'The performance was excellent': Ange Postecoglou pleased with Celtic despite missed chances

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou was impressed by his side’s display against Shakhtar Donetsk and felt the result didn’t reflect the game.

The Scottish champions took their first Champions League point after a 1-1 draw in Warsaw but had the better chances and dominated play for long stretches.

Artem Bondarenko’s own goal after good work by Reo Hatate put Celtic ahead but they were stung by a quick counter-attack that saw Mykhaylo Mudryk bury an emphatic finish.

Postecoglou said he had seen his players give their full efforts and create opportunities and, while disappointed that the team weren’t more clinical, said he couldn’t fault the team.

“The performance was excellent,” he said.

“Obviously the result was not reflective of that but I thought in the whole game the players gave everything and that’s all I can ask for.

“We needed that second goal and we had good chances to get it. From my perspective I can’t ask for more from them.

“We will get our rewards if we keep playing that kind of football and showing that sort of commitment.”

After last week’s defeat to Real Madrid, the manager had said his team wouldn’t deviate from their attacking style and he was proud that they had maintained the same attitude in a tough environment.

“Last week we were good for 55, 60 minutes and then the opposition sort of got on top of us,” Postecoglou added.

“Here you are away from home and obviously it’s a neutral venue but it’s not your home ground and I just thought that they showed resilience and mental toughness to keep playing our football. At this level I think that is encouraging.

“We put everything into it. We didn’t get the three points but if we keep doing that I think it will give us a chance of being successful in every game we play.”

The team now face a break from Champions League before the double-header against RB Leipzig but Postecoglou said he would take plenty encouragement from what he had seen that positive results will follow.

“I think more significant than the point is the performance,” he said.

“It is the highest level of club football, every game is pressurised, every moment of every game is important. I just thought there was real growth in our team and in the way we handled it all.

“You definitely have to earn everything at this level. Every point and every win will take maximum effort from us and for us to be at our best.

“It wasn’t three points but in terms of the performance I thought that was the most encouraging part. The players really embraced the fact we will have to be at our best all the time for everything we get.”