2017-07-14: Linfield 0-2 Celtic, European Cup

It might be marching season in Northern Ireland but Celtic went out for a Champions League stroll in Belfast.
The Hoops put their best foot forward and took a huge stride on the long and winding road to the group stage by making short work of limited Linfield.

These qualifiers can be tense and terrifying. A tie that was shifted because of the Orange Walks gave it an edge.
But Celtic treated it like a stress free walk in the park.

In fact, it was more concerning off the pitch as a section of the Linfield crowd shamed themselves right in to UEFA’s bad books.
Some of the songs were bad enough but it even took a plea from their own chairman Roy McGivern to get them to behave after raining bottles down on Leigh Griffiths.
On the field Scott Sinclair rammed it right up the racist sickos – who chucked a bile banner on a Belfast bonfire earlier in the week – by getting the Hoops off to a flier and they never looked back.
Tom Rogic slammed home a second to end the contest after just 22 minutes and the Hoops were happy enough to see it out and get out of town without any more nonsense than necessary.

Brendan Rodgers’ men will surely now be marching in to the third qualifying round where either Dundalk or Rosenborg await.
The Norwegians are favourites in that tie after a 1-1 draw in Ireland but while they won’t be a walkover, they shouldn’t strike too much fear either.
Slick Celtic are still some way off hitting top gear but they can use next week’s return in Glasgow to run off any lingering rust before the next round because the job was done last night in Northern Ireland.

The contrast to 12 months ago was stark. An ugly overcast evening in Ulster was a world away from the sweltering shock on the Rock.
Losing to Lincoln Red Imps in Gibraltar was a temporary embarrassment but there was no chance of another red face this time.
Celtic passed and probed and showed no signs of panic as they outclassed David Healy’s side before the game petered out after the break.
After the big build-up, the game was a bit of a non event if truth be told.

So much for Celts having no fans along for the trip. Linfield stuck the tickets up for general sale which meant some Hoops followers snapped them up.
The late decision to open up a stand for the Parkhead punters seemed sensible enough but it only added to the sense Celtic might have been as well off just taking an allocation in the first place.
The spat between the club and Police Service of Northern Ireland just muddied the waters but there was no doubt security had been ramped up to the max just in case.
It’s not often fans need to get through checkpoints of armed police and armoured vehicles on the way in to a match.

But everyone knows the background noise around this fixture. No one needs a history lesson, even if some of the punters from both sides are experts in ancient tribal divides.
Sections of the Linfield support certainly went back through the ages and dug out some ditties that have even fallen out of fashion back in the blue half of Glasgow.
The barrage of bottles and other missiles lobbed at Leigh Griffiths throughout won’t have gone unnoticed by UEFA beaks either.
Although someone should have a word with ref Alejandro Hernandez – who incredibly booked Griff for
time-wasting when the striker was picking up a half bottle of Buckfast chucked in his direction.

It was an unbelievable decision but Celtic would have been just pleased to get out of Belfast without anything more serious kicking off.
The ground was less than half full and far from rocking.
Perhaps the Linfield punters didn’t fancy their chances.
They would certainly have had doubts when they clocked Celtic’s full strength starting line up.
Griffiths was preferred to Moussa Dembele but Rodgers rolled out his tried and trusted – and they didn’t muck about at getting to work.
A year ago the Hoops tripped over the starting line in Gibraltar but there was never likely to be any blips in Belfast. An early effort from Stuart Armstrong after a neat bit of skill from Tom Rogic was a statement of intent.

A crunching challenge from Scott Brown set the tone.
It took only 17 minutes to make the breakthrough.
Celtic were knocking the ball about nicely but the goal was a bit of a gift.
James Forrest recycled a backpost ball and dropped it in to the area.

Goodness knows what the Linfield defenders were up to but Sinclair was able to nod it in to the net without even having to jump.
The second wasn’t far behind when Rogic slickly buried a cute low corner from Griffiths.

