Celtic could have been forgiven for assuming all hope was lost when Harry Kane volleyed home.
The Bayern Munich superstar notched his side’s second goal after Michael Olise had taken advantage of a Greg Taylor error to open the scoring on the stroke of half-time.
It looked like the evening belonged to the Bundesliga giants but Daizen Maeda pulled a goal back after Brendan Rodgers‘ substitutes had made a difference.
Parkhead erupted and fans hoped to roar their side on to an equaliser which almost came through Alistair Johnston late on.
As it was, despite their dominance late on, Celtic had to settle with a 2-1 defeat to take to the Allianz Arena next week.
For former Premier League and Republic of Ireland defender Damien Delaney, Celtic refused to throw in the towel and didn’t capitulate on the night. And that made a big difference to their chances in a week’s time.
Damien Delaney credited Celtic for not ‘capitulating’ vs Bayern
“Celtic held their nerve and they didn’t capitulate because you could,” the 43-year-old pundit said during his broadcasting duties with Virgin Media Sport.
“Sides like Bayern when they go 2-0 up could tack on three or four and then it’s over.
Celtic were accused of poor defending for both goals but for leaving Kane unmarked inside the six-yard box for the second goal in particular was a criminal offence.
It was right-back Johnston who appeared to be the culprit for that one but, again, Delaney explained why that might have happened.
Harry Kane was inexplicably left alone for Bayern’s second goal
According to the former defender, Bayern took an Arsenal-esque set-piece which “confused” the Scottish giants.
And that’s where they were punished by one of the world’s elite strikers.
“It’s a bunch of Bayern Munich players who take an Arsenal type corner and somehow in the melee Harry Kane gets forgotten about at the back post.
“It’s very hard to justify that but he does and that’s the confusion they create with the bunch at the back post.
“But Celtic held their nerve and got back into it.
