CELTIC have now played 8 halves of matches in European football without getting the better of their opponents. And we are not talking about high quality sides here. A goalless draw against Rosenborg was enough to protect our 3-1 home advantage and get us through to play AEK but with the scores level at 1-1 after Celtic gifted the Greeks an equaliser on the stroke of half-time, Celtic failed to capitalise in the second half with AEK reduced to ten men.
In Athens Celtic went in a goal down at the interval – shocking defending again and gave the home side a second gift at the start of the second half. One goals was pulled back but it was too little too late and we were left to concentrate on the less glamorous Europa League.
That would be easy right? Not tonight against a side that looks on a par to Alloa Athletic or Morton, recent visitors to Celtic Park in Cup competition, thus the reference.
Celtic were all over them in the first half but went in level with the Scottish Champions once again gifting an equaliser shortly after going in-front. The second half was goalless and frankly neither side deserved a goal, European football remains frustrating for Celtic.
Yet is all started so well this evening.
Mikey Johnston exploded into his European debut for Celtic, twisting and turning away from the Suduva defenders to place the ball on Olivier Ntcham’s head to give the Scottish Champions a 1-0 lead after just two minutes.
GOAL! @OlivierNtcham 1-0 pic.twitter.com/Jk3DiHiFre
— New account RIP CelticGoals (@CelticGoal) August 23, 2018
Then within a few minutes the exciting No73, preferred ahead of Scotty Sinclair, was involved again down the left wing, setting up an over-lapping Kieran Tierney to cross for Moussa Dembele to try to double the lead.
Celtic got a fright moment later when Simunovic, under no pressure whatsoever, decided to pass the ball to the the Suduva forward – the danger was cleared but against a better side that is suicidal defending.
Then the warning was realised in 12 minutes after Kieran Tierney gave away a free kick on the left, just inside the Celtic half. Clearly having watched Celtic defend against AEK last week, the Lithuanians lobbed the ball long into the Celtic box. No-one moved expect Verbickas who had a free header to bring his side back into the game.
That was that in terms of the home side’s attacking play as Celtic completely dominated play without adding to the first half scoring.
McGregor got to the bye-line on 18 minutes and Forrest’s shot from the cross looked a goal all the way but Ivan Kardum saved brilliantly. Five minutes later Keirna Tierney burst through the Suduva defence but his cross was wayward. Moments later James Forrest got to the byeline on the other side of the park after a good interchange with the goalscorer Ntcham. The winger’s cross found Mikey Johnston’s head but his effort lacked conviction and was comfortably saved by Kardum.
With half an hour gone Kristoffer Ajer broke from defence, the ball went to McGregor but the Norwegian seemed to get in his way. He took command of the situation and demonstrated some excellent ball skills as he moved it past a few defenders but his effort on goal was also gathered by the busy keep.
Moussa Dembele cleverly created a chance out of nothing for McGregor on 35 minutes but he couldn’t get the ball past the big keeper, who conceded a corner. Celtic actually got a shot away from the corner but James Forrest shot over the bar – do we never score from set pieces? We certainly concede from them.
The half ended with a Dembele shot at goal from distance but the Suduva keeper gathered comfortably.
The second half saw Celtic’s performance levels drop down towards the standard of the hosts – i.e. very poor.
Dembele lacked composure to smash into the side netting, a frustrated Kieran Tierney shot from distance but it was narrowly too high to trouble the keeper, Craig Gordon pulled off one or two saves – something he didn’t have to do in Athens – and Celtic huffed and puffed at the other end but created little.
Substitute Griffiths looked keen to make an impact and he won a few corners, the last of which in the closing stages saw Moussa Dembele fail to connect properly at the back post. It was that kind of night for Celtic.
Simunovic was replaced by Lustig after picking up an injury and Gamboa went off to be replaced by Izaguirre who picked up a yellow card for winning the ball.
Brendan Rodgers has to get the side winning games, especially when playing well and dominating. This result is fine, the performance less so.
The Celtic Star Man of the Match – Mikey Johnston