Linfield weren’t offering much going forward but Mark Haughey did lash one over the bar on a rare foray in to the Celtic box. It was pretty much constant pressure at the other end though. Celtic weren’t exactly
ferocious – they didn’t need to be – but they were relentless.
Forrest, Rogic and Griffiths all had digs.
Sinclair forced Roy Carroll in to a sensational save after the winger slalomed in between two defenders.
The veteran keeper clawed away another drive from the Hoops attacker soon after and it was looking like a case of how many.

Linfield looked ragged but they came out and had a bash immediately after the break. It didn’t come to much though and the home side suffered a hefty blow when defender Matthew Clarke took a sore one and was carted off on a stretcher after blocking Forrest.
Rogic went close again and Carroll superbly stopped efforts from Armstrong and sub Dembele but a couple of goals to the good going to Glasgow was a decent job done.
Celtic kept their bottle – even if the Linfield fans couldn’t manage to keep hold of theirs.

Celtic are unlike any team I played against at Rangers and will steamroll their way to another Premiership title says Linfield boss David Healy
The former Rangers striker was happy with the margin of their defeat and thinks the Parkhead club are on course for another dominant season.
David Healy expects Celtic to steamroll every team in Scotland again this season on their way to another Premiership title.

The Linfield gaffer and former Rangers striker looked on as his side were well beaten by the Hoops at Windsor Park on Friday.

Healy was delighted to only lose the first leg of their Champions League second-round qualifier 2-0 with the return on Wednesday.

Celtic ace Scott Sinclair says Steven Caulker should join him in resurrecting his career at Parkhead
And he insists better teams than Linfield will be on the receiving end again as Brendan Rodgers’ side chase seven-in-a-row.

Healy said: “This Celtic team are just so clinical with the chances they get.

“They don’t let teams off the hook when they’re on top. You look at the clock thinking 15 minutes gone, 16, 17 – you count the minutes trying to get to 20 then 40. Sadly we couldn’t do that on Friday night but Celtic are always liable to open you up.

“They’ve hammered better teams than us last season in Scotland so to get a 2-0 defeat is a positive result. I hope it’s dressed up like that, I hope it’s not seen as Linfield being no-hopers.

“Celtic will do the same as they did last season in Scotland. I have no doubt they’ll run away with the league again. I expect them to be just as rampant.”

Healy will take his team to Parkhead having played there in two Old Firm losses.

The legendary former Northern Ireland striker experienced huge games in his career but believes nothing he tells his players will prepare them for running out at Celtic Park.

He said: “It’s a huge experience for me as a young, inexperienced manager to go there.

“And for the players to get this opportunity, it’s huge for them. I recall some difficult visits to Parkhead when I was with Rangers. Just like on Friday, that Celtic team were terrific.

“But no disrespect to the ones I played against, this one is miles ahead of anything in Scottish football now. I played at big stadiums in derbies like Sunderland v Newcastle and Leeds v Sheffield Wednesday.

“But it doesn’t matter what I did or what I can say to the players before Wednesday – they have to experience it for themselves.”

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/linfield/champions-league/live-commentary/live-commentary-linfield-vs-celtic_302698.html

4.34pmGood afternoon all and welcome to Sports Mole’s live text coverage of the Champions League qualifier between Linfield and Celtic, the first competitive match of the season for both teams. Team news incoming…

4.35pmLINFIELD XI: Carroll, Lowry, Haughey, Stafford, Clarke, Casement, Waterworth, Mulgrew, Smyth, Quinn, Garrett

4.36pmCELTIC XI: Gordon, Armstrong, Brown, Simunovic, Sinclair, Lustig, Griffiths, Tierney, Rogic, Forrest, Sviatchenko

4.37pmLet’s start with the home side, and there’s a familiar face in goal – Roy Carroll, who has previously played for Manchester United, Hull and West Ham, among other sides in England and earned 45 caps for Northern Ireland. He’s still putting in a solid shift at the ripe old age of 39.

