Celtic earn point in Belgrade as Iheanacho nets off the bench in 1-1 Europa League opener

Celtic earned a hard-fought point on the road in their Europa League group opener, drawing 1-1 with Red Star Belgrade in the Serbian capital. The night began with a cautious feel as the home side looked to impose themselves in a hostile atmosphere, while Celtic weathered the first-half lull before making decisive changes after the break.

Daizen Maeda started the match for Celtic but was withdrawn at halftime in favor of summer signing Kelechi Iheanacho to inject a spark at the attacking end. The change paid off quickly for Celtic, as Iheanacho grabbed the lead just 10 minutes into the second half. Receiving a precise pass from Benjamin Nygren, Iheanacho tapped home from close range to claim his second goal for the club after arriving this summer. The early second-half breakthrough brightened Celtic’s prospects and provided a positive template for their European campaign.

However, the hosts equalized soon after through Marko Arnautovic, whose goal arrived amid a scramble in the Celtic box following a string of deflections. The ball stayed alive long enough for Arnautovic to finish, restoring parity and ensuring the visitors would have to contend for a result on the road. Celtic, meanwhile, remained competitive and clung to the point as the clock ran down.

Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel produced two crucial interventions to keep Red Star at bay, including a dramatic full-stretch save that tipped a Duarte effort onto the bar and a later save with his feet to deny Ivanic. The result underscored Celtic’s defensive resilience and the effectiveness of their reshuffled lineup.

On the night, teenager Colby Donovan continued to impress at right-back, delivering a high-energy display that suggested he could be a longer-term option for Rodgers in Europe. Donovan’s performance stood in contrast to a few others who found the atmosphere challenging, with the hosts pressing consistently and rendering the opening 45 minutes largely uneventful. Nygren’s influence grew after the break, providing the assist for Iheanacho and showing the kind of ball retention and decision-making that Celtic have been seeking in the wide areas.

Other notable performances included Callum McGregor conducting possession in the middle of the park and Kyler Harte? Reo Hatate and Yang Hyun-Jun, who started on the right but struggled to impose themselves, with Yang in particular finding the going tough in the early stages. Sebastian Tounekti also faced tight marking from Red Star’s defense and found it difficult to carve out chances. Daizen Maeda, who had been a central figure for Celtic in recent weeks, labored in the first half and did not threaten the hosts in the opening 45 minutes before his substitution at the break.

Rodgers’s substitutions in the second period—most notably Iheanacho for Maeda—were aimed at creating a more direct threat and tempo at the top end of the pitch. The manager will be hopeful that his changes pay further dividends as Celtic build toward the knockouts, underscoring a positive start to a campaign in which every point can prove valuable.

Red Star Belgrade (4-2-3-1): Matheus; Young-Woo, Uchenna, Veljkovic, Tiknizyan; Elsnik, Handel; Radonjic (Milson 46), Bruno Duarte, Ivanic (Olayinka 91); Arnautovic (Katai 75).

Celtic (4-3-3): Kasper Schmeichel; Colby Donovan, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales, Kieran Tierney; Benjamin Nygren, Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate; Yang Hyun-Jun, Sebastian Tounekti, Daizen Maeda (Iheanacho 46).

Substitutes: Iheanacho (Maeda 46), Engels (Hatate 68), Forrest (Yang 68), Balikwisha (Tounekti 77), Sarrachi (Tierney 82).

Referee: Radu Petrescu (Rom) 6. Attendance: N/A

The result gives Celtic a solid start to their European campaign, with a point earned away from home and a platform to build on in the remaining group-stage fixtures. Rodgers will hope the performance—especially the positive contribution from the younger players—can serve as a foundation for consistency as the season progresses.