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Former Scotland captain Gemma Fahy says Celtic will be a “tough opponent” against Vorskla Poltava in the second leg of their Champions League qualifying round. SWPL champions Celtic are bidding to become the first Scottish team to reach the group stage.
Elena Sadyk’s side took a big step towards achieving this feat with a 1-0 first-leg victory over the Ukrainian champions on Sunday.
Celtic are back at home to Airdrie on Thursday night – kick-off is at 7:15 BST and will be broadcast live on BBC Alba – knowing that a clean sheet will see them move into the ranks of Europe’s elite teams.
The Glasgow team are on the road to becoming champions following last season’s dramatic title win, beating Finnish team KuPS and Lithuanian team Gintra in the first qualifying round.
Sadiq’s side claimed their first SWPL title with a 90th minute winner against Hibernian, a success that came after overcoming a bitter defeat the previous season.
They were on the verge of celebrating before news of Glasgow City’s victory, managed by Fran Alonso, reached the city.
Then, this time last season, they were eliminated from the Champions League on penalties by Valerenga.
But former Scotland captain Gemma Fahy believes the heartache will stand them in good stead ahead of Thursday’s crucial second leg.
“They lost the last kick of the game, they lost the penalty shootout, they’ve been through those moments,” Faye said on the Behind the Goals podcast.
“I think they have enough players that understand what pressure is and how to perform under that pressure.
“I think we can win this match, but we need to be a little careful,” she added.
They have a chance of winning, especially considering Celtic’s depth.
For example, Saoirse Noonan, who scored hat tricks against KuPS and last week against Montrose, remained on the bench for the first leg.
“I think they have the opportunity to bring in guys who can change the flow of the game or put a push on us if they need to, so I think they’re a little over the top.”