soriano stunner saves salzburg's blushes published: thursday 18 september 2014, 20.50cet fc salzburg 2-2 celtic fc last season's top scorer jonatan soriano opened his account in style to earn a point for the hosts against the scottish champions.
• jonatan soriano free-kick ensures salzburg come from behind twice to draw • celtic go ahead through mubarak wakaso and scott brown • alan initially drew the hosts level • craig gordon outstanding in bhoys goal to help earn group d point • next games: astra v salzburg, celtic v dinamo zagreb (2 october)
jonatan soriano's unstoppable free-kick 12 minutes from time salvaged a point for fc salzburg as they opened their group d account with a draw against celtic fc.
the hosts won all six of their group stage matches last season and would have expected to start this campaign in similar fashion against a club boasting just one victory from their last 30 uefa group stage away games. however, things did not go according to script and it was the scottish champions who went in front when debutant mubarak wakaso collected a neat pass from kris commons 14 minutes in and drilled low into the corner from the edge of the box.
with last season's competition top marksman soriano in their ranks, the home side were always going to pose problems for ronny deila's men, but it was alan – scorer of four goals himself last term – who got them back level after 36 minutes. sent free, his effort took a large deflection via the leg of virgil van dijk and zipped past craig gordon.
luck evened itself out after the restart when scott brown's low volley from 25 metres left péter gulácsi no chance in the home goal, andré ramalho having inadvertently altered its path on the hour mark.
it had seemed gordon would take celtic to the win, the keeper denying alan a second on two occasions, the latter as part of a thrilling double save. it was not to be for the visitors, however, as soriano opened his account for the season in wonderful style. with 12 minutes remaining he approached a free-kick 30 metres from goal with intent and rattled an unstoppable, dipping rocket into the top-right corner to ensure the spoils were shared.
