2015-08-09: Partick Thistle 0-2 Celtic, SP

Match Pictures | Matches: 2015 – 2016 | 2015-16 Pictures

Trivia

• Second game of the league season.
• Celtic on top on 6 pts & +4 goals difference. Hearts & Aberdeen also on six points but inferior goal difference.
• First Glasgow derby of the season.
• Obsession amongst one or two about a non-event penalty involving Lustig! He had his back to the player when the ball struck his hand on the back.
• Celtic View celebrating 50 years anniversary in coming week.
• Rogic first goal for Celtic, a cracking goal. Deila faith rewarded.
• Celtic's first game against Partick Thistle who are debuting in the league their very curious Wicker Man style mascot! One to frighten the neighbours off as much as the kids. "Kingsley welcomes fans to Firhill as the new Partick Thistle mascot makes league debut"
• Celtic draw Malmo in European Cup playoffs! Probably the two biggest games for Celtic this season.
• Some fans calling for new transfers especially for forwards in light of guaranteed football till Xmas in Europe.
• Scotsman article states four SP clubs looking at sunmer football for Scottish football. Not convinced here!
• Sevco on warpath with BBC and banned a bbc journalist, in turn bbc have stopped reporting from Ibrox.
• Transfers in: Dedryk Boyata (Man City), Saidy Jonka (Man U free) ; Ciftci (Dundee Utd £1.5m)
• Transfers out: Joe Chalmers (to Motherwell) ; Tonev (end loan); Guidetti (end loan); Wakaso (end loan); Zaluska (free); John Herron (free), Amido Balde (free) ; Fridjonsson (free to Reykjavik) ; Adam Matthews (£2m to Sunderland); Paul McMullan (loan to St Mirren), Michael Duffy (Alloa season long loan), Connor McManus (Alloa season long loan) ; Jackson Irvine (to Ross County)

Review

(pepsi of KDS)
We bossed the game from start to finish, Partick were extremely poor and didn't show anything until the lad Pogba came on but even then they never looked like troubling Gordon. My one criticism would be we weren't ruthless enough and we are a little short on quality in the final third, we should be scoring more goals and winning by larger margins. Cannot fault our defence who look rock solid or Bitton who was once again, brilliant. Rogic looks like he could play a part this season, played well in the first half and a tidy finish for his goal. Fail to see how there was even a debate for the penalty, Lustig wasn't even facing the ball, Never a penatly and I thought the comments from Stephen Craigan at half time were a disgrace. PM Offline Member Profile

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Stats

Partick Thistle Celtic
Possession
59% 41%
90mins
Shots
5 15
On target
1 6
Corners
1 5
Fouls
13 10

Articles

Celtic ease to win over Partick Thistle
By Eurosport
http://www.eurosport.com/football/scottish-premiership/2015-2016/partick-thistle-v-celtic-live_sto4851179/story.shtmlTom Rogic scored on his first Celtic start for almost two years as Ronny Deila's team claimed a 2-0 win over Partick at Firhill.

The Australian had not been named in a Hoops starting XI since former boss Neil Lennon's side suffered a shock League Cup defeat to Morton in September 2013.

But the 22-year-old re-introduced himself to the club's supporters with a stylish flick after 28 minutes, with Kris Commons putting the seal on three Ladbrokes Premiership points with his first goal of the season.

However, it was another joyless afternoon for the Jags, who shipped 12 goals but failed to even muster one in reply in four meetings with the champions last season.

After a six-hour flight back from Azerbaijan following the successful Champions League qualifier with Qarabag, Deila opted to freshen up his line-up.

A hamstring issue kept skipper Scott Brown out, while frontman Nadir Ciftci was suspended. Gary Mackay-Steven, meanwhile, dropped to the substitutes' bench as Rogic, Commons and Leigh Griffiths all started.

Thistle were without the banned Freddy Frans while David Amoo and Kris Doolan were benched as Stevie Lawless, David Wilson and Jack Hendry came in to Alan Archibald's team. New signing Mathias Pogba – brother ofJuventus star Paul – started on the bench.

Celtic, though, showed little sign of fatigue as they started brightly. Griffiths and Commons had decent early efforts while Virgil van Dijk was allowed to wander out from defence and smash a low drive off the base of post from 35 yards. Rogic then fired just wide as the visitors piled on the pressure.

Thistle had offered virtually nothing in attack and their lack of ambition was punished just before the half-hour mark when Celtic hit the front.

Jags right-back Gary Miller failed to commit to a tackle on Emilio Izaguirre and substitute Callum McGregor – a 20th-minute replacement for the injured Stuart Armstrong – exploited the space he left in behind.

