Celtic’s Alastair Johnston is probably wishing he had been allowed to continue with his close season wind-down/honeymoon, rather than being called up as a late replacement for Canada’s Gold Cup squad, particularly after his misjudging the flight of the ball led to his national team conceding a late, late goal to Curaçao.

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Recap #CanMNT 🇨🇦 vs. Curacao 🇨🇼 in 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup group stage action + recap by @AlexGangueRuzic ✍️

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Johnston came on as a 70th minute substitute for Canada and his error led directly to Jeremy Antonisse, scoring right at the end of the game played in Houston.

Johnston can certainly be excused somewhat for his mistake given he wasn’t expecting to be playing in this summer’s Gold Cup at all and had already missed Canada’s friendlies against Ukraine and the Ivory Coast, as well as the opening game of the Gold Cup against Honduras.

So, there is a good chance Johnston was more than a little bit off being in optimum physical condition for this game, his 54th cap for his country.

Joshua Zimmerman #13 of Curacao advances the ball against Alistair Johnston #2 of Canada in the second half during the Group Stage – Group B match as part of the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup at Shell Energy Stadium on June 21, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Image

Canada still sit top of Group B with four points, two points ahead of opponents Curaçao, who are managed by former Ibrox manager Dick Advocaat.

Canada reached the semi-finals of the Gold Cup in 2021, having previously won the tournament on 2001. That 2021 tournament was also the first time Johnston had been called up for his national team.

Canada will be hoping to go deep into this season’s competition given their success in 2021, but Celtic fans may feel a little differently in that regard.

6th October 2024; Victoria Park, Dingwall, Premiership Football, Ross County versus Celtic; Alistair Johnston of Celtic on the ball. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

The final for this season’s tournament is due to be played on 7 July, and that is only three days before Celtic’s first pre-season friendly with Queens Park on 10 July.

Good luck to Alastair Johnston for the rest of Canada’s Gold Cup campaign of course, but for purely selfish reasons I think we’d just like him to be used sparingly, avoid injury, and get back to Glasgow and get some much-needed rest ahead of Celtic’s Scottish Premiership defence.

Niall J

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