4.40pmJamie Mulgrew is a key player for the hosts, a midfielder who likes to dominate in the centre of the park and another full Northern Ireland international. It’s also worth keeping an eye on Andrew Waterworth, who bagged a hattrick when Linfield defeated Coleraine to lift their domestic cup back in May.

4.43pmOnto Celtic, and the big news for them is that skipper Scott Brown has been fit to start in midfield. Leigh Griffiths will provide the goal threat as Moussa Dembele is being eased back into the fold following a spell on the sidelines. New signing Jonny Hayes could make his competitive debut for the Hoops but will have to do so from the bench after being named among the substitutes.

4.46pmNo small amount of controversy surrounds this tie as Celtic declined to take up their ticket allocation, unable to guarantee fan safety since the game falls so close to the Orange Order parades. However, it has since been revealed that a section of Windsor Park WILL be open to travelling supporters and many have taken to Twitter to voice their disgust at the late notice.

4.51pmThere you have it…

Confirmation that the decision on the West Stand announcement was taken by the home Club, we were only advised of this late last night
— Celtic FC SLO (@CelticFCSLO) July 14, 2017

4.52pmHere’s what Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers had to say in the run-up to the game: “These type of games are never easy and they’ll aim to make it difficult for us but we go into the game with the expectancy to win. Our focus is on doing a professional job.”

Brendan Rodgers manager of Liverpool looks on during the Barclays Premier League match between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park on October 4, 2015 in Liverpool, England.

4.55pmPREDICTION: Rodgers is right to be cautious given that Linfield powered to a league and cup double last term and have plenty of experience among their ranks, but last season’s Scottish treble winners will have too much quality for their part-time opponents. My money is on the Hoops taking a 2-0 lead back to Glasgow.

4.57pmA nice message of support from the Scottish FA has come in as kickoff approaches…

#UCL | Good luck to @celticfc in their @ChampionsLeague qualifying match against Linfield. pic.twitter.com/RYe9LQR7IK
— Scottish FA (@ScottishFA) July 14, 2017

4.59pmLooks like former Barnsley man Grant McCann is backing Linfield tonight, one of his other former clubs…

Good luck to the @OfficialBlues and Sir David Healy tonight.
— Grant McCann (@grantmccann11) July 14, 2017

1 minKICKOFF: Linfield get the match underway. Stay with is for live updates throughout the game!

2 minBarely a minute on the clock and Celtic claim their first shot on goal through Stuart Armstrong, who goes for goal from almost 30 yards out, but his effort is straight at Roy Carroll in the Linfield goal.

5 minCarroll makes another easy claim as Leigh Griffiths attempts to test him with a header, which is tame. The Hoops applied some pressure there, with Tom Rogic bringing the ball forward from midfield and picking out the ever-dangerous Scott Sinclair in the box.

7 minPlenty of Linfield fans have shown up and they’re keeping the noise level up, but their team is struggling to get on the ball. There’s some scrappiness on the edge of the home side’s box, with poor challenges flying in from both sets of players. The referee finally intervenes and awards a free kick to Linfield for a foul by Scott Brown.

10 minCeltic continue to press and are looking for a way through on the flanks after finding no space through the middle, but Linfield are holding their shape well. The longer they can hold out, the better chance they have of wearing the Hoops down and nicking something at the other end.

12 minThe winner of this tie could face Irish opposition in the shape of League of Ireland champions Dundalk. The other possibility is Norwegian outfit Rosenborg, who take an away goal into their second-leg clash with Dundalk following a 1-1 draw in the initial match.

14 minLinfield boss David Healy will be pleased with how these opening 15 minutes have gone. Celtic are pressing them through every channel, but it’s been a disciplined performance from the Northern Irelanders, who keep throwing bodies back.

