2015-09-17: Ajax 2-2 Celtic, UEFA Cup

The Scotsman

by
STEPHEN HALLIDAY

updated 02:06 Friday 18 September 2015 published 20:10 Thursday 17 September 2015

IN a Europa League group which already promises to be anything but predictable, Celtic were denied a perfect start to their campaign by the reckless indiscipline of Emilio Izaguirre.

Ronny Deila’s side were on course for the ideal tonic to their recent woes as they led 2-1 with a degree of comfort in the Amsterdam Arena against an unremarkable Ajax side.

But left-back Izaguirre’s sending-off for a rash second bookable offence in the 73rd minute left the Scottish champions fighting a short-handed rearguard action in the closing stages which saw Lasse Schone plunder Ajax’s second equaliser of the night.

The point earned by first-half goals from Nir Bitton and Mikael Lustig, either side of Viktor Fischer’s strike for Frank de Boer’s men, remains a more than acceptable outcome from matchday one in Group A which also saw much-fancied Fenerbahce suffer a shock 3-1 home defeat against bottom seeds Molde.

It has given Celtic a firm foundation upon which to build before Fenerbahce visit Glasgow in a fortnight.

Kris Commons has been a peripheral figure in Deila’s squad so far this season but it did not take the gifted playmaker long to emphasise the difference he is still capable of making to Celtic’s creativity in the attacking third of the pitch.

Making his first European starting appearance of the campaign, Commons had a key role in the eighth-minute goal which provided his team with such an encouraging start to the contest.

Stefan Johansen sparked the move for Celtic as he tenaciously dispossessed Ajax midfielder Daley Sinkgraven and fed a pass to Commons around 25 yards out. With a neat turn and sidestep, Commons wrong-footed the home defence before slipping the ball to Bitton on the right side of the penalty area.

The Israeli international struck it first time with his right foot, guiding it firmly across Ajax keeper Jasper Cillessen and into the far corner of the net.

The goal came as a jolt to Ajax who had made a generally tentative start. They were facing a new-look Celtic back four, with Jozo Simunovic making his debut in the centre, and their response to going behind provided an uncomfortable moment for the big Croatian.

Fischer surged to the edge of the Celtic penalty area and Simunovic’s attempt to cut out the danger saw him come perilously close to scoring an own goal as he directed the ball narrowly wide of Craig Gordon’s right-hand post.

Ajax began to stretch the play more with Amin Younes on the left and Anwar El Ghazi on the right both causing problems for the visitors.

El Ghazi beat Izaguirre all too easily to burst into the penalty area in the 16th minute but his shot was smothered by the Celtic defence. They had no answer, however, to the goal which drew Ajax level nine minutes later.

It was a fluid and clever move from the Dutch league leaders, Younes gliding infield from the left and playing the ball to Davy Klaassen on the edge of the penalty area. The Ajax captain’s first-time flick helped it into the path of Fischer who engineered space for a right-foot shot which beat Gordon low to his left.

Ajax appeared to have seized the initiative at that stage but Celtic showed good composure and patience to take the sting out of the home side again. Their reward was to regain the lead before half-time.

They should have done so in the 40th minute, Leigh Griffiths scuffing a close-range shot which Cillessen was able to turn behind for a corner after James Forrest had set up the chance.

The Ajax No 1 was beaten two minutes later, however, with Commons again the architect. He earned a corner off Mitchell Dijks as the pair contested a cross from Griffiths and trotted across to take it himself from the left.

The delivery was perfect, a flat trajectory unsettling the Ajax defence and allowing Lustig to score with a firm downward header from inside the six-yard box at the far post.

Neither side looked comfortable in defending set-pieces and Joel Veltman wasted a chance to punish Celtic’s hesitancy at a Nemanja Gudelj corner when he sent a free header off target four minutes into the second half.

With the home support growing increasingly anxious and irritable, Ajax lacked conviction in their effort to find a second equaliser.

That was typified when Klaassen’s nervous touch on the edge of the penalty area denied him the opportunity to convert a clever Fischer pass.