His low cross was stunned into the path of Rogic by Griffiths and the B#400,000 signing from Central Coast Mariners – making just his second league start for the Parkhead club since signing in January 2013 – netted brilliantly with an instinctive finish.

Partick finally worked their way into opposition territory just before the break and screamed for a penalty as Callum Booth's cross was stopped by Mikael Lustig's hand – but the Swede was facing the wrong way and knew nothing about it.

Pogba was thrown on early in the second half – sparking a deafening cheer from the Firhill faithful.

But the burly Guinean international's introduction failed to swing the momentum back Thistle's way before Commons made it two after 62 minutes.

The forward darted in from the right to collect Nir Biton's raking pass forward, turning Booth on his way into the box before clipping the ball over the advancing Cerny.

Pogba was denied a debut strike, though, when van Dijk cleared before he could tap home Booth's back-post cross, while he failed to finish from Amoo's cut-back near the end.

Elsewhere in the SPL Aberdeen kept up their 100% start to the season with a 2-0 win over Kilmarnock thanks to goals from Graeme Shinnie and Adam Rooney, joining Celtic and Hearts at the top of the table.

BBC
By Keir Murray BBC Scotland

Partick Thistle were unable to test a Celtic side who returned from midweek Champions League exertions in Baku to record a comfortable win at Firhill.

Goals by Tom Rogic and Kris Commons, neither a starter on Wednesday against Qarabag, ensured Celtic join Hearts on maximum Scottish Premiership points.

Midfielder Rogic improvised to give Celtic the lead after 28 minutes.

Commons seized on hesitancy to slide in a second and, though sub Mathias Pogba improved Thistle, Celtic cruised home.

If Ronny Deila can draw satisfaction from witnessing the Australian midfielder Rogic, in for injured captain Scott Brown, score the opening goal, the Norwegian may have been puzzled that his team led by only that solitary strike at half-time.

His team were sharper across the pitch than their Glasgow rivals, despite that tiring trip to Azerbaijan, and dominated throughout.

Rogic was joined in midfield by Commons, who came in for Gary Mackay-Steven, and Leigh Griffiths was evidently in the mood to justify his inclusion, with Nadir Ciftci suspended.
Mathias Pogba came on for his Thistle debut

Mathias Pogba came on for his Thistle debut

The former Wolves forward rose above the taller Callum Booth to head an early Emilio Izaguirre cross over the bar, pinged a free-kick on target that was comfortably saved by Tomas Cerny, had a fierce shot saved by the experienced Czech and was alert to well-placed long balls from defender Dedryck Boyata.

A goal was all that was missing from his first-half contribution.

Celtic midfielder Stuart Armstrong was forced to go off after 20 minutes with a groin injury.

His replacement, Callum McGregor, was yet another attacking headache for the Jags' central defensive pairing of 19-year-old Liam Lindsay and Jack Hendry, 20, both making only their second appearance.

Allowed to advance to 25 yards unchallenged, Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk slapped a low shot off the Thistle post before McGregor helped forge the breakthrough.
Tom Rogic scores for Celtic with a flick of his right boot

Tom Rogic scored for Celtic with a flick of his right boot

If the sub's low cross into the box for Griffiths was perfectly directed, his team-mate's lay-off was ideally weighted.

Rogic, though, had come a fraction too far to fashion a traditional shot but he threw out the lower half of his leg to flick the ball smartly into the net.

The home fans had seen not a single chance crafted by their team so their enthusiastic penalty appeals were perhaps understandable when David Wilson's side-footed volley struck the flailing arm of Celtic's stand-in captain Mikael Lustig just before half-time.

However, referee John Beaton correctly observed that the Swede had his back to the ball and was only a yard away from Wilson, and waved aside the appeals.

New Thistle signing Pogba came on for Steven Lawless to make his debut five minutes after the break and threatened at the near post before Van Dijk cleared.

By that point, though, Celtic were two goals up as a long ball from Nir Bitton caught out Booth but not Commons, who latched on to it and dinked it beyond Cerny.

Thistle were at least competing better but the direction of play changed little, with Griffiths testing Cerny with a further shot and free-kick.

Alan Archibald's team created their first real chance in the 88th minute when sub David Amoo slipped past Izaguirre and cut the ball back for the unmarked Pogba, but his shot from 10 yards flew wide.

