone📱
- Scottish Premiership games coming up live on Sky Sports
Celtic could have had a second when Daizen Maeda got the ball stuck under his feet from an Adamu cross with the home side struggling to settle.
But once they did settle, there were few signs of an unlikely comeback and stand-in goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo, making his European debut for the Hoops, made a number of saves to keep the visitors ahead on the night.
The one time the Finnish stopper was beaten by Deniz Undav, VAR intervened to rule Ermedin Demirovic offside in the build-up and keep Celtic's lead alive and avoid a moment of potential controversy for the fourth official, who had let Demirovic back onto the pitch following an injury moments before receiving the ball.
Following a first-leg hammering and an equally disappointing home defeat by Hibs at the weekend, Celtic's narrow win provided a tonic for their delighted travelling support as they bowed out of Europe with a victory, and joined Bayern Munich as the only opposition sides to win in Stuttgart so far this season.
O'Neill given 'food for thought' ahead of Old Firm game
O'Neill admitted he was handed some selection dilemmas ahead of Sunday's showdown with Rangers after goalkeeper Sinisalo shone and a much-changed side secured the historic if academic win over Stuttgart.
Sinisalo made six saves in his sixth Celtic appearance of the season and several of them were impressive stops.
The 24-year-old Finland international looked assured throughout and put pressure on Kasper Schmeichel for a place at Ibrox after some inconsistent displays from the Dane in recent months.
O'Neill said: "I thought he did really well, really well, in the game. I'm delighted for him, he's a lovely lad.
"Everybody did well in the match. It gives me food for thought. Of course it does, absolutely.
"It's not as if we've played some 16-year-olds. The players have all played, but some have played less football than others in recent times.
"I thought everybody came out with flying colours."
O'Neill admitted McCowan's early strike had him believing they could pull off a famous comeback.
"I'm delighted with the effort and determination they put into the game," added the Celtic manager.
"We got off to a really great start. We felt as if we don't concede in the first 20 minutes of the match, and maybe even nick a goal, we could still be in the tie.
"I got carried away with myself [after the goal]. I thought, we're going to do this here. Eventually, we have to create more chances and it wasn't to be.
"It might have been interesting if Seb (Tounekti) had scored towards the last couple of minutes. It might have been a bit nervy for Stuttgart.
"I genuinely thought we could do it, but I might be asking a lot.
"We're playing a very, very good side. A side, from my viewpoint here, capable of winning the competition.
"But I couldn't be more pleased with the team, couldn't be more pleased with attitude and desire."
