As the first half comes to a close at Signal Iduna Park, Celtic faces a daunting challenge, trailing 5-1 to Borussia Dortmund in a high-octane Champions League showdown. The Hoops are struggling to contain Dortmund’s relentless attack in what has been a tough first 45 minutes.

The match began with an early blow for Celtic as Borussia Dortmund was awarded a penalty just seven minutes in. Emre Can calmly stepped up and slotted the ball straight down the middle, giving the hosts an immediate 1-0 lead and setting the tone for a tough night for the Hoops.

However, Celtic quickly responded with resilience. Daizen Maeda seized on a defensive blunder, bundling the ball over the line from close range to bring the score to 1-1. Despite this early equaliser, Celtic struggled to build on their momentum as the game progressed, with Dortmund’s pressure proving too much.

Just two minutes after Celtic’s equaliser, Dortmund struck again. A precise pass from Julian Brandt found Karim Adeyemi, who broke into space and unleashed a deflected shot past Schmeichel, restoring Dortmund’s lead at 2-1.The hosts wasted no time in extending their advantage. Adeyemi netted his second goal, capitalising on a poorly cleared corner. His fierce strike from the edge of the box flew into the top-left corner, making it 3-1 and leaving Celtic reeling.

Celtic’s woes deepened just before half-time when they conceded a second penalty. Arne Engels clipped Karim Adeyemi in the box, and the referee pointed to the spot once again. This time, Serhou Guirassy calmly slotted the penalty into the left side of the net, making it 4-1.As if things couldn’t get worse, moments before the break, Adeyemi completed his hat-trick, capitalising on yet another defensive lapse from Celtic to put Dortmund firmly in control at 5-1.

A careless pass from Daizen Maeda gifted Karim Adeyemi the ball, and he clinically fired it into the bottom-right corner, making it a crushing 5-1 for Celtic. The Hoops’ defensive frailties were exposed throughout the half, with Dortmund relentlessly exploiting every chance to attack.Kasper Schmeichel was forced into action several times, making key saves to prevent an even more embarrassing scoreline. Celtic will need to regroup at half-time, tightening up their defence and regaining composure if they hope to stage any kind of comeback in the second half.

Despite the setbacks, Celtic has shown flashes of attacking intent, particularly through the efforts of Daizen Maeda. Brendan Rodgers will undoubtedly use the half-time break to rally his players, stressing the need to solidify their defence and manage possession more effectively. To keep their Champions League hopes alive, the Scottish champions must find a way to control the game better and capitalize on their opportunities heading into the second half.