| Match Pictures | Matches: 2019 – 2020 | 2019-20 Pictures |
Trivia
-
Europa League qualifiers First leg
- First competitive meeting between the sides; Celtic had dropped down from Champions League qualifers for this.
- The last time Celtic failed to qualify for a major European competition was the 2010-11 campaign, when they were knocked out of the Europa League play-offs by FC Utrecht.
- AIK's only previous meeting with Scottish opponents was in the 1984-85 Uefa Cup first round – they lost 3-1 on aggregate to Dundee United (1-0 home, 0-3 away).
- Henrik Larsson resigns from Helsingborg job.
- TheRangers due to racist chanting (the Billy Boys songs) ordered to close section of minimum 3000 for their next game in UEFA Cup.
- Tom Boyd: The Scottish FA compliance officer is to review comments made by ex-Celtic captain Tom Boyd about referee John Beaton during Saturday's League Cup win against Dunfermline.
- Jonathan Afolabi: Celtic sign forward from Southampton on three-year deal
- Fraser Forster to re-sign for Celtic on loan after 5 years away.
- Ex-Celt to move to Club Bruges.
- Boxing: Celtic fan Kash Farooq – 1st (Asian) British-Pakistani Boxer to win The coveted Lord Lonsdale Belt Outright
- Junior Agogo: Ex-Ghana, Nottingham Forest and Bristol Rovers striker dies aged 40
Review
(Italiabhoy of KDS)
Overall, a very very decent performance against a limited but cynical opponent.
Big plus marks to:
Julien: dealt well with some treacherous high balls, read the game well, some nice passes as well. Still a little stand-offish for me, but promising.
Boli: A really good game: energetic, linked up well, was always available for a pass. Still has the odd mistake in him, but I was willing him on all night. I hate seeing players scapegoated and that was a strong game from him.
Ajer: superstar in the making.
Brown: Controlled the game well mostly, but the weaknesses in his game are more apparent than ever. He is using his experience to get him through at times now.
Christie: Phenomenal.
Forrest: Total star, and his goal record this season is exceptional.
MJ: Very promising performance… I didn't think he would make it after the disaster at Ibrox, but he looks like a real prospect suddenly.
Edouard: Amazing player. Makes me laugh when the media big up "Al-fraaaay-do". This guy is verging on world-class already. We'll struggle to keep him.
I would have liked 3, but think we can score over there.
Finally, the ref: why do we keep getting these incompetents in Europe? Seriously, does someone high up in the UEFA referees department not like us…?
Teams
Celtic
1Gordon
35Ajer
2Jullien
5Simunovic
23Bolingoli-MbomboBooked at 44mins
49Forrest
Substituted forNtchamat 82'minutes
8Brown
42McGregor
17Christie
22Edouard
Substituted forBayoat 85'minutes
19Johnston
Substituted forMorganat 82'minutes
Substitutes
6Bitton
9Griffiths
10Bayo
15Hayes
16Morgan
21Ntcham
- Forrest (48' minutes),
- Edouard (73' minutes)
AIK
34Linnér
2Granli
3Karlsson
14Mets
15LundströmBooked at 74mins
Substituted forRashidiat 87'minutes
7LarssonBooked at 38mins
8Kofi Adu
11Bahoui
Substituted forSalétrosat 70'minutes
9Lindkvist
36Goitom
30Sigthorsson
Substituted forObasiat 72'minutes
Substitutes
6Dimitriadis
10Obasi
12Michel Melki
16Salétros
18Hussein
23Janosevic
24Rashidi
Referee:
Tamás Bognár
Attendance:
40,885
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Articles
Neil Lennon spoke of the "hysteria" around his side after their Champions League exit to CFR Cluj and an underwhelming League Cup win, but second-half goals by James Forrest and Odsonne Edouard eased them to victory.
Celtic suffered a frustrating first 45 minutes in this play-off round first leg, but pulled clear and will take a healthy lead to Sweden next Thursday.
In fact, the Scottish champions had chances to make that trip to Stockholm more comfortable, but ultimately had to settle for a reassuring 2-0 victory.
- Players 'come up trumps' – Lennon
- Celtic confirm Forster loan signing
- Bain out for four-to-six weeks
Grand old man remains big presence
Forrest's goal broke the Swedes' stubborn resistance, their flat back five and their safety-first approach finally breached early in the second half after Mikey Johnston, Edouard and Callum McGregor had all gone an Oscar Linner save away from opening the scoring.
