| Match Pictures | Matches: 2013 – 2014 | 2013-14 Pictures |
Trivia
- Dublin Decider (2013)
- Irish summertime friendly in Dublin, dubbed by the organisers as the "Dublin Decider". Marketing gobbledegook with nice trophy to accompany it.
- Celtic put out a mostly second string side whilst Liverpool's was near enough first team.
- Lots of youngsters given run in game, very youthful side.
- Great mark for Lennon especially as it's in Ireland. Helps give credibility to club in tough market environment for interest.
- Very embarrassing defeat for Liverpool and piles on pressure for already embattled Northern Irish manager Brendan Rodgers.
- Liverpool's first pre-season defeat in three years so quite an achievement for the Celtic team today. Liverpool had played 6 pre-season friendlies prior to the game against Celtic scoring 17 conceding 1
- “If there's 1 team I don't mind losing against its Celtic! But not their reserves we were blunt in front of goal. Good game though.” – John Aldridge
- “Glad we kept Suarez away from the Celtic game, they're a Champions League team, he'd start getting ideas.” –This is Anfield site
- Celtic team that played cost £7.6m to assemble whilst Liverpool side was £156.3m.
- Celtic drawn to play FC Shakhter Karagandy (Kazakhstan) in final Champions League Play-off round
- Kelvin Wilson leaves to Nottingham Forest for he states personal reasons. Est £2.5m transfer.
- Summertime and the transfer window is underway.
- Out so far: Miku, Lassad, Rogne, Wanyama, Hooper, Daryl Murphy, Wilson
- In so far: Amido Baldé, Van Dijk, Mouyokolo, Boerrigter
- Post-Note: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers years later became the Celtic Manager, Liverpool captain Stevie Gerard the Sevco manager. Both were managers in the opposite camp in the Scottish Premiership in season 2018/19.
Review
(Declan Brendan Timmy Bhoy of KDS)
Really enjoyed that game, even more enjoyable given the fact we were practically a reserve side to start with and got gradually younger, Liverpool in the meantime were pretty close to their first choice 11, minus Suarez, Agger and Skirtel.
Loads of promising points,
Zaluska was outstanding in that first half. :rubeyes:
Matthews was tremendous even when moved to centre half, we simply have to find a way to get this boy into the team each and every week. He's too good for the bench.
Moyokolou had a terrific game, really liked what I saw of him, big hard no nonsense defender.
Young Irvine took some time to get into the game but in the end he was bossing that midfield.
Likewise Kayal, whom I thought had his best game for us in well over a year.
Up front big Balde looked a real handful in the first half, strong, quick and can hold the ball up, his goal, it went it, doesn't matter how, it went in. Tired a bit in the second half but definitely a lot of good things from him.
The subs, well I thought young Fisher was the star of that bunch, looked so composed and determined at the same time.
I know it's only a pre season friendly but it was a very strong Liverpool side who were there to win. I thought we handled ourselves brilliantly.
Teams
LIVERPOOL (4-4-2):
Mignolet; Johnson, Toure, Wisdom, Enrique; Gerrard, Leival Downing (Ibe 72), Allen (Henderson 58), Countinho; Aspas (Sturridge 46)
Subs not used: Jones, Alberto, Assaidi, Coates, Borini, Sterling, Kelly, Flanagan
CELTIC (4-4-2):
Zaluska (Forster 46); Matthews, Lustig (Fisher 46), Mouyokolo, Izaguirre (Findlay 65); McGeouch, Irvine, Kayal (George 83), Watt (Henderson 83); Stokes, Balde (Atajic 69)
Goals: Balde 12
Att: 51,000 Sold Out:
Subs not used: Herron
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Forum
Articles
Hoops dominate Liverpool in Dublin Decider
By: Laura Brannan on 10 Aug, 2013 19:02
Dublin Decider friendly match
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Celticfc.net
LIVERPOOL 0
CELTIC 1
(Balde 12)
AMIDO Balde's early strike sank Liverpool in an enthralling 1-0 victory in the Dublin Decider friendly clash at the Aviva Stadium.
A sharp and well organised Celtic side, led by Anthony Stokes, put in an outstanding performance to seal the victory against the English giants. And the goal, which came after just 12 minutes, was enough to secure the win in Ireland.
Neil Lennon named a mixed side, with a string of experienced players alongside two of his summer signings, Balde and Steven Mouyokolo. Jackson Irvine started the match in central midfield while the substitute bench was largely made up of his Development Squad team-mates.
Liverpool began the match brightly, enjoying the majority of possession. Iago Aspas headed the ball back to Joe Allen, and produced a one-two with the Welshman on eight minutes, before crossing it over Lukasz Zaluska from the byline. No one was at the back post to head home for Liverpool though.
Mouyokolo then robbed Aspas of the ball three minutes later, and followed up the confident move with a clinical clearance inside the box.
