LASK stun Celtic with 5–1 comeback to reach Champions League

LASK Linz produced one of the most remarkable turnarounds in recent Champions League history, defeating Celtic 5–1 to overturn a 3–0 first‑leg deficit and secure their first appearance in the competition’s main phase since 1965. The Austrian club, led by Dietmar Kühbauer, joined Sabah and Bodo/Glimt as Tuesday’s qualifiers, completing a comeback reminiscent of Barcelona’s 6–1 win over PSG or Deportivo’s famous 4–0 reversal against Milan.

Samuel Adeniran was the star of the night, scoring twice with stunning strikes. His long‑range effort made it 3–1, before Flecker forced extra time with a dramatic 90th‑minute goal. In the additional period, Adeniran struck again in the 109th minute with a precise finish from the edge of the box, sealing LASK’s historic qualification. He narrowly missed a hat‑trick when Sinisalo saved his penalty late in extra time.

The result marks one of Celtic’s heaviest European defeats, only the tenth time they have conceded five goals or more.