17 minCeltic win their first corner of the match as Stuart Armstrong lets fly from 20 yards, his effort cannoning off Jamie Mulgrew and going behind…

17 minGOAL! Linfield 0-1 Celtic (Scott Sinclair)

17 minThe visitors take the lead and it comes via a scrappy goal. The corner comes in from Armstrong and finds its way to James Forrest, who hoofs the ball back into the six-yard box where Scott Sinclair is lurking. He connects with the header, barely, and the ball bobbles beyond Roy Carroll and into the net. Unluckly, Linfield.

21 minThere’s an encouraging moment for Linfield as they win two corners in quick succession. The second is swung in by Quinn, finding the head of Mark Haughey, who forces a save out of Craig Gordon in the Celtic goal. It wouldn’t have counted as the flag was raised, but encouraging all the same.

22 minGOAL! Linfield 0-2 Celtic (Tom Rogic)

22 minSet pieces are clearly a problem for Linfield as they’ve just conceded from another corner. It was a move straight off the training ground by Celtic, with Leigh Griffiths playing the ball low and Australian international Tom Rogic on hand to take it on the half-volley, beating Roy Carroll at his near post.

25 minBoth of Celtic’s goals are disappointing from a Linfield perspective. They’ve held their shape well and soaked up the pressure, but their marking was wanting for each of those corners. The hosts have just applied some pressure through Mark Stafford, who blazed Chris Casement’s cross over from close range.

28 minSAVE! Roy Carroll rolls back the years with a great save from point-blank range after Rogic put Sinclair through on goal. The Englishman shot first time, but the Linfield goalkeeper made himself big and deflected the ball behind for yet another corner for the visitors.

32 minAnother half-chance falls Celtic’s way as Lustig plays a long ball over the top and Griffiths steals a yard on his marker to meet it with a glancing header. He fails to get much on it and Carroll makes a routine claim.

35 minJames Forrest is next to try his luck for Celtic, latching onto a loose ball on the edge of the penalty area, cutting inside and attempting to beat Roy Carroll at his near post. The Linfield goalkeeper gets his bulk behind the shot and absorbs it without too much trouble.

37 minAfter soaking up waves of pressure, Linfield attempt to stage a break through Paul Smyth, whose pace allows him to break into the final third, but Erik Sviatchenko steals the ball from him and the move breaks down.

39 minGOOD SAVE! Scott Sinclair picks up possession on the edge of the box and unleashes a vicious strike. It’s heading low, towards the bottom corner but Roy Carroll gets down well and meets the shot with a strong hand. Good stop from the veteran.

42 minLinfield are starting to look tired now and their defending is becoming increasingly desperate. Matthew Clarke hoists the ball behind after tangling with James Forrest. The resulting Celtic corner is within an inch of being prodded home by Mikael Lustig.

44 minCeltic are toying with the opposition now. The men in blue can’t get a touch of the ball, the travelling support ironically cheering every successful pass. The Northern Irish champions need to get up in their faces.

45 minHALF TIME: Linfield 0-2 Celtic

5.46pmCeltic take a 2-0 lead into half time at Windsor Park following a professional showing against the Northern Irish champions.

5.48pmScott Sinclair netted the first, beating Roy Carroll with a scrappy header and Tom Rogic turned home the second following a corner routine straight from the training ground.

5.49pmBrendan Rodgers’s side are more than good value for their two-goal lead as they’ve been utterly dominant. Linfield, however, have had an encouraging moment or two in front of goal, coming closest when Mark Stafford blazed the ball over from close range.

45 minKICK OFF: We’re back underway in Belfast, where neither side have opted to make any changes yet.

47 minGOAL DISALLOWED! Leigh Griffiths smashes the ball home from inside the area after picking up Tom Rogic’s through-ball, but his face becomes a mask of frustration when he spots the linesman’s raised flag. It was the correct call from the official as the Celtic striker had clearly strayed a yard off.