Live Text Commentary
Full time

Full Time Match ends, Partick Thistle 0, Celtic 2.
90:00 +3:10 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Partick Thistle 0, Celtic 2.
90:00 +2:54

Attempt saved. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) right footed shot from long range on the right is saved in the bottom right corner.
90:00 +2:13

Foul by Liam Lindsay (Partick Thistle).
90:00 +2:13

Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90:00 +0:39

Jack Hendry (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90:00 +0:39

Foul by Liam Henderson (Celtic).
89:29

Attempt missed. Gary Fraser (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
87:58

Attempt saved. Mathias Pogba (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
87:21 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Liam Henderson replaces Kris Commons.
86:38

Attempt missed. Mathias Pogba (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
85:22

Foul by Gary Miller (Partick Thistle).
85:22

Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
80:54

Attempt missed. Mathias Pogba (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
79:05

Foul by Jack Hendry (Partick Thistle).
79:05

Kris Commons (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
74:29 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Partick Thistle. Gary Fraser replaces Sean Welsh.
72:05

Callum Booth (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick on the right wing.
72:05

Foul by Leigh Griffiths (Celtic).
69:14 Booking

Booking Gary Miller (Partick Thistle) is shown the yellow card.
69:07

Foul by David Amoo (Partick Thistle).
69:07

Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
68:30

Mathias Pogba (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
68:30

Foul by Dedryck Boyata (Celtic).
67:17

Corner, Partick Thistle. Conceded by Virgil van Dijk.
66:05 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Partick Thistle. David Amoo replaces Ryan Stevenson.
64:46

Attempt saved. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) right footed shot from long range on the right is saved in the bottom left corner.
64:21

Foul by Mathias Pogba (Partick Thistle).
64:21

Nir Bitton (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
63:51 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Gary Mackay-Steven replaces Tomas Rogic.
62:09 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Partick Thistle 0, Celtic 2. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Nir Bitton.
60:02

Sean Welsh (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick on the left wing.
60:02

Foul by Callum McGregor (Celtic).
53:34

Foul by Mathias Pogba (Partick Thistle).
53:34

Mikael Lustig (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
53:17

Foul by Mathias Pogba (Partick Thistle).
53:17

Dedryck Boyata (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
52:04

Jack Hendry (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
52:04

Foul by Leigh Griffiths (Celtic).
50:08

Callum Booth (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick on the left wing.
50:08

Foul by Mikael Lustig (Celtic).
49:35 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Partick Thistle. Mathias Pogba replaces Steven Lawless.
45:00

Second Half begins Partick Thistle 0, Celtic 1.
45:00 +2:01 Half time

Half Time First Half ends, Partick Thistle 0, Celtic 1.
45:00 +1:35 Booking

Booking Abdul Osman (Partick Thistle) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
45:00 +1:27

Foul by Abdul Osman (Partick Thistle).
45:00 +1:27

Callum McGregor (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
45:00 +0:02

Foul by David Wilson (Partick Thistle).
45:00 +0:02

Mikael Lustig (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
41:38

Foul by Ryan Stevenson (Partick Thistle).
41:38

Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
40:04

Abdul Osman (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
40:04

Foul by Leigh Griffiths (Celtic).
39:05

Attempt blocked. Callum Booth (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
36:18

Attempt missed. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
35:14

Foul by Nir Bitton (Celtic).
35:14

Sean Welsh (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
34:13

Ryan Stevenson (Partick Thistle).
33:50

Attempt missed. Virgil van Dijk (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
33:20

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Liam Lindsay.
32:51

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by David Wilson.
31:37

Attempt missed. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the right.
30:33

Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Celtic).
30:33

Ryan Stevenson (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
29:25

Stefan Johansen (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
29:25

Foul by Abdul Osman (Partick Thistle).
27:45 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Partick Thistle 0, Celtic 1. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Leigh Griffiths.
26:14

Attempt missed. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner.
25:38

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Liam Lindsay.
24:53

Virgil van Dijk (Celtic) hits the left post with a right footed shot from outside the box.
20:33 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Callum McGregor replaces Stuart Armstrong because of an injury.
16:16

Attempt missed. Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) right footed shot from long range on the left misses to the left.
14:35

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Sean Welsh.
14:21

Attempt blocked. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
12:55

Ryan Stevenson (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick on the left wing.
12:55

Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Celtic).
10:53

Attempt blocked. Nir Bitton (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
10:11

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Gary Miller.
8:54

Attempt saved. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
8:10

Foul by Stuart Bannigan (Partick Thistle).
8:10

Tomas Rogic (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
6:28

Attempt saved. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
2:06

Attempt missed. Kris Commons (Celtic) header from the right side of the box is too high.
0:00

First Half begins.
0:00

Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

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