Celtic FC Women 0-1 Glasgow City (Chinchilla 64 minutes)
(Excelsior Stadium, Airdrie, 5 March 2023, 4.10pm)
Celtic FC Women knew a win over top of the table Glasgow City at the Excelsior Stadium – in the final home game before the SWPL1 split – would put Fran Alonso’s Ghirl’s top of the league thanks to their far superior goal difference over today’s opponent. However, in a six-pointer at the top of the SWPL, City knew a win for them would open up a six-point gap at the top of the table.
Fran Alonso showed the importance of the match when he named the same team for this one as had defeated theRangers 3-0 at the same ground nine days previously, having rotated the squad for the midweek seven goal win over Hamilton Accies at New Douglas Park.
This clash with City also marked captain Kelly Clark’s tenth year as a Celtic player. Sadly, it wouldn’t quite be the occasion the Celtic ‘skipper would have liked to mark her outstanding personal achievement and service to the club, as Celtic, despite a good first half showing, lost to a Priscila Chinchilla goal as the Hoops lost their way during a rain lashed second 45 minutes.
Celtic were certainly the better of the two sides in a goalless first half, with City taking a physical approach and looking to win fouls and bring their set-piece threat into play. Indeed, City’s best two chances came firstly from their dead ball threat and then from some slack Celtic play at the back, rather than City particularly threatening Celtic from open play.
An Oscarsson header off the inside of the post came directly from a free kick at the edge of the box, and then a Lauder shot that was brilliantly saved by Pam Tajonar in the Celtic goal, after Caitlin Hayes was slack in clearing her box and all but gift-wrapped City the chance to score.
However Celtic were the more impressive side from open play in the opening 45 minutes. Menglu had an early chance to test the City defence as the wing back beat two players with clever footwork and a willingness to drive into the City box, where her cross was met by the head of Natalie Ross. However, the Celtic midfielder couldn’t get the direction on the header required to trouble Gibson in the City goal and the headed attempt drifted off target.
After 17 minutes Celtic were unlucky not top open the scoring as Amy Gallacher took off down the right wing, beating one player and taking out another as she picked out the supporting run of Natasha Flint. Flint then cushioned a lay off to Jacynta, who in turn shielded the ball and turned her marker in one move of the hips, before unleashing a shot that Gibson in the City goal did well to deflect for a corner.
And it was Jacynta who also had Celtic’s best chance of the opening 45 minutes as she was picked out beautifully with a dinked pass from Natalie Ross into the path of the Australian international and despite Jacynta managing to lift the ball goalward, once again Gibson denied Celtic with a save of real quality.
Celtic must have taken confidence from a first half where they looked superior both technically and tactically, yet City’s obvious threat from set pieces would certainly have made Fran Alonso’s side wary of a sucker punch being possible.
The second half began with City committing more players forward and looking far more impressive on the ball than they had in the opening 45 minutes, whilst Celtic allowed some slackness in their passing and an injury to Natasha Flint to put them out of their stride.
Flint did almost give Celtic the lead four minutes into the second half, as the on-loan Leicester City striker turned on the edge of the box and released a dipping shot that drifted just wide of Gibson’s goal. Yet the game turned almost immediately when Flint had to leave the field injured after 63 minutes.
⚽ABAIR TADHAL DO GLASGOW CITY ⚽
Fantastic play from @maireadFultonxx and Chinchilla securing the goal… City take the lead🔥🔥🔥#SWPL@GlasgowCityFC pic.twitter.com/ZdXTbgtPcH
— BBC ALBA (@bbcalba) March 5, 2023
Only a minute after Flint’s departure City took the lead, and it was a fine finish from Chinchilla that found its way into Tajonar’s net via the post, with City’s Fulton supplying a perfectly directed and weighted pass into the Costa Rican’s path and the finish matched the vision of Fulton’s pass to leave Celtic a goal behind. Although arguably Celtic’s lack of pressure on Fulton as she took possession on the edge of the box caused the confusion in a Celtic defence used to seeing their midfield press the opposition aggressively.
From that point on Celtic seemed to lose their composure and tactical discipline. The patient build-up play was replaced too often by direct and at times aimless forward passes, rather than the patient build up play which had served them so well in the opening 45 minutes. And with Flint’s replacement Liv Fergusson much slighter in stature than Flint, it was a confusing aspect of Celtic’s play, but one that was perhaps understandable given what was at stake.
Celtic only really threatened again when Fergusson went down at the edge of the box and there were half-hearted claims for a free kick, but City’s superior game management in the latter stages of the game saw them over the finishing line with a level of comfort.
It’s hard to know if Celtic’s change in approach was forced upon them by City’s improved second half showing, or if the loss of Flint as a focal point up front impacted the team more than it should, but Celtic can have no complaints about the final result with City just about edging it on their improved second half showing.
The result leaves Celtic trailing City by six points, as the Hoops took a dent to their aspirations of that first ever league title. Yet Celtic remain the league’s top scorers and have still only conceded four goals all season and should still take some confidence from a first half showing that proved they could not only compete with but also dominate their title rivals.
It was a disappointing outcome to a hugely important game, but it is now down to Fran Alonso to ensure this result does not undermine the huge progress this Celtic side has made this season.
And there were more than enough positives to take from the opening 45 minutes in particular that the Celtic head-coach can point to should a few of his players feel in any way disillusioned. And with the SWPL1 now moving into the split there will be plenty of opportunities available for this Celtic side to make amends for today’s disappointing second half showing, however there is little room for error now.
Niall J