And the Hoops turned their fortunes around 60 seconds later when Balde broke the deadlock. Celtic's summer signing skipped past Andre Wisdom and charged into the box, slotting the ball under Simon Mignolet. It hit off the keeper's legs in the process but bounced behind him and over the line.
Having gone behind, Liverpool pushed forward in search of an immediate equaliser. An excellent block from Mouyokolo denied Steward Downing though, before Zaluska followed through, saving with his feet. And the Polish keeper then produced two more saves to deny Liverpool from drawing the tie level, first blocking Downing before stopping Johnson's low drive.
The strong Liverpool side continued to pile pressure on Celtic, with Steven Gerrard bringing the ball down with his right foot on the edge of the penalty box. He shifted onto his left foot and unleashed a volley but sent it wide of Zaluska's goal.
Despite the English side enjoying the majority of possession, the Hoops dealt with their threats confidently and clinically. And they continued to drive forward too, coming close to doubling their lead seven minutes from the break. Emilio Izaguirre swung a free-kick in but the stramash inside the box couldn’t result in a second goal.
There was a worrying moment for the Hoops 10 minutes after the re-start when it looked as though Liverpool had restored the parity. Philippe Coutinho won a free-kick midway through Celtic's half, and Gerrard swung it into the danger area. Kolo Toure headed home but was ruled offside, with the Scottish champions maintaining their advantage.
The Hoops continued their excellent performance as the second-half progressed and came close to adding a second goal on 73 minutes. Irvine began the move forward, with Tony Watt finishing the attack by winning a corner.
It was end-to-end football though, and three minutes later Liverpool were in search of the equaliser again. A clinical one-two between Jose Enrique and substitute, Jordan Henderson resulted in the latter unleashing a shot. Celtic sub, Fraser Forster, had it covered though.
Daniel Sturridge, another second-half change, thought he had chipped Forster inside the closing stages of the match, but his ball went wide of the empty net and beyond the back post.
The striker had another effort on 87 minutes when a blistering left-footed drive skimmed past Forster's post and despite their onslaught of pressure in stoppage time the English side were unable to level the scoreline.
LIVERPOOL (4-4-2): Mignolet; Johnson, Toure, Wisdom, Enrique; Gerrard, Leival Downing (Ibe 72), Allen (Henderson 58), Countinho; Aspas (Sturridge 46)
Subs not used: Jones, Alberto, Assaidi, Coates, Borini, Sterling, Kelly, Flanagan
CELTIC (4-4-2): Zaluska (Forster 46); Matthews, Lustig (Fisher 46), Mouyokolo, Izaguirre (Findlay 65); McGeouch, Irvine, Kayal (George 83), Watt (Henderson 83); Stokes, Balde (Atajic 69)
Subs not used: Herron
Liverpool 0-1 Celtic: ‘Raw’ Amido Balde impresses
Scorer: Celtic – Balde (12)
Celtic have played five matches so far this season, with the 22-year-old striker having made just one appearance. But he put in a strong performance against the Reds and scored the only goal at a packed Aviva Stadium.
Lennon said: “He has done very well. He is unfortunate not to have started some more competitive games but we want to ease him into it.”
The striker, originally from Guinea-Bissau, was signed in the summer from Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes and Lennon added: “There is a hunger about him. He has been an excellent acquisition to the squad.
“He is a different type of player to what we’ve had. We’ve not had that physical presence since John Hartson and Chris Sutton and sometimes you need that when pitches get rough in the winter.
“He is raw, we know that, and he has a lot of work to do, but he has some great attributes.’’
Lennon is still hoping to add to his squad before the end of the transfer window.
He added: “There is money there and we just have to find the right one and the affordability of the player in terms of transfer fee. We are working hard.’’
Despite the scoreline, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was delighted with one of his strikers.
England international Daniel Sturridge made his first appearance of the summer when he returned from an ankle injury sustained in May to play 45 minutes. The 23-year-old’s return will be a welcome boost for Rodgers given the ongoing furore surrounding Luis Suarez.
The Uruguayan has been told to apologise by Rodgers in the wake of his repeated attempts to force a move from the club amid interest from Arsenal, and has been training away from the first-team squad.
“Initially there will be a recognition that [there needs to be] an apology to his team-mates and the club,’’ said Rodgers when asked what Suarez needed to do next. “I have seen him over a period of time and I know it is not the Luis Suarez we know and I have to protect the fans and the players because they deserve more than that.’’
Even if Suarez stays, Sturridge’s return is timely with the South American banned for the first six games of the season after biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic.
Asked about Sturridge, Rodgers said: “I thought he was excellent. He made a difference when he came on with that power and pace and that link-up play with [Philippe]) Coutinho was great.
“He is working hard to get fit and, after those 45 minutes, we have a behind-closed-doors game in midweek and we’ll assess him after that.’’