Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata believes his side can qualify for the Champions League group stages after the Scottish Champions took a slender 1-0 advantage over Qarabag FK on Wednesday.
It looked like the Bhoys were going to be left frustrated in the first-leg of the third qualifying round as the two teams were deadlocked going into the final 10 minutes.
A nervous Celtic Park crowd were doing everything they could to spur the home side on and, finally, the crucial goal came late on when Boyata nodded in a Kris Commons cross from six yards out.
The strike from the recent summer arrival could prove vital in terms of qualifying for the Champions League main draw but the Scottish outfit still have a tricky away leg in Azerbaijan to contend with.
Celtic know all too well the pain of missing out on Europe’s biggest competition after they were defeated by Slovenian side Maribor at the play-off stage last season but Wednesday’s hero Boyata is confident of progressing further.
“I think we have shown that we are a good team and we can play there,” he is quoted as saying by the Evening Times. “That is the dream for all of us.
“I think we will score in Azerbaijan. We have the players who are good enough at this level. It was frustrating last night because we were trying to create chances and the goal was not coming so it was great to get it.
“But the spirit in this group of players is so good. We did not ever give up hope that we would not score. We believe that we can win the second leg.”
Celtic, who are 1.03 to win the Scottish Premiership outright, are 1.17 favourites to start their domestic campaign off with a home win against Ross County, while a draw is priced at 7.00 and the visitors are outsiders at 17.00.
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