Celtic battled their way to a deserved point in their Europa League campaign opener with an evenly matched Red Star Belgrade at the Marakana, the spoils shared in a 1-1 draw between two sides who would both have preferred to be operating in the Champions League.
Former Premier League strikers Kelechi Iheanacho and Marko Arnautovic netted second-half goals for their respective sides on a night where neither outfit truly impressed, with the quality on offer suggesting the second-tier competition is much more their level.
Hosts Squander First-Half Pressure
For much of the opening 45 minutes Red Star pinned Celtic back, only to be undone by their own profligacy. Bruno Duarte smashed the side netting and then cracked the crossbar with a 22-yard strike that was pushed on to the bar by Kasper Schmeichel's fingertips.