Home > Sports > Football

Yang Hyun-jun’s first Champions League assist not enough as Bayern Munich edge Celtic 2-1

Published: 13 Feb. 2025, 11:52

PAIK JI-HWAN
[email protected]

Celtic winger Yang Hyun-jun, right, eyes the ball during the first leg of the 2024-25 Champions League playoffs against Bayern Munich at Celtic Park in Scotland on Feb. 12. [AFP/YONHAP]

Celtic winger Yang Hyun-jun recorded his first assist in the Champions League during a 2-1 loss to Bayern Munich in the first leg of their knockout round on Wednesday.

The match at Celtic Park in Scotland was not the expected Korean derby, as Bayern defender Kim Min-jae was rested after playing 31 matches so far this season.

Yang made a few key passes during his 17 minutes on the pitch, and he latched onto a rebound from a corner, setting up Daizen Maeda, who slotted the ball in to pull one back for Celtic at 2-1 in the 79th minute.

That assist marked Yang’s first in the Champions League and his second consecutive goal contribution across all competitions, following a Scottish Cup match against Raith Rovers on Feb. 8, where he scored one goal and registered two assists.

Bayern opened the scoring in style, with Michael Olise cutting inside and firing a shot into the net just before halftime. Harry Kane doubled the lead in the 49th minute, scoring a volley after a corner by Joshua Kimmich.

With a 2-1 advantage, Bayern will host Celtic in the second leg of their tie on Feb. 18 to decide who advances to the round of 16.

The losing team will be eliminated from the Champions League, with no further chance to progress in the knockout stages.

For Bayern, failing to progress would mean missing out on the opportunity to play the final at their own Allianz Arena, which will host the final for the first time since 2012.

Before the second leg determines Bayern’s fate, the Bundesliga club will tuneup against Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the domestic campaign on Saturday.

Celtic will also be in action against Dundee United in Scotland on the same day before traveling to Germany.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]