Celtic looked just as likely to increase their lead and another pair of Commons corners provoked further panic in the Ajax defence, first when Forrest had two shots blocked after a weak attempted clearance by Cillessen broke to him, then when Lustig guided another free header narrowly wide.

The signs looked good for Celtic but they suddenly found themselves facing a more complicated challenge when Izaguirre foolishly earned his marching orders in the 73rd minute.

Booked earlier in the second half for a foul on Kenny Tete, the Honduran international had already tested Italian referee Luca Banti’s tolerance levels with another couple of poor fouls before he lunged in and caught El Ghazi late. The official was left with little option but to show him a second yellow card.

Deila sent on Tyler Blackett for Forrest to reinforce a defence which predictably found itself under sustained late pressure from Ajax. Klaassen screwed a close-range header wide, then substitute Arkadiusz Milik was unfortunate to see his headed attempt strike Gordon’s right-hand post. But just as the visiting fans dared to believe the 10 men would hang on to all three points, Ajax made it 2-2 with six minutes remaining. It was substitute Schone, who scored Ajax’s winner here on Celtic’s previous visit two years ago, who did the damage again with a swerving free-kick from the left which caught out Gordon and found the corner of the net.

It was almost worse for Celtic when Milik headed just over in stoppage time but they held on for a merited and valuable point.

Ajax: Cillessen, Tete, Veltman, Riedewald, Dijks; Gudelj, Fischer (Schone 75), Sinkgraven (Serero 62); El Ghazi, Klaassen, Younes (Milik 62). Subs not used: Boer, Van Rhijn, Van der Hoorn, Viergever.

Celtic: Gordon, Lustig (Ambrose 69). Boyata, Simunovic, Izaguirre; Brown, Bitton; Commons (Janko 83), Johansen, Forrest (Blackett 75); Griffiths. Subs not used: Bailly, Ciftci, Mackay-Steven, Rogic.

Referee: L Banti (Ita)

Attendance: 47,455

Nir Bitton gave Celtic the lead before Viktor Fischer equalised. Mikael Lustig then put Celtic back in front before Izaguirre was shown the red card. Lasse Schone levelled the scoreline on 84 minutes.

Craig Gordon, 6 – Celtic have conceded in their last eight matches, and while Gordon was well-beaten by Fischer for the Dutch side’s opener, he didn’t look too clever at the equaliser as Schone’s free kick evaded everyone and sailed past him into the net.

Mikael Lustig, 6 – Scored Celtic’s second and had a solid night at right back. Will feel he could have done better with second-half effort on goal.

Jozo Simunovic, 7 – An assured debut from the Croatia Under-21 captain. Partnered Boyata well and didn’t look out of place.

Dedryck Boyata, 7 – Looked more focused than he has done in recent matches and new central defensive pairing with Simunovic looks like it will be solid enough.

Emilio Izaguirre, 5 – Red card spoiled a decent night for the Honduran, who coped well with the impressive Anwar El Ghazi and offered an improvement on recent European performances.

Nir Bitton, 7 – A third Euro goal of the campaign for the Israeli midfielder, who never looked troubled in defensive midfield along with Scott Brown.

Scott Brown, 7 – Hoops captain mopped up in front of the back four and broke up a number of dangerous Ajax moves.

James Forrest, 6 – Another lively performance from Forrest, making his first start since the Malmo away tie, but had a frustrating night as he was well-marshalled by Tete. Replaced by Blackett after Izaguirre’s red card.

Kris Commons, 8 – A first European start for Commons and he showed why. Had a hand in both goals, including a lovely ball through for Bitton, and got back to help out defensively. Subbed for Janko in the last few minutes.

Stefan Johansen, 6 – A promising start from the Norwegian, but faded in the second half. Picked up a fourth yellow card of the competition and was unable to impose himself on the match like he usually does.

Nir Bitton and Mikael Lustig were on target for a Celtic side who fought with real passion and determination.

