2019-07-24: Celtic 5-0 Kalju, European Cup

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Review

"Words can't describe how good a feeling that was when the ball hit the back of the net," Griffiths said.
"My kids were watching back home, I had friends in the stand. I was close to crying, I'm not going to lie. But I just had to refocus and see the half out."

Turned into an easy match following a ten min spell at the end of the first half with Celtic scoring three great goals. 3-5-2 didn't convince all but still, it's early days and worked in this case.

(Puskas of KDS forum)
What a great (and surprisingly emotional) moment when Griffiths scored! Midfield fantastic, Central defence strolled it. I'm gonna hope it was feeling ill that affected Boli's game. Morgan's crossing was the only real frustration, was really impressed with him in the previous game but he was poor last night.
I would like to see more balls played into Edouard's feet early rather than out wide to cross in to him: he's more than capable of making chances for himself with a dribble or a trick, maybe he's actually better at that than getting on the end of crosses.

Teams

Celtic

• 29Bain
• 6Bitton
• 23Bolingoli-Mbombo ubstituted forJohnstonat 37'minutes
• 49Forrest
• 35Ajer
• 42McGregor
• 8Brown
• 5SimunovicBooked at 62mins
• 9Griffiths
• Substituted forMorganat 59'minutes
• 22Edouard
• 17ChristieBooked at 45mins
• Substituted forNtchamat 71'minutes

Substitutes
1Gordon
2Jullien
11Sinclair
15Hayes
16Morgan
19Johnston
21Ntcham

Goals: Ajer 37, Christie 44, 65, Griffiths 45+3, McGregor 77

Nomme Kalju

96Londak
2Kulinits
26Markovych
27Puri
4Avilov
15Subbotin
5Uggè
7M'bu Alidor
11Costa Morais Substituted forMashichevat 84'minutes

• 43Paur
• Substituted forVolkovat 75'minutes
• 21Klein Substituted forMataat 45'minutes

Substitutes

• 1Teles
• 3Reintam
• 6Tjapkin
• 9Mashichev
• 20Volkov
• 99Mata

Referee:Jakob Kehlet
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Celtic 5-0 Nomme Kalju: Leigh Griffiths scores on return as Hoops ease to comfortable win

Leigh Griffiths celebrates scoring the third goal on his return to the Celtic starting line-up
Leigh Griffiths celebrates scoring the third goal on his return to the Celtic starting line-up
Stephen Halliday
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Published: 21:38 Wednesday 24 July 2019
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/celtic-5-0-nomme-kalju-leigh-griffiths-scores-on-return-as-hoops-ease-to-comfortable-win-1-4970852On a night when Celtic effectively confirmed their place in the third qualifying round of the Champions League, the limelight belonged to Leigh Griffiths.

Making his first starting appearance since December, the Scotland striker scored his first goal at Celtic Park in ten months as his rehabilitation from a potentially career-threatening bout of depression reached a landmark moment.

Griffiths found the net with a stunning free-kick at the end of the first half as Celtic swept Estonian champions Nomme Kalju aside to make the second leg of this second qualifying round tie in Tallinn next Tuesday little more than a formality.

The outstanding Ryan Christie claimed a double, while Kristoffer Ajer and Callum McGregor, pictured, were also on target for Celtic. But this was Griffiths’ night and his emotionally-charged celebration of his goal was shared with pure joy by the home fans. He left the field to a standing ovation when he was replaced by Lewis Morgan just before the hour mark.

It wasn’t simply his magnificent free-kick which signalled that Griffiths is assuredly ready to resume his Celtic career in the most effective and profitable manner possible.

His overall performance suggested that he is not only conquering his mental demons, he is recovering the kind of physical condition required to operate at the kind of level the champions demand of him.

Playing alongside Odsonne Edouard as manager Neil Lennon opted for a 3-5-2 formation, Griffiths was full of energy as he looked to stretch a Kalju defence which, for the first half hour at least, was defiantly robust.

It’s not only Griffiths’ goals Celtic have missed, it is his delivery from set-pieces. He created their first chance of the night in the sixth minute with a superbly whipped in corner from the right which Jozo Simunovic headed just wide at the far post.

Lennon’s side were as dominant in possession as anticipated but had to exercise patience in their quest for a breakthrough. Kalju goalkeeper Pavel Londak made the first of several saves in the tenth minute when he reacted well to divert a stinging left-foot shot from Christie over the top.

