Europa League: Kelechi Iheanacho leads Celtic against Red Star Belgrade

Celtic kicked off their Europa League campaign with a 1-1 draw against Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at the Rajko Mitić Stadium. Kelechi Iheanacho opened the scoring for the visitors before Marko Arnautović equalized for the Serbian side.

Right from the start, both teams displayed attacking intent. In the second half, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers made a tactical switch by bringing on Kelechi Iheanacho in place of Daizen Maeda. The decision paid off as the Nigerian striker broke the deadlock in the 55th minute. Latching onto a precise pass from Benjamin Nygren, Iheanacho controlled the ball and unleashed an unstoppable shot. Signed just a few weeks ago, the Nigerian international now has two goals in as many appearances across all competitions, both coming off the bench.

However, the Serbian side wasted little time in responding. In the 65th minute, Marko Arnautović found the equalizer for Red Star, securing a share of the spoils.

Lydiane N'Po |

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Sports journalist specializing in African football, covering football news, exclusive stories and digital content for passionate fans of the game.