CRAIG GORDON was probably the happiest person inside Celtic Park last night on a night when just about everyone in the 60,000 capacity crowd and all the players and officials were pleased with the way things panned out.
Mikael Lustig who took a head knock early in the game and Ryan Christie who seemed to twist his leg are probably the one two exceptions. There’s still no news on the midfielder but it is almost certain that it will be next year before he’s back ready to play.
Gordon was on course to be Celtic’s man of the match when THAT second goal happened. But happen it did. Here’s what he had to say about it to the media later in the night.
“It doesn’t happen very often that a striker presses the keeper’s distribution from hand like that so it’s something you don’t expect,” he said.
“I was trying to get on with things quickly as we were chasing the game at the time. He’s read the throw and managed to get the block but you could say it’s good striker play, whatever you want.
“It’s ended up in the net and that was the second goal and I could beat myself up about it all night but the main thing was that we got through. I’m grateful for that and in terms of my performance I thought I was playing really well in the game.
“I had a number of saves to keep us in the game until the first goal and then I made a few saves as we were going for the equaliser. It’s been one of those good things that happen and we will now move on to Monday’s draw.
“It’s just a feeling of huge relief that we’ve managed to get through in the end. I don’t think many people gave us a great chance of getting through so I think it’s a great achievement to do that.
“We have progressed from a difficult group and over the piece we have deserved to do that.
“These type of crazy nights can happen time and again and we have seen things like that happen in bigger games than this. It doesn’t happen very often but it happened tonight and thankfully in the end we managed to get through.
“Listen, we were wanting to do it ourselves but we are very pleased about that. Over the whole group we have managed to get there and that in itself is a great achievement.”
Salzburg certainly impressed Gordon and it’s prpabky a blessing that we can’t face them in the next round!
“I’m sure they are looking at the latter stages of the Europa League and possibly going on to win the trophy. They are an excellent team and we all saw that in both games.
“They were excellent first half against us here and made it very difficult to get ourselves on the ball. Sometimes you have to hold up your hands and admit your facing a top quality side.
“That’s the level we need to compete at if we want to reach it. The aim was to get through this group and we’ve managed it. Nine points is still a great amount to get and we always thought we’d have to win all of our home games to progress.
“But that win in Rosenborg took us to nine points and we always felt ten points would be enough,” Gordon continued.
“A draw tonight would have sealed it if we had done it ourselves but overall with the performances we have put in and the telling factor of winning against Rosenborg when we had to come back from a goal down proved decisive in the end.
“We didn’t win the game but feels like a great achievement getting through and we need to take that feeling into the Hibs game on Sunday.”
Also on The Celtic Star today…
Job done! ‘European football after Christmas as the target,’ Celtic Star…See HERE.
Watch his goal: ‘I’m glad that the Celtic supporters are happy,’ Super Tore Reginiussen…See HERE.
‘It is great for Celtic to be in the last 32,’ Rodgers…See HERE.
‘Flop!’ Waste of a Shirt,’ A big night for the anti-Celtic click-baiters…See HERE.
Celtic Fans TV: ‘Like a re-run of the Anderlecht game from last year’…See HERE.
‘A depressing night but congratulations are due for achieving qualification,’ David Potter…See HERE.
Jim Craig – A Rebel Treble for this scoreline, Celtic 6 Rangers 2……See HERE.
Thanks to the splendid Norwegians – Wood you believe it!…See HERE.
