Good luck to Celtic FC Women this afternoon who face a tough match away to Spartans. The game at Ainslie Park is live on the BBC Scotland channel, while a significant number of fans will be unable to see the Scottish Cup 4th Round match at Ibrox as it is on Premier Sports. That incidentally is a Scottish FA commercial decision and nothing at all to do with Celtic. The Spartans v Celtic SWPL1 match kicks-off at 2pm so even if you are watching the Scottish Cup game at 3pm on Premier or somewhere else – then you still have time to catch the first half of the Celtic FC Women’s match. That’s my plan anyway.
The two sides met earlier in the season at K-Park, Celtic’s home ground out at East Kilbride, with the Hoops winning 1-0. Ainslie Park though is a ground that celtic manager Fran Alonso has fond memories of, having secured high scoring wins there against both today’s opponents and also Hibs.
Good luck, Ghirls! 👍
🍀 #COYGIG 🍀 https://t.co/cLrgfWzHa0 pic.twitter.com/qhM3VjB6uj
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) April 18, 2021
“I have good memories from that pitch – we’ve played there twice and both times we’ve had big scorelines, winning 4-1 against Spartans and 6-2 against Hibs, so it’s a pitch that gives me good football memories. It’s a new surface and a good pitch,” he told Colette Carr at the official Celtic FC Women’s website.
“We’ll play against a much-improved team than last time. They beat Hibs 2-0 and they were good in that game, so we know it’s a tough team who are dangerous on the counter-attack and won’t give us anything. They’re a physical team and if we want to get the three points we’ll need to earn it. But the team is ready and we know what we didn’t do well a couple of weeks ago and we’ve reminded them in our meeting how well they did against Hearts and what still needs worked on.
“Training this week has been good and we haven’t repeated the same mistakes, so hopefully we play well and get the result we want.”
After today Alonso’s Celtic starts a busier schedule with midweek fixtures returning as the SWPL catches up for the time lost to the Government enforced league suspension at the start of this year. And the first midweek game is a crack with theRangers visiting K-Park this coming Wednesday!
On the road again…🚌
🆚Spartans
🏆@SWPL 1
🕑2pm
📍 Ainslie Park
🚫Behind closed doors
💻@BBCSportScot Website
#⃣SPACEL#COYGIG #EveryGameMatters 🍀 pic.twitter.com/rqNRtIn2Ln— Celtic FC Women (@CelticFCWomen) April 18, 2021
The clear message from the Spanish coach though is for his team to take it one game at a time and that means today’s crucial match in Edinburgh where the three points are essential if Celtic are to keep realistic hopes of securing one of the two Champions League places alive. A win today and in midweek makes that a ‘game on’ situation for the Hoops.
“It’s very important that we look at each game as they come – every other game is irrelevant right now. Every game is like a World Cup Final and that’s how we want to approach games,” Alonso added.
“We will take the squad that we think will put us in the best scenario to get the three points without thinking about the next game. Our goal is not to fight for the league, it’s to fight to win every game of football we play, so nobody is thinking about any other game than Spartans,” he said.
COYGIG…
Remember Spartans v Celtic live on the BBC Sport Scotland website. Kick-off 2pm.
🎙️ @sarahewens19 looks ahead to tomorrow’s trip to face Spartans in the @SWPL. @CelticFCWomen 📲
🟢 #COYGIG 🟢 pic.twitter.com/0cIShBcKGN
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) April 17, 2021
🗣️It’s a tough team who are dangerous on the counter-attack and won’t give us anything. They’re a physical team and if we want to get the three points we’ll need to earn it.#SPACEL #COYGIG 🍀https://t.co/kwoT4Mpe8l
— Celtic FC Women (@CelticFCWomen) April 18, 2021