But a stunning strike from Viktor Fischer and a free-kick leveller from Schone provided the sucker punches.

Celtic head back to Glasgow with a hard-fought point on a night that also saw Emilio Izaguirre sent off for receiving two bookings.

Ronny Deila, who handed a debut to young Croatian centre-back Jozo Simunovic and gave Kris Commons a first European start of the season, can be content with the result and performance.

But it is Molde who end Thursday on top of Group A after the Norwegian side defeated Fenerbahce in Turkey.

Sloppy Ajax punished
Unsurprisingly, the home side started with confidence and they stroked the ball about with a swagger as Celtic were forced to chase and contain.

But the Dutch side were punished for dithering in possession when Israel midfielder Bitton gave Celtic a stunning, if somewhat surprising lead.

Nir Bitton scores for Celtic against Ajax Bitton netted his fourth goal of the season

He burst on to a Commons through ball on the right-hand side and slotted low past Jasper Cillessen on the angle from 12 yards out.

The imposing Amsterdam ArenA fell into near silence apart from the small band of Celtic fans high in the corner.

Frank de Boer's young hosts tried to hit back immediately but despite sustained pressure, the Celtic back four stood firm until they were sliced open by a piece of footballing brilliance.

Young German Amin Younes played the ball inside to Davy Klaassen on the edge of the box, the captain back-heeled into the path of Fischer and the forward simply stroked the ball past Craig Gordon with pinpoint accuracy.

A real touch of total football but a body blow to a Celtic side who had started to believe they could take their lead into the break.

The visitors started to grow in confidence, though, and Leigh Griffiths's close-range effort was turned behind by Cillessen.

However, any disappointment at that missed chance was blown away when Lustig put Celtic back in front from the resulting Commons corner.

Mikael Lustig scores for Celtic against Ajax Lustig exposed Ajax's defensive frailties with Celtic's second goal

The Sweden defender rose unchallenged on the six-yard line and nodded down and into the back of the net.

Klassen had a golden opportunity to level shortly after the break but he opted to back-heel inside the box instead of putting his foot on the ball and taking a shot – the howls of derision from the home fans a reminder that he chose the wrong option.

As Ajax continued to spurn chances, Celtic started to press in search of a third and James Forrest watched his fierce effort inside the box blocked desperately by Cillessen.

Griffiths then smashed the side netting with a volley after a superb looping ball from the ever more impressive Commons.

Red card turning point
Deila's side were reduced to 10 men after 73 minutes when Izaguirre was shown a second yellow card for a rash tackle on Anwar El Ghazi.

Celtic's Emilio Izaguirre was sent off against Ajax Izaguirre (far right) saw red for two poor tackles

The visitors were saved by the woodwork when Younes's replacement Arkadiusz Milik headed past Gordon and watched his effort smash off the left-hand post.

Everything was pointing to this being Celtic's night but Denmark midfielder Schone killed the dream from a set piece as time began to run out.

His right-footed free-kick from 30 yards out on the left looked like a cross but it eluded everyone and bounced past a helpless Gordon.

Man of the match
Kris Commons impressed on his return to the starting line-up, setting up both Celtic goals and creating several other opportunities.

Kris Commons in action for Celtic against Ajax Commons (right) has been in and out of the Celtic side so far this season

The former Scotland international looked at home when playing just off the central striker and linked well with his midfield team-mates.

The stats you need to know
•Lasse Schone has scored in the last three meetings of Ajax and Celtic.
•Having lost only one goal in their opening four European fixtures this season, Celtic have now conceded six in their last three.
•Celtic opened last season's Europa League group campaign with a 2-2 draw away from home, against Salzburg, and eventually reached the last 32 of the competition.
•Like in Amsterdam, Ronny Deila's side also led twice in that 2-2 draw in Austria.
What next?
Celtic return to domestic action with a home Scottish Premiership meeting with Dundee on Sunday at 15:00 BST. Their next Group A opponents are Fenerbahce in Glasgow on 1 October.