Martin O’Neill says Celtic endured ‘tough evening’ in Midtjylland defeat

Martin O’Neill admitted Celtic were handed a reality check after they were thumped 3-1 by FC Midtjylland.

The Hoops’ hopes of prolonging their Europa League campaign into the knockout stages suffered a major blow as the Danes hammered in three goals in eight first-half minutes.

Teenage substitute Callum Osmand won a late penalty which Reo Hatate converted, but the 19-year-old was then taken off on a stretcher in tears on a horrible night for the Scottish champions.

“It was a tough evening, there’s no question about it,” said interim boss O’Neill.

“We conceded two goals within a minute or 90 seconds of each other and the game goes away from you very, very quickly.

“They score a third and it’s a long way back. The goals that we conceded weren’t good. But in terms of European football, they’re a very fine side, there’s no question about it.”

Back in the Hoops dug-out after 20 years having answered the call to replace Brendan Rodgers, O’Neill had already led them to a morale-boosting 4-0 league win over Falkirk followed by Sunday’s rousing victory over Old Firm rivals Rangers to reach the Premier Sports Cup final.

But Celtic were ruthlessly taken apart at the MCH Arena in Herning as Midtjylland made it four wins out of four to stay top of the 36-team league.

The Hoops have only four points after four games, but O’Neill added: “I suppose I probably always thought that 10 points would probably get you (through), so we’re not out of it.

“That’s a big lesson for us tonight, to know what it takes to be a really decent European team.”

Croatian defender Martin Erlic headed the hosts into the lead, Mikel Gogorza doubled the advantage and Franculino Dju made it three before half-time.

O’Neill threw on Osmand at the break and the youngster, who scored his first career goal against Rangers, won the spot-kick when he was brought down by Erlic with 10 minutes left.

But soon after Osmand pulled up sharply and clutched his thigh before being carried off.

“Oh, he was distraught,” said O’Neill. “He’s pulled a hamstring and that’s something that – obviously, he’s very young – it’s never happened to him before, so he doesn’t know.

“And, yeah, he was distraught because he was just trying to get his career going.

“But, if everything works out well, he’ll recover from that and then start again and that’s what I’ve said to him.

“I said, ‘Listen, you were starting to get going, this is just a setback for you. But it’s not terminal, in that sense, and you can fight back’.

“He’ll be out for x number of weeks now and it is a shame because he was trying to make an impression.”