AIK had soaked up Celtic's pressure for 47 minutes when Forest capitalised on slackness at the heart of the visitors' defence before rifling a shot on goal, Linner parrying it up but the ball falling in behind and dropping into his net.
It was Forrest's fifth goal in five games and a reminder that if Ryan Christie, Johnston and Edouard represent the bright young things of the Celtic attack then the grand older man (of 28) remains a huge creative presence in this team. He scored what should have been a key goal away to Cluj, he scored the equaliser at Celtic Park that should have sent Celtic on their way and he scored the winner against Dunfermline in that hairy League Cup tie at the weekend.
If his last European goal didn't prove the catalyst for victory, then this one did. With AIK now having to emerge from their shell there was more space and more opportunity. When Johnston won a free-kick with 16 minutes to go, Edouard took responsibility and curled a beauty over the AIK wall and beyond Linner.
That second goal was critical to Celtic's peace of mind. One goal and they were still vulnerable in Stockholm next week. Two goals and the job is a whole lot easier, the cushion more comfortable.
It should have been three late on. McGregor scampered away on his own, galloping up the left before pushing his shot just wide of Linner's left-hand post. Later still, they had three chances in one when Olivier Ntcham, Edouard and Lewis Morgan all thumped efforts on AIK's goal and all were beaten away.
It shouldn't matter. Celtic still have work to do, but they've half the job already done. When they hit the road for Stockholm, they'll do so with Fraser Forster back among their ranks. The goalkeeper, who in the mind's eye of every Celtic fan still summons up glorious memories of denying Lionel Messi on happier European nights, was reintroduced to the crowd at half-time.
Those heroics are now beyond Celtic, but at least the consolation of the Europa League group stage is very much within their grasp now.
Man of the match – Odsonne Edouard
Edouard has been pin-sharp this season and this was another classy performance, full of subtle touches, intelligent running, physicality and vision. And, of course, a goal. A peach.
He led the line wonderfully and deserved his chance to execute from the free-kick. And how he executed. Leigh Griffiths would have applauded. A free-kick wizard of another vintage, Shunsuke Nakamura, would have done the same.
Celtic 2 – 0 AIK: Hoops in driving seat for Europa League spot
Celtic's Odsonne Edouard celebrates making it 2-0. Picture: SNS
Celtic's Odsonne Edouard celebrates making it 2-0. Picture: SNS
Stephen Halliday
Published: 21:49 Thursday 22 August 2019
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https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/celtic-2-0-aik-hoops-in-driving-seat-for-europa-league-spot-1-4989609
Celtic took a firm step towards quelling what Neil Lennon has labelled the hysterical reaction to their Champions League exit as they secured a solid lead to take into the second leg of their Europa League play-off against AIK Stockholm.
The Scottish champions will head to the Swedish capital next week confident of sealing a place in the group stage after second half goals from James Forrest and Odsonne Edouard gave them a hard-earned but fully merited victory.
For Celtic manager Lennon, it was a positive start to a spell of four games in 11 days, culminating in the first Old Firm showdown of the season at Ibrox, which could set the tone for the rest of the campaign.
The restoration of Callum McGregor to his optimum role at the heart of midfield provided the platform for Celtic to eventually dominate possession and control the tempo of the game, although it was only after a sluggish opening 15 minutes that they began to exert the level of control Lennon would have craved.
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AIK were set up to frustrate, their 3-5-2 formation more often than not switching to a 5-3-2 which restricted the number of clear cut chances Celtic were able to carve out.
The visitors were content to wait for counter-attacking opportunities, the first of which forced an error from Jozo Simunovic at the heart of the home defence. It allowed AIK captain Henok Goitom to nip in ahead of him and get away a shot which forced Craig Gordon into an unorthodox save with his feet.
Celtic were unable to full clear the danger and when the ball was whipped back into their penalty area, Kolbeinn Sigthorsson headed wide from around eight yards.
It proved the jolt for Celtic to begin imposing themselves in their attacking third of the pitch, although an offside flag cut short home celebrations when Edouard latched onto Ryan Christie’s pass and slotted beyond Oscar Linner.
Celtic came close in the 20th minute when a delightful back-heeled pass from Christie picked out Boli Bolingoli’s overlapping run on the left of the penalty area. The Belgian left-back, again looking far more effective going forward than when forced to defend, cut the ball back into the path of Mikey Johnston whose shot was deflected narrowly wide of Linner’s left hand post.
As the hosts sought to build some momentum, the AIK goalkeeper was called into action when he threw himself to his right to turