Match Report: Celtic 3 - Inter Milan 3

Celtic and Inter Milan play out a fascinating Europa League game for the neutrals, as the game finished with three goals apiece for each side. However, Inter should be a bit disappointed that they let a 2-0 lead wiped in a matter of minutes, before allowing a late equalizer for the home side.

Roberto Mancini made three changes from the side that defeated Atalanta 4-1 on Sunday, Samir Handanovic, Marcelo Brozovic, and Lukas Podolski was dropped, on comes Juan Pablo Carrizo, Zdravko Kuzmanovic, and Mauro Icardi.

The first goal comes before the game was even five minutes old, Xherdan Shaqiri latched on to a long ball from Kuzmanovic before he fired a shot which was saved by Craig Gordon, however the rebound fell kindly for him as he was able to squeezed the ball from a tight angle.

Kuzmanovic almost made it 2-0 seven minutes later after Shaqiri's goal, but his shot from outside the box flew over the bar.

Inter then made it 2-0 in the 13th minute, this time it was Rodrigo Palacio who made the most of a fortuitous scramble in Celtic's box and applied a cool finish through Gordon's legs.

But then Inter's bad habit showed up as they allowed Celtic to pulled one back in the 24th minute. Adam Matthews and Leigh Griffiths combined before the former squared the ball for Stuart Armstrong, who easily dispatched the ball from close range.

It took Celtic a mere matter of seconds to make it 2-2, a throw-in from the left hand side was flicked on by Matthews. Griffiths challenged for the ball, where Armstrong's pressure saw Hugo Campagnaro bundled the ball into the net for an own goal.

The game was turned on its heels as the home side now looked the more menacing of the two side, on a couple occasions they threatened Inter's goal but failed to come up with a clear-cut chance.

Inter then retake the lead just before the stroke at halftime, as an error from Gordon, who let a stray long-ball slipped through his fingers. Palacio was on hand to pounced on his error and duly makes it 3-2.

Mancini's men started the second half brightly as they had two chances to restore their two-goal cushion, however Gordon was able to thwart Palacio who was played on by Icardi. Before he denied Shaqiri, who was allowed tons of space but whose curling effort was pushed away for a corner.

Celtic replied immediately with an ambitious long range effort from Nir Bitton which beats Carrizo, but fortunately the shot was off-target. That was the beginning of a period where Celtic had most of the possession but failed to do anything meaningful with it. Inter threatened to break but could not come up with a decent effort either.

Heading into the final quarter of an hour, substitute Liam Henderson immediately provides an instant impact, as he chest down a flicked on header by fellow sub John Guidetti, but his close range effort was straight towards Carrizo who managed to held on.

Shaqiri then nearly put the game out of reach, but his dipping effort heading for the bottom right corner was denied by Gordon. As the minutes ticked by, it looked like Inter will head to Italy with three away goals and a win, but then calamity struck.

Three minutes into the four added minute, Celtic's two substitutes combined once again to level the score. Henderson sends a delicate lobbed pass that caught Inter's defense, Guidetti controlled the ball well before he finished with aplomb to the top-right corner to make it 3-3.

Inter though, has one last chance to win it all, with a free-kick from the edge of the area deep into stoppage time. Up stepped Shaqiri. His effort was decent as the ball rose over the wall but as it curled towards goal, Gordon was able to make an acrobatic save to keep the score level. The two sides will meet again next Thursday in Italy to settle the tie.

MATCH FACTS

Celtic 3 - Inter 3

Goals: Shaqiri (4), Palacio (13, 45), Armstrong (24), Campagnaro (25), Guidetti (90)

Celtic: Gordon, Matthews (Ambrose 80), Denayer, van Dijk, Izaguirre, Brown (C), Bitton, Mackay-Steven, Johansen, Armstrong (Henderson 75), Griffiths (Guidetti 75)

Subs not used: Zaluska, Scepovic, Wakaso, McGregor

Inter: Carrizo, Campagnaro, Ranocchia (C), Juan Jesus, Santon, Kuzmanovic (Dodo 79), Medel, Guarin, Shaqiri, Palacio, Icardi (Kovacic 75)

Subs not used: Handanovic, Vidic, Obi, Puscas, Hernanes