2018-07-25: Celtic 3-1 Rosenborg, European Cup

Trivia

• Champions League 2018-19
• First leg of two, Second Qualifying Round
• Celtic playing Rosenborg again who squeaked thru to this round with a very dodgy penalty in their last game. Played them last year in qualifiers, Celtic won 1-0 in aggregate then.
• Some unhappy Celtic fans as the match was made chargeable for season ticket holders, whilst same one last season was on the season ticket. Last round was free on the season ticket.
  
• Simunovic ruled out following an unnecessary red card from the last match (his fault). Created issues over defence.
• Gamboa returns to first team. Surprise, can this be a turning pt? He was generally well remarked on today. Hendry was the whipping boy but still got some plaudits.
• Rosenborg sacked their manager just 1 week before this first leg! Surprising move but didn't pay off tonight despite an early goal.
  
• Winner goes onto play AEK Athens, the toughest draw possible in that round for Celtic if Celtic go thru.
• Next day in Europe: Hibs win3-2,Sevco win, Aberdeen draw 1-1 with Burnley.
  
• Ex-Celt Tony Stokes has signed for Iranian club Tractor Sazi. Hehas signed a two-year deal with the Persian Gulf Pro League side after it appeared he was ready to pen a short-term contract with St Mirren. Rumours: Lyon are poised to make a move for Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata. The Belgian World Cup star has just 12 months left to run on his contract and has attracted interest from clubs around Europe, including Serie A side Lazio. New SFA chief Ian Maxwell is considering whether to take
• Sevco to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over the award of a Uefa licence in 2011. It would cost six figures in legal fees to hit Sevco with a £5,000 fine.
  
• Aberdeen lose their top striker (30 years old), to a 5th tier side in England!
  
• Brendan Rodgers states he wants to see VAR introduced for the Champions League.
  
• Young Celts (U19s) sink Manchester United to win SuperCup NI. Congrats
  

Review

(Owenbhoy of KDS)
After the poor start, I thought we controlled virtually the whole game.

(Vlad of KDS)
Must have got the ref out of The Louden.

Not saying that Sinclair's game has changed solely because of the fans. But I think as a wide man you can maybe go safe sometimes than try to go by a man and lose the ball, when there's a part of you expecting a reaction from the crowd.

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Attendance: 58,000

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BBC

By Tom English

BBC Scotland at Celtic Park

1 hour ago From the section Champions League

Olivier Ntcham scores the second goal for Celtic
Olivier Ntcham guided a sumptuous finish over Andre Hansen to put Celtic ahead

Odsonne Edouard scored twice as Celtic recovered from conceding an early goal to beat Rosenborg in the Champions League second qualifying round.

Birger Meling's low left-footed shot gave the Norwegian champions a shock lead after 15 minutes.

But record signing Edouard hauled the Scottish champions level just before half-time with a deft touch and finish.

Olivier Ntcham put Celtic ahead from outside the box a minute after the break before Edouard dinked in a third.

Ntcham, Callum McGregor, and Jack Hendry all struck the frame of the goal but Celtic will have to make do with a two-goal lead to take to Trondheim on Wednesday.

Should they emerge unscathed, Brendan Rodgers' side will then face a third qualifying round meeting with Greek side AEK Athens.

How the game unfolded & reaction

A series of blunders & a shock concession

Rosenborg have been having a troubled time of it, with their respected coach Kare Ingebrigsten sacked bizarrely and the players seemingly angry at his departure.

It was an odd preamble for the Norwegians and one that Celtic folk everywhere were hoping would distract and demoralise them ahead of this important first leg.

The reality was that Rosenborg spent the opening 15 minutes looking like a team that had been galvanised rather than dispirited.

Celtic were defensively nervous and might have fallen behind had Mike Jensen managed to get his head on an early cross. It was a warning for Rodgers' team, but one they did not heed.

Hendry strode out of defence and then proceeded to give the ball away. Rosenborg were ruthless in exploiting his blunder and the ones that followed.

They swept the ball out to Pal Andre Helland, who spun out of a weak challenge by Scott Brown before sliding a ball into Nicklas Bendtner on the left side of the area.

Meling, 40 yards from goal, saw the possibility and darted for the box. Christian Gamboa, carelessly, let him go.

Bendtner picked out Meling and the full-back slipped his shot past Craig Gordon. Beautifully done, but awfully lazy stuff from Celtic.
Rodgers' switch pays dividends

Rodgers changed things soon enough. James Forrest had been spending a lot of his time playing up front with Edouard drifting wide. Forrest returned to the wing and Celtic started getting men up the field to support Edouard.

Immediately, things got better for the home team. They had what looked like a clear penalty waved away when Ntcham appeared to have a leg taken from under him.

Edouard was to level it before the break, though. Scott Sinclair came in off his left wing and squared to the striker, who took a tidy first touch and then passed his shot into the corner of Andre Hansen's net.

A goal a few minutes before the break was followed by a goal a few minutes after. What a pearl it was too. Ntcham, in space outside the box, brought the ball on to his right foot and curled a beauty around Hansen to give Celtic a lead they so desperately needed.

They set about trying to add to it. McGregor's cross came slapping back off the frame of the goal, Edouard's shot was saved by Hansen, Ntcham's gorgeous effort from distance was pushed on to the woodwork by the keeper and then Kieran Tierney had a couple of chances inside half a minute.
A Larssonesque way to finish
Odsonne Edouard of Celtic
Odsonne Edouard has now scored three goals in three Champions League games

Celtic stayed patient and stayed dominant and when Rosenborg gifted them possession they made them pay.

Forrest picked it up and put Edouard away. The big man went through one-on-one with Hansen and dinked the most sumptuous chip over his head and into the net for his second and a precious third for Celtic.

A Larssonesque finish from the record signing. Edouard, strong and skilful, looks to be getting better with every game.

There could have been another before the end when Hendry's effort hit the crossbar. It was the third time that the frame of Hansen's goal had been rocked.

After their early goal, Rosenborg were hanging on to avoid a scoreline that would have rendered their second-leg task a near impossible one.

Celtic still have a handsome advantage, though. And they have confidence in knowing that they can score again in Trondheim next week.

For Rodgers, a worrying beginning but a pleasing conclusion.

At this rate, £9 million is going to look like a bargain price for Odsonne Edouard. Celtic’s all-time record signing transformed a nervy and uncertain display from the Scottish champions into a commanding victory which should be enough to take them into the third qualifying round of the Champions League. The 20-year-old French striker’s brilliant double, either side of a stunning goal from his compatriot Olivier Ntcham, saw Brendan Rodgers’ side recover impressively from falling behind to Birger Meling’s early goal for Rosenborg.

The absence of the injured Moussa Dembele was barely noticed last night as Edouard again served notice of the rich potential which persuaded Celtic to secure his permanent transfer from Paris Saint-Germain.

There is still work to be done for Celtic in the second leg in Trondheim next week but they are firm favourites to set up a meeting with AEK Athens in the next phase of the tournament.

Rosenborg could certainly claim to have earned Meling’s 16th minute opener as a reward for their enterprising approach which saw them start the match every bit as purposefully as Celtic.
But as well worked and neatly finished as the goal was, it all stemmed from a basic and needless error from Jack Hendry when he was under no great pressure.
Celtic were in possession around 10 yards inside the Rosenborg half when Hendry’s sloppy attempt at a pass was intercepted eagerly by Mike Jensen, the visitors’ hugely impressive captain.
From that moment, Celtic were caught on their heels as Rosenborg moved the ball swiftly. Pal Andre Helland evaded challenges from both Kieran Tierney and Scott Brown with relative ease before switching the play to Nicklas Bendtner on the left of the Celtic penalty area.

The big striker held the ball up before rolling it into the path of Meling, the left-back’s run into the box having gone completely untracked by Cristian Gamboa who was making his first starting appearance for Celtic since February.
Craig Gordon was beaten comprehensively by Meling’s clever and assured left foot shot which nestled low inside the ‘keeper’s right hand post.
It was already clear that Rosenborg posed a more than credible threat to Celtic’s Champions League ambitions, regardless of the turmoil at the club since the surprising sacking of their popular manager Kare Ingebrigtsen last week.
New boss Rini Coolen had wisely resisted any temptation to tinker with a side who looked settled and firmly focused as they looked to avenge their defeat to Rodgers’ men at this stage of the tournament 12 months ago.

Celtic took time to find any kind of rhythm and accuracy in their attacking work, although Kristoffer Ajer should perhaps have done better when he was unable to find the target with a free header from Callum McGregor’s 20th minute corner.
McGregor then forced Rosenborg ‘keeper Andre Hansen into his first notable save of the evening with a stinging shot from 22 yards which was confidently dealt with.
Celtic were still struggling to subdue the influential Jensen and Brown collected a booking for a hefty foul on his opposing skipper right on the edge of the penalty area. Fortunately for the hosts, the free-kick came to nothing.
The home support were convinced their side should have had a penalty in the 34th minute and they looked to have a strong case as Ntcham went down under Vegar Hedenstad’s clumsy challenge. Belgian referee Bart Vertenten was well positioned and waved play on.
Celtic could ill afford Rosenborg enjoying the confidence of taking their lead into the break and Edouard’s 43rd minute equaliser was as well-timed as it was welcome.

Scott Sinclair, who had blazed a shot over inside the first 30 seconds, had struggled to impose himself on the Rosenborg defence since. But the winger delivered when it mattered, working space on the left to tee up Edouard for a precise finish from around eight yards.
Celtic now had a level of momentum which they carried into the second half to devastating effect as Ntcham put them 2-1 in front barely 30 seconds after the restart. It was a magnificent strike from the midfielder who collected a pass from Brown before steadying himself and curling the ball right-footed high beyond Hansen’s left hand into the top corner.
Rosenborg were visibly reeling as Celtic turned up the tempo and the Norwegian champions were fortunate not to fall further behind when a cross-***-shot from the increasingly influential McGregor rebounded off Hansen’s right hand post with the ‘keeper back-pedalling desperately.
If the first half had been evenly contested, it was one-way traffic now and Hansen was forced into a fine reaction stop to keep out Sinclair’s angled drive from around 10 yards. The ‘keeper bettered that in the 67th minute with a breathtaking save as he somehow managed to touch Ntcham’s thunderous long range drive onto the crossbar.
But Hansen had no answer when Edouard finally gave Celtic the breathing space of a third goal which their dominance now merited with 15 minutes remaining. James Forrest seized upon a rare error from Jensen and threaded a through ball into Edouard who, with the tiring visitors appealing in vain for offside, surged into the box and lofted a delightfully impudent shot over the advancing Hansen.
It could have been even better for Celtic as Hendry’s late header struck the crossbar but there will be no complaints at the final outcome after such a shaky start to the night.
CELTIC: Gordon; Gamboa, Hendry, Ajer, Tierney; Brown, Ntcham (Rogic 76); McGregor, Forrest, Sinclair; Edouard. Subs not used: Bain, Christie, Allan, Ralston, Johnston, Kouassi.