Celtic and Dinamo Zagreb performed out an uninspiring 0-0 draw within the Champions League on Tuesday.
The consequence leaves each side nonetheless firmly in competition for a spot within the subsequent stage of the event, with the Scottish champions sitting seventeenth and Zagreb in twenty first.
Groups positioned ninth to twenty fourth within the new league format will enter a play-off spherical to succeed in the spherical of 16.
Celtic have loved their greatest latest run in European soccer this time period below Brendan Rodgers after a number of disappointing seasons, and are one spot outdoors securing themselves a seeded draw within the play-off spherical.
“We had nice vitality, good dedication. Within the Champions League, if you happen to get a clear sheet and take some extent away from house and you are not very comfortable, that reveals how the group has progressed,” Celtic supervisor Rodgers mentioned.
His aspect additionally provisionally sit one level off the highest eight and a direct spot within the spherical of 16.
Zagreb began their marketing campaign with a 9-2 thrashing by the hands of Bayern Munich however have received two and drawn two of their subsequent 5 matches, and have eight factors.
“A extremely robust match. I believe 0-0 is the fairest consequence since there weren’t many probabilities on both aspect,” mentioned Zagreb winger Marko Pjaca.
Rodgers’ aspect have 9 factors, the identical as six-times winners Bayern in thirteenth and another than 2023 champions Manchester Metropolis, although each side now have a recreation in hand.
The primary half was one in every of few probabilities for both aspect, with not one of the 4 photographs recorded within the opening 45 minutes troubling both goalkeeper.
Celtic’s Nicolas Kuhn got here near breaking the impasse early within the second interval however his rifled effort on aim was deflected over the bar by house defender Maxime Bernauer.
The match then opened up a bit, with the tempo of Celtic’s attacking trio of Kuhn, Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi worrying Zagreb on the counter-attack.
Pjaca unleashed from the sting of the field however his fierce goalbound effort was bravely blocked by centre-half Auston Trusty, earlier than Celtic’s Kasper Schmeichel made a cushty save from Martin Baturina — the tie’s first shot heading in the right direction, coming two minutes earlier than the hour.
Furuhashi got here near touching in a cross and the beforehand underworked Danijel Zagorac palmed the ball out to Cameron Carter-Vickers, who blazed over from shut vary.
Schmeichel made a superb save from Pjaca on 80 minutes to make sure Celtic picked up an important level away from house.
“He is saved us a bunch of instances,” Trusty advised TNT Sports activities. “It is nice to have him behind me. We’re exhibiting we should be right here and might play on this competitors.”
With the tie ending goalless, it marked the top to Zagreb’s run of 43 video games in European competitors and not using a 0-0 draw.
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