The most brutal Champions League denouement - Celtic's greatest away display shows maturity and growth

The clock had just struck 94 minutes. For the previous 93, Celtic had been largely foot-perfect.

This was the final minute of stoppage time. Celtic led 1-0. So close to their first competitive victory on German soil, so close to extra time, so close to pushing Bayern Munich out of the Champions League and themselves into the last 16.

One more cross to defend, one more attack to fend off.

Alphonso Davies celebrates Bayern Munich's late goal. | Getty Images

Michael Olise put in a dangerous inswinging delivery. Leon Goretzka had got free from six yards out and his powerful header was brilliantly stopped by the previously impervious Celtic keeper Kasper Schmeichel.

The rebound squirmed loose on the goalline. Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers reacted quickly to clear but Bayern substitute Alphonso Davies closed him down swiftly. The American struck the ball off the Canadian and it crawled over the line.

Devastated Celtic shirts everywhere. They had thrown so much into this, only to be floored by the most savage of blows.

There was very little time to restart. Celtic are out of the Champions League, vanquished 3-2 on aggregate by the German giants.

Nevertheless, take a bow, Glasgow Celtic. They produced one of the greatest away displays from a Scottish side in the Champions League - yet have nothing but pride to show for it.

Pre-match, former Bayern Munich midfielder Dietmar Hamann said it was "almost impossible" for Celtic to progress. The Scottish champions so nearly made a laughing stock of such predictions, playing well above their station.

Every Celtic player was at it. Manager Brendan Rodgers got his tactics spot on. They pressed the life out of the insipid hosts, who looked startled by the Scottish team's gumption. Bayern hadn't lost in Europe at home for 20 matches. They nearly did here.

Nicolas Kuhn' strike midway through the second half wiped out a 2-1 deficit from the first leg of this play-off last week at Celtic Park. The tie was finely balanced right until the death. Celtic will depart Bavaria laced with pain, pride and regret. What a gut-wrenching evening for them.

The grim reality is that Celtic's Champions League journey is over. Last time they visited Germany, on October 1, they were embarrassed 7-1 by Borussia Dortmund. This was further evidence of how Rodgers and his players have matured on this stage.

Adam Idah's expression says it all for Celtic. | Getty Images

Celtic were the better team in the first half. They created four chances of serious magnitude. On six minutes captain Callum McGregor robbed Olise of possession on the centre circle and the pitch opened up in front of him. Striding forward, he entered the penalty box but as the angle narrowed, he slashed over the bar.

Then on 16 minutes, Jota turned Josip Stanisic inside out and found Kuhn at the far post, only for Raphael Guerrerio to clear off the line. The ball then flashed across goal from Arne Engels but Daizen Maeda was fractions away, before he then clipped over the bar after Bayern gifted Celtic the ball. Oh what chances, so rare to have them for visiting teams in Munich.

It was a huge let-off for the hosts as the Allianz Arena, raucous pre-match, became muted. Celtic's press and energy in the final third was causing Bayern problems.

Bayern hit the bar through Harry Kane just before the break, but Celtic looked pretty comfortable. They defended stoutly and with Maeda preferred to Adam Idah as the No 9, he led the press with aplomb. If a team deserved to go into the interval ahead, it was Celtic.

Nevertheless, they would no doubt be glad to learn at the resumption that Kane had failed to reappear, no doubt feeling the effects of his head knock picked up over the weekend against Bayer Leverkusen. Kingsley Coman came on to replace him but Bayern were now without a natural No 9.

Schmeichel made himself big to deny Leon Goretzka after the German midfielder strode through unmarked two minutes into the half. It was as good a chance as Bayern had created and an excellent intervention from the Dane. But the second half had entered a lull, with Celtic needing to pick their moment when to commit more men forward in search of the goal.

Idah was summoned on the hour mark, replacing Jota, who had done well but was running out of petrol given his lack of 90 minutes in the tank. But it wasn't the Irishman who netted, but a former Bayern man.

Kuhn had missed earlier, but not this time. Maeda chased down a sloppy Bayern pass by Kim Min-jae and poked the ball through to the former Bayern Munich reserve. He bore down on Manuel Neuer and slotted home. All square on 64 minutes.

Nicolas Kuhn had put Celtic ahead in Bavaria. | Getty Images

Bayern were stunned. Kuhn had to come off injured not long after the goal but Celtic had next the chance, a diving header from Maeda straight at Neuer. This was there for Celtic, a result of veritable history staring them squarely in the face.

Bayern, to be fair, regrouped. Goretzka headed narrowly wide himself before Leroy Sane's strike on 76 minutes flashed millimetres wide. Schmeichel parried another deflected effort, this time from Joshua Kimmich, to safety. The home crowd turned up the noise again. Their team needed more impetus.

It didn't come from the stands. Perhaps it came from the heavens for Bayern, a moment of fortune as the ball skittled into Davies' path in stoppage time. The final is due to be played at the Allianz Arena on the last day of May. Perhaps it is their destiny to be there.

The football fates were cruel on Celtic. This was the most brutal of denouements to a commendable Champions League campaign.