Lask Celtic: McGregor puts Celtic 4-0 up in Linz play-off
In the Lask Celtic Champions League play-off, Celtic lead 4-0 on aggregate after Callum McGregor’s early deflected goal at the Raiffeisen Arena in Linz. Yang Hyun-Jun set up the captain’s strike as the Scottish side moved closer to the Champions League proper.
Celtic arrived in Austria with a 3-0 cushion from the first leg in Glasgow. Captain McGregor’s opener — via a big deflection after patient work from Yang on the left — stretched the tie to 4-0 on aggregate, according to BBC Sport’s live report.
The winners will clinch a place in the Champions League proper. Former Celtic midfielder John Collins, on BBC Radio Scotland, framed the stakes as a “£40m game,” while stressing prestige and big European nights for players and supporters.
Key Takeaways
- Celtic lead the Lask Celtic play-off 4-0 on aggregate after McGregor’s deflected strike in Linz.
- Yang Hyun-Jun created the opener; winners reach the Champions League proper.
- LASK have threatened, with a header wide and a deflected shot hitting the post.
- A pre-match silence marked a Celtic supporter who died when the sides met in Glasgow.
- Celtic officially named a starting XI for the Austria fixture on matchday.
What happened in the Lask Celtic second leg so far?
Play opened at a high tempo. LASK forced an early long throw that Colby Donovan cleared, while Celtic looked to keep the game moving with a quick free-kick from their own half.
Yang then produced the decisive moment. Patient on the left of the LASK box, he teed up McGregor. The finish was not thunderous, but it was on target and took a heavy deflection past the home defence.
BBC Sportsound analysts highlighted Yang’s early influence and McGregor’s habit of making goalkeepers and defenders work. Celtic fans following the live feed were told their side were “going back to the big time.”
Have LASK threatened a comeback?
Yes — the hosts have pushed. Alemao headed just wide from the front post, and a deflected effort from range bounced off Viljami Sinisalo’s right-hand post. Auston Trusty later rose with Samuel Adeniran to block a header.
Celtic’s back line has also made several interventions, including Cameron Carter-Vickers winning a crucial aerial duel. Kieran Tierney believed he should have had a handball penalty from about 20 yards; BBC reporting said VAR did not intervene.
Calum Macdonald of BBC Scotland noted the Raiffeisen Arena noise and home belief, even as Celtic supporters in the city remained confident with the first-leg lead and strong season start.
Why does this Lask Celtic tie matter tonight?
Qualification for the Champions League proper is the prize. Scott Brown, on Sportsound, expected LASK to press almost man for man with “nothing to lose,” while praising Celtic’s attacking options.
Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney were both active on the touchline as chances came at both ends. Before kick-off, players observed a silence for a Celtic supporter who died when the sides met in Glasgow last week; a home banner read “Rest in peace, James.”
Celtic FC published its starting XI for the trip to Austria on 25 August 2026. For more live sports and celebrity breaking coverage, see BlasterPost Celebrity Breaking News.
As the night unfolded in Linz, Celtic’s aggregate cushion and McGregor’s early goal left the Scottish champions firmly in control of a high-stakes European play-off.