Atletico misses chance to take outright group lead after 2-2 draw at Celtic in Champions League
GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Atletico Madrid missed a chance to take the outright lead of its group after a 2-2 draw at Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Antoine Griezmann and Álvaro Morata scored a goal in each half as Atletico twice came from behind to salvage the away draw. Celtic scored before halftime through Kyogo Furuhashi and Luis Palma.
Atletico played with 10 men from the 83rd minute as midfielder Rodrigo de Paul was sent off with a second yellow card for a hard sliding tackle.
Atletico reached five points in Group E. It's one behind leader Feyenoord, which beat Lazio 3-1 in the other group game. Celtic stayed last with one point, three behind third-place Lazio.
Celtic was trying to end a run of 10 games without a win in European competitions, with two draws and eight losses, including at Feyenoord and against Lazio in the Champions League this season. Celtic's last Champions League win was in 2013.
Atletico had won its last six matches in all competitions, including against Feyenoord.
“We were in control in the second half until the red card to De Paul, which I think was a bit harsh,” Atletico defender Mario Hermoso said. “That changed everything. But it happens, now we have to rebound in the next match at home."
The Scottish hosts went ahead only four minutes into the match at Celtic Park with Furuhashi finding the net from close range to become the second Japanese player to score in consecutive Champions League matches (group stage to final), after Daichi Kamada, who scored in three straight games for Frankfurt last season.
Furuhashi is the first Celtic player to score in successive home Champions League matches since Kenny Miller in 2006.
Griezmann equalized for Atletico by converting a 25th-minute penalty kick, scoring with his second attempt after the initial shot hit the post. It was Griezmann's eighth goal in his last seven matches with Atletico in all competitions. He had a hat trick in a 3-0 win at Celta Vigo in the Spanish league on Saturday.
Celtic moved back into the lead three minutes later with Palma’s powerful strike into the far corner after the Atletico defense got caught off-guard again.
Morata evened the match with a neat diving header after Marcos Llorente's cross. It was Morata’s 12th goal in 14 games for club and country this season.
Atletico’s Axel Witsel had a goal disallowed for offside late in the first half.
The visitors were without several regular starters because of injuries, including José María Giménez, Reinildo, Samu Lino, Thomas Lemar and Memphis Depay. Stefan Savic was back in defense.
The Spanish side played in a special edition all-red jersey sporting the club’s old emblem in a tribute to the uniform it used when it beat Celtic in the semifinals of the 1974 European Cup.
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