Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at 10:12 PM• Chris Meijer

FC Midtjylland will be the opponent of PSV in the third qualifying round of the Champions League. Denmark’s number two pulled the longest in the diptych with Celtic. After the first leg in Scotland ended in 1-1, the same result was on the scoreboard after ninety minutes in Herning on Wednesday evening. In extra time, FC Midtjylland crossed the line with a goal from Raphael Onyedika Nwadike, which means that thanks to a 2-1 victory, it can prepare for a diptych with PSV. The first leg in Eindhoven is scheduled for 3 or 4 August, after which the return in Denmark awaits a week later on 10 August.

The first leg in Glasgow ended in a 1-1 draw a week ago, after goals from Liel Abada and Evander. Both teams concluded the game at Celtic Park with ten men: Nir Bitton and Anders Dreyer received two yellow cards and were therefore not present during the return in Denmark on Wednesday evening. It took in the controlled filled MCH Arena until the start of the second half for the game to ignite.

With 48 minutes on the clock, Callum McGregor caught a knocked-off corner on the edge of the box with his chest. The Celtic captain checked the ball and immediately took it out, after which the leather popped into the far right corner behind the hopeless goalkeeper Jonas Lössl. Fifteen minutes later FC Midtjylland managed to clear the deficit. Pione Sisto hurled the ball in front of the goal, where Awer Mabil ran away from his two guards and, falling, the leather in the bottom left corner behind goalkeeper Scott Bain nodded.

The fact that a decision was not made within ninety minutes was partly due to Victor Lind. The striker had a huge opportunity to give FC Midtjylland the lead in the absolute final phase, but failed. The Danes did take the lead early in extra time. Onyedika Nwadike was released into the goal mouth, controlled the ball and shot in from close range. Celtic could not brush away that goal in the second half of the extension, making FC Midtjylland the opponent of PSV in the third qualifying round of the Champions League. Celtic will meet the Czech Jablonec in the qualifying cycle of the Europa League.