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Saoirse Noonan delivered a hat-trick to inspire Celtic’s dramatic comeback victory over KuPS of Finland, securing their place in the mini-tournament final at the first stage of Women’s Champions League qualifying.
Facing a tough challenge in Lithuania, the Scottish champions found themselves trailing early when Roosa Ariyo, the Kansallinen Liiga’s top striker, capitalized on a midfield error to put KuPS ahead after 18 minutes. However, substitute Noonan changed the game’s trajectory after halftime, heading in the equalizer before adding two more goals in extra time.
Celtic, ranked 74th in the UEFA standings, entered the tournament as the lowest-ranked team among the four participants. Despite this, they overcame KuPS, who sit 10 places above them in the rankings, to advance to the final. They will face either hosts Gintra or Anenii Noi of Moldova on Saturday.
KuPS started strong, with Ariyo’s goal marking her sixth in five games. The Finnish side continued to press, forcing Celtic goalkeeper Kelsey Daugherty into action. However, as the match progressed, Celtic gained momentum. Noonan’s first goal came after KuPS goalkeeper Ellan Arpiainen failed to secure a cross from Caitlin Hayes, allowing Noonan to head the ball into the net.
With the match level and extra time looming, Celtic dominated possession. Noonan struck again, taking advantage of a well-placed pass from Kit Loferski to give Celtic the lead. She completed her hat-trick by intercepting a wayward pass at the edge of the box, securing her sixth goal of the season and sealing KuPS’s first defeat outside of matches against HJK Helsinki in 22 outings.