49 minThere was almost an opening for Linfield there as Andy Waterworth was given too much space in the box. He takes a touche before attempting to pull the trigger, but a sea of Celtic bodies absorbs the shot. At the other end, Armstrong goes for goal with a curling effort from the edge of the box, forcing Carroll into another save.

51 minWaterworth tangles with Erik Sviatchenko and wins a corner at the expense of the Celtic man. Linfield can’t do anything with the set piece, but the hosts are actually taking the game to Celtic in the early stages of this second half. A third Hoops goal will surely kill them off, though.

55 minSUBSTITUTION: Linfield are forced into a change, throwing on Jordan Stewart for Matthew Clarke as the latter has picked up what looks like a nasty gash.

58 minThe tempo has gone out of the game now as legs are starting to tire. Celtic aren’t pressing quite so relentlessly and Linfield don’t look like they have any kind of gameplan. It threatens to pick up when Forrest swings a cross into the centre of the area and Sinclair connects with a header, bundling the ball over.

60 minCeltic goalkeeper Craig Gordon has some work to do when Quinn plays a dangerous ball into the penalty area. He comes charging off his line and punches the cross clear.

63 minA great chance for the visitors to extend their lead goes begging as Kieran Tierney ventures forward along the flank, makes his way towards the box and plays a low cross right across the face of goal. It only needed a slight touch from one of his teammates but there were no takers.

67 minJordan Stewart goes on a good run wide on the left, but the move breaks down when he misplaces a simple pass and gifts Celtic a throw. At the other end, the Hoops almost find an opening when Armstrong picks out Sinclair with a great ball, but his teammate cannot keep it in play.

69 minSUBSTITUTIONS: Leigh Griffiths makes way for Moussa Dembele and James Forrest comes off for Johnny Hayes, who is making his competitive debut for the Hoops.

71 minCLOSE! Patient build-up play from Celtic sees the ball find its way to Hayes wide on the right. He flicks a cross in towards Rogic and the Aussie goes for goal, his effort bouncing just wide for a goalkick.

73 minCeltic are stuck in second gear at the moment, but they don’t need to up the intensity. They’re looking comfortable at 2-0, but a scrappiness has found its way into the game. Scott Brown has just been booked for clattering into Andy Waterworth.

78 minSAVE! Another top save from Roy Carroll denies Armstrong from inside the box. Hayes provided the cross which Dembele met with a knock-down so Armstrong could take it on the volley. The midfielder did everything right, but Carroll was equal to his powerful strike!

80 minThat’s the closest Celtic have come in a somewhere underwhelming second half. Linfield have shown improvement and more attacking intent than in the first period, but not quite enough to make this a contest.

83 minCHANCE! Linfield’s best chance of the match has just come and gone as Stephen Lowry’s low cross from wide on the right eluded Craig Gordon and pinballed its way around the six-yard box. It could easily have deflected in off Andy Waterworth, but the Hoops defence hastily clears its lines.

86 minIt’s been a professional performance from Linfield, who have are still standing their ground in these closing stages. David Healy’s side can head to Celtic Park with their heads held high in the second leg.

90 minThere will be four minutes of stoppage time to play at Windsor Park.

90+4 minLots of Celtic pressure in stoppage time plus a booking for Stuart Armstrong for dissent, but the final whistle is about to sound.

90+4 minFULL TIME: Linfield 0-2 Celtic

6.52pmCeltic’s first competitive match of the new campaign ends in a 2-0 win for them. Many of their fans may have been expecting more goals against part-timers Linfield, but it was a professional showing from the Scottish champions.

6.53pmScott Sinclair and Tom Rogic got their names on the scoresheet, but the Linfield players deserve plaudits for some of their resilient defending, and their veteran goalkeeper Roy Carroll was one of the best players on the pitch.

6.55pmNo doubt Celtic will finish the job at Parkhead next Wednesday, after which they’ll face either Dundalk or Rosenborg in the next qualifying round.

6.56pmAnd that’s all from me tonight. Many thanks for following our live commentary,