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Trivia
- Celtic get humbled in the Netherlands.
- Rising sounds that Rangers to have titles stripped from them due to their shenanigans.
- Celtic are set to play Helsinki in European Cup qualifiers (draw on Friday past).
Review
Don't panic it's just a friendly.
(from Antoninho of KDS forum)
Remember when we beat strong looking spurs 2-0 and it was going on 5 for us during pre season three years ago under Mowbray? Remember how that season turned out? The game means diddly squat, the players know it, the fans know it, we all know it, it doesn't reflect how better one team is looking ahead of the other at all. While concerning, it proves nothing. We will beat Helsinki, but I will say that if Neil truly meant he will not purchase players before qualifying for champions league proper then he'd better get that notion to eff. We have more than enough in our locker to beat Helsinki, and the failures of sion and Utrecht will prevent it from happening again. It's the team after Helsinki I'm worried about, and we can't go into that game with a tougher opponent with a back line like that.
Teams
AJAX (4-4-2):
Vermeer; Van Rhijn, Alderweireld, Blind, Dijks; De Jong, Serero, Anita, Fischer; Lukoki, Sigthorsson
Subs used: Cillessen, Ebecilio, Klassen, Schone, Ozbiliz, Koppers, Ligeon, Veltman, Denswil
CELTIC (3-4-1-2):
Forster; Rogne (K. Wilson 63), Wanyama, Mulgrew; Matthews (Lustig 63), Brown, Forrest (Commons 77), Ledley, Izaguirre (F. Twardzik 63); Stokes (Bangura 77), Hooper (Murphy 77)
Subs not used: Zaluska, McGeouch
Referee:
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Articles
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- Audio Report: Paradise Report
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Articles
Ajax 4 – 0 Celtic: Tough European lesson for Lennon’s men
Scotland on Sunday
Published on Saturday 21 July 2012 22:09
CELTIC were handed a harsh lesson in the Amsterdam ArenA tonight when they were taken apart by Ajax in a pre-season friendly.
Hoops defender Charlie Mulgrew was sent off for deliberate handball on the line in the 66th minute before Daley Blind scored from the resultant spot-kick but the damage had been done long before then.
Neil Lennon’s men were given the runaround in a one-sided first-half which ended with the visitors three goals down.
In the 13th minute Ajax midfielder Siem De Jong drove into the top corner from outside the box giving Parkhead keeper Fraser Forster no chance.
The Dutch side were a class apart but Celtic did not help their cause with some slack defending, which cost them dearly in the 21st minute when striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson tapped the ball into the empty net to make it 2-0.
The visitors looked flat-footed in comparison to slick and pacy Ajax who were in total control, keeping the ball for long spells and threatening any time they approached the Celtic box.
However, when the home side grabbed number three in the 27th minute, moments after De Jong curled a free-kick from 25 yards just past the post, they only had themselves to blame again.
In one of his more casual moments stopper Thomas Rogne got himself caught in possession, allowing Thulani Serero to run through and slide the ball under Forster.
Celtic improved marginally after the break but on the hour mark Forster had to make a good close-range block save from Viktor Fischer who had been set up Sigthorsson in another swift Ajax break.
Mulgrew’s indiscretion came when, with the Parkhead defence all over the place, he instinctively put his hand up on the line to save a Fischer shot but it was all in vain as Blind slammed the penalty past Forster.
Moments later the impressive Jody Lukoki let himself down when he failed to hit the target when he was through against Forster.
A multitude of substitutions for the final 15 minutes did no more than give those players a run-out and the game petered out with Lennon left to try to find some positives ahead of the friendly against Norwich at Celtic Park on Tuesday.
Celtic defeated by Ajax in Amsterdam By: Laura Brannan on 21 Jul, 2012 20:01 21 July 2012
Friendly
Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam
Official Celticfc.net
AJAX 4
(De Jong 13, Sigthorsson 21, Serero 27, Blind pen 66)
CELTIC 0
CELTIC, in their new black away strip, slumped to a disappointing 4-0 defeat to Ajax in the Amsterdam ArenA in their final away friendly before the new season kicks-off.
The Hoops were reduced to 10 men midway through the second-half when Charlie Mulgrew handled the ball on the line and that allowed Ajax to wrap up the victory from the penalty spot.
Siem De Jong scored a screamer after just 13 minutes before Kolbeinn Sigthorsson and Thulani Serero extended the home side´s lead before the half hour mark. Daley Blind converted the spot kick and despite a string of attacking substitutes late on, Celtic couldn’t find a consolation goal.
Adam Matthews and Emilio Izaguirre had come into the side for their first appearances of pre-season while Tuesday´s goalscorers, Anthony Stokes and Gary Hooper, started the match up front together.
The game started fairly evenly but before either side had a chance to dominate Ajax took the lead. And what a stunning strike it was too, with De Jong slamming home a long range drive into Fraser Forster´s top corner. It was an unstoppable effort from 30-yards out.
Ajax grew in strength after taking the lead and two minutes later Thomas Rogne had to header clear a dangerous cross into the box.
On 21 minutes Celtic´s defence went to sleep and gifted Ajax their second goal of the evening. Viktor Fischer managed to get the better of the backline and after bringing Forster off his line he sent the ball into the box where Sigthorsson tapped it into the open net.
And it was to go from bad to worse, with Celtic conceding another six minutes later. It came seconds after De Jong had swung a free-kick inches past the upright and this time Serero ran in on goal and slotted it through Forster´s legs for number three.
Hooper and James Forrest both went down inside the box no penalties were awarded and Celtic went into the break three goals down.
The Hoops tried to play positive, attacking football at the start of the second half, and searched for their first goal in the shape of a free-kick on 53 minutes. Stokes couldn’t get it over the wall though and seconds later Joe Ledley was ruled offside.
Victor Wanyama attempted a low drive from the edge of the box, but it was blocked six yards from the target.
Just as Celtic were beginning to build up some momentum, though, they were reduced to 10 men and conceded another goal. Mulgrew was dismissed for touching the ball on the line as he blocked a shot, and Blind converted the resulting penalty kick to make it 4-0.
Celtic made a number of changes in the second-half with three attacking players coming on after the fourth goal. Daryl Murphy, Mo Bangura and Kris Commons were all introduced to the action but despite the Irishman having a chance in the closing minutes, Celtic couldn’t find a strike to close the match.
The Hoops will now return to Scotland where they will face Norwich City at home on Tuesday, July 24.
AJAX (4-4-2): Vermeer; Van Rhijn, Alderweireld, Blind, Dijks; De Jong, Serero, Anita, Fischer; Lukoki, Sigthorsson
Subs used: Cillessen, Ebecilio, Klassen, Schone, Ozbiliz, Koppers, Ligeon, Veltman, Denswil
CELTIC (3-4-1-2): Forster; Rogne (K. Wilson 63), Wanyama, Mulgrew; Matthews (Lustig 63), Brown, Forrest (Commons 77), Ledley, Izaguirre (F. Twardzik 63); Stokes (Bangura 77), Hooper (Murphy 77)
Subs not used: Zaluska, McGeouch