Celtic on this Day – A trio of win with a Carlton Cole goal, and two significant Scotty Sinclair strikes…
29 November 2018
Rosenborg 0-1 Celtic. Scott Sinclair’s crucial winner in Trondheim was Celtic’s first ever away win in the Europa League group stages. Incredibly, the sixth time the two clubs had met in the space of 16 months. Celtic and Rosenborg had drawn each other in the Champions League third qualifying round the previous season where the Hoops were the eventual winners.
Then, Brendan Rodgers’ side faced off against the Norwegians in the second qualifying round of Europe’s elite club competition in campaign 2018/2019. Amazingly, due to Celtic losing to AEK Athens in the next qualifying stage, they dropped down to the Europa League group stages. And guess what? They were grouped with Rosenborg!
Six attempts the Norwegian champions had at beating us, and they could not do it. This particular victory would prove to be vital in Celtic reaching the knockout stages of the Europa League. Famously, we actually had to rely on them getting a result in Germany against RB Leipzig in order for us to go through. For a few months, Tore Reginiussen, the only Tore to keep us in Europe, was the hero on the continent for Celtic.
29 November 2017
Seven years ago today, Motherwell 1-1 Celtic. Three days after the Celts Scottish League Cup triumph versus the Steelmen at Hampden, the two sides met again – this time at Fir Park. When Mikael Lustig diverted the ball into his own net with 10 minutes to play, it had looked likely Celtic’s 65 game domestic unbeaten run would come to an end in Lanarkshire.
However, a controversial penalty award by Willie Collum gave Scott Sinclair the chance to equalise from the spot – and so the Englishman obliged. Celtic would win their next three, but the iconic unbeaten run came to an end at Tynecastle in mid-December following a heavy 4-0 defeat to Hearts.
Contextually, the point against Motherwell had been an important one. Aberdeen were our closest challengers and had lost 3-0 to theRangers. Thus, the gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership league table extended to four points.
29 November 2015
Inverness 1-3 Celtic. To the song of Gold by Spandau Ballet, ‘Carlton Cole, Cole, always believe in your soul, you’ve got the power to know, you’re indestructible,’ was sung in delight by the travelling Celtic support in the Highlands, nine years ago today!
Under Ronny’s reign, this was a bleak period. Celtic had no distinct playing style and had been knocked out of the Europa League group stages with one game remaining following disastrous performances against Molde and Ajax.
Inverness was home to Carlton Cole’s Celtic debut, and albeit the former West Ham striker had claimed Celtic’s third of the match, it was one of the funniest own-goals ever witnessed. The ball just trundled into the net, and nine years on, I’m still not sure how it all happened.
Ronny Deila’s starting XI that day was; Gordon, Lustig, Simunovic, Boyata, Tierney, Johansen, Bitton, Armstrong, Rogic, McGregor, Griffiths.
Conor Spence