James Forrest winner takes Celtic step closer to Champions League football

Rosenborg 0 (0) Celtic 1 (1): Forrest fired a shot high past keeper Andre Hansen in the 69th minute to take the visitors into Friday's play-off draw

James Forrest celebrates after breaking the deadlock (EPA)

James Forrest's second-half strike gave Celtic a 1-0 win over Rosenborg and took the Hoops another step closer towards Champions League football.

Following the goalless draw at Parkhead last week, Celtic were again without their only two recognised strikers Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths - with winger Forrest asked to move into the middle.

The Scotland international was thwarted in a first half dominated by Brendan Rodgers' side and, in the 69th minute, Forrest fired a shot high past keeper Andre Hansen to take the visitors into Friday's play-off draw with a 1-0 aggregate win.

Rodgers had indicated that Forrest was in line to replace Griffiths, who would have missed the first leg anyway with a calf injury had he not been suspended.


 Scott Sinclair with a headed attempt on goal 
 (EPA)

The Scotland striker could only make the bench and while fit-again Danish defender Erik Sviatchenko replaced 19-year-old Norwegian Kristoffer Ajer, he lasted only 25 minutes before going off with an injury with midfielder Nir Bitton taking his place.

Midfielders Callum McGregor and Jonny Hayes also came into the side with Olivier Ntcham and Tom Rogic dropping to the bench and Ajer missing altogether.

Rosenborg, with former Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner again leading the line, found Celtic as keen to press as they had done in Glasgow which gave encouragement to the 400 or so Hoops fans in the near 21,000 crowd.

Scott Brown looks to get away from Mike Jensen (AP)

When Celtic keeper Craig Gordon made an easy save from Milan Jevtovic's low 25-yard drive in the 15th minute, it was his first real involvement in the match.

The Scottish champions almost took the lead five minutes later when Hayes' free-kick from the left touchline found Sviatchenko at the back post but his header was chested away from the goal by Bendtner.

Rodgers was forced to reshuffle when Sviatchenko hobbled off with Bitton replacing him in the heart of the Hoops defence.

However, Celtic's flow was uninterrupted and Hansen had to pull off a fine save from Forrest's side-footed effort from six yards, following a Kieran Tierney cut-back.

PA