The visitors’ priority was clearly to try and frustrate Celtic for as long as possible but they carried an occasional attacking threat of their own on the counter. Brazilian striker Liliu looked the most likely source of any anxiety for Celtic and he almost provided Kalju with a shock lead when he wriggled free down the right and sent in a fine cross which Peeter Klein should have done better than head wide from close range.

Kalju were soon hemmed into their own half again as Celtic upped the tempo. Edouard was unfortunate to see his close-range header from another Griffiths corner rebound off team-mate Simunovic as chances began to come Celtic’s way regularly.

Griffiths, understandably keen to get that long-awaited goal, was just too eager when he sliced wide from a James Forrest cross. He then saw his first free-kick attempt of the night break off the defensive wall into the path of Scott Brown whose shot was well saved by Londak.

Kalju’s resistance was finally broken in the 37th minute. Edouard was crudely fouled by Andriy Markovych, earning a free-kick which Christie swept over from the left for Ajer to force home a close range header via the underside of the bar.

Celtic had to make an early substitution, left wing-back Boli Bolingoli limping off for the second time in his three appearances so far. He was replaced by Mikey Johnston.

The home side now had the bit firmly between their teeth and they doubled their lead in the 44th minute. Christie’s tenacity forced Kalju defender Aleksandr Kulinits to rashly flick out an arm at the ball as he tried to clear inside the area. After brief hesitation, Danish referee Jakob Kehlet pointed to the spot. Christie stepped up and sent Londak the wrong way as he smashed home the penalty.

The icing on Celtic’s first-half cake came three minutes into stoppage time with a moment Griffiths will cherish for some time to come. Vladimir Avilov’s clumsy foul on Christie conceded the free-kick which was instantly reminiscent of the territory from where Griffiths scored his sensational double for Scotland against England at Hampden two years ago.

It was almost a carbon copy of one of those strikes as Griffiths, following an expectant hush around the stadium, bent his left-foot effort over the wall and beyond the despairing left hand of Londak into the corner of the net.

Kalju appeared increasingly dispirited as Celtic emphasised their superiority and showed no signs of easing off after the break. But for the continued excellence of Londak, the visitors would have fallen further behind long before Christie did claim Celtic’s fourth goal in the 65th minute.

After substitute Johnston’s surge into the penalty area was halted, the ball broke to Christie on the right and he curled a superb left-foot shot around Londak into the far corner.

The tie was effectively over already but Kalju’s agony continued. Celtic made it 5-0 in the 77th minute, substitute Olivier Ntcham breaking forward to set up McGregor for a shooting chance which he swept beyond Londak from 20 yards.

BBC

By Tom English

BBC Scotland at Celtic Park

From the section Champions League

Leigh Griffiths scores for Celtic
Leigh Griffiths scored his first Celtic goal since November with a curling free-kick

Leigh Griffiths scored on his first Celtic start since December as Neil Lennon's men hammered Nomme Kalju in the first leg of their Champions League second qualifying round tie.

The striker whipped home a brilliant free-kick to net dominant Celtic's third goal on the stroke of half-time.

Kristoffer Ajer and Ryan Christie – from the penalty spot – had put the Scots 2-0 up and Christie and Callum McGregor completed the scoring after the break to render next week's return leg in Estonia effectively moot.

Celtic are now poised to face either Israeli side Maccabi Tel-Aviv or Cluj of Romania, with the latter earning a 1-0 home win on Wednesday.

Griffiths 'close to crying' after goal
Reaction & as it happened
Defender Elhamed completes Celtic move

'Griffiths delivers ultimate comeback'

If the night was all about Celtic building a mountainous lead and securing their passage into the next qualifying round, then the sub-plot was all about Griffiths.

No home start in a competitive game since last September. No goal in a competitive game since last November. The striker has had his mental health to take care of and amid the process he had to endure some ugly moments of dark speculation in one of world football's capital cities for dark speculation.

Griffiths has spoken about the difficulties of hearing the gossip and the lies, but against the thoroughly outclassed Estonians he delivered the ultimate comeback. Celtic were cruising by then. After close to 40 minutes of softening up Kalju, they duly beat them up in the closing moments of the opening half.

Christie's free-kick was nutted home by Ajer via the underside of Pavel Londak's crossbar. Celtic lost Boli Bolingoli through illness straight after; Mikey Johnston came on and played with verve. Surely we'll see more of him this season than last.

Six minutes later, Celtic went two ahead, the influential Christie winning a penalty when Aleksandr Kulinits stuck out an arm to stop his delivery. Christie lashed the penalty past Londak. Such was the ferocity of the strike, three Londaks might not have stopped it.

The piece-de-resistance was coming, though. With time almost up at the end of the half, Griffiths lined up his second free-kick of the night. The first one came off the defensive wall and fell to Scott Brown whose point-blank shot was blocked by Londak, but this time the outcome would be altogether different.
Leigh Griffiths
Leigh Griffiths' goal was his first since 24 November last year

Griffiths' execution was lethal. Over the wall it soared and down it descended into the top right-hand corner. Londak flailed as any goalkeeper would have flailed. The striker ran away to celebrate and sank to his knees. It's early days, but if this moment marks the return of Griffiths as a striker of substance then what terrific news for Celtic – and Scotland.

He was replaced early in the second half, leaving to a standing ovation. Celtic could have been further ahead by then, Kalju's goal being peppered non-stop. A fourth arrived just after the hour mark, Christie curling a left-footed pearler beyond Londak's reach.

Christopher Jullien, the £7m centre-half, started on the bench and on the bench he remained. Lennon suggested that he's not quite up to the speed of things just yet, not that he was needed. You don't bring on a defender when you're running over the top of your opponents, every one of your attacks promising goals.

Lennon brought on Olivier Ntcham for Christie. Christie got the appreciation he deserved, the Frenchman got the lukewarm reception he deserved. If anything, given some of Ntcham's comments about wanting to move clubs, he got off lightly. Celtic's supporters were probably too cheery to give him any more stick. Soon, they'd be cheerier still.

The fifth was rattled in by McGregor, an emphatic thump that flew into the net. Game over. Tie over. In this marathon qualifying process nights like this are a relief. They can take it handy in Estonia next week before the big stuff begins again the week after.
'Christie must be on Premier League radar' – analysis

Former Celtic defender John Hughes on Sportsound

I felt Ryan Christie was man-of-the-match, as he was last week. He's making up for lost time after his horrendous injury. He won Brendan Rodgers over last year and he has certainly won Neil Lennon over. He's one of the first names on the team-sheet now. He must be on the radar of big English Premier League clubs with these kind of displays.

Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner on Sportsound

The next two rounds are critical. It's almost about the mentality, not ability, keeping their heads and not letting the pressure get to them. We've seen it before in Europe when we expect a performance and then they get nervy. If Neil Lennon can deal with that, I think they are in a good position.

Leigh Griffiths: Celtic striker 'close to crying' after scoring comeback goal
BBC
From the section Celtic

Leigh Griffiths celebrates his goal against Nomme Kalju
Leigh Griffiths fired home a free-kick in Celtic's hammering of Nomme Kalju, his first goal since late November

Leigh Griffiths was "close to crying" when he marked his first Celtic start since December with a stunning goal.

Griffiths bent in a free-kick in Celtic's 5-0 rout of Nomme Kalju in Wednesday's Champions League second qualifying round first leg at Parkhead.

The 28-year-old had taken time away from football seven months ago due to depression.

"Words can't describe how good a feeling that was when the ball hit the back of the net," Griffiths said.

"My kids were watching back home, I had friends in the stand. I was close to crying, I'm not going to lie. But I just had to refocus and see the half out."

Griffiths scores as Celtic thump Kalju
Reaction & as it happened
Defender Elhamed completes Celtic move

The match was his second since returning to first-team training, having come off the bench in last week's win over FK Sarajevo in the previous round of qualifiers.

The goal, a curling left-foot effort from around 25 yards, and Celtic's third of the night, was his first since 24 November.

It drew comparisons with the two stunning dead-ball efforts Griffiths struck in Scotland's dramatic 2-2 draw with England at Hampden during World Cup qualifying two years ago.

"It's up there with the England moments, if I'm honest," the striker added.

"A big thank you to my team-mates and everyone connected with the club – if it wasn't for them then I wouldn't be back on the pitch.

"Hopefully that's the start of more goals. My kids were watching me and I had friends in the stands too. I was close to crying."

Celtic boss Neil Lennon says the ovation of the Parkhead crowd "should mean to the world" to Griffiths.

"You always think he'll hit the target or make the goalkeeper make a save," Lennon told BBC Scotland. "It's a great skill he has, he's a natural-born goalscorer.

"There is an amount of anticipation and to be fair the reception he's got from the players, the supporters, the club, that makes me very proud. It'll do his confidence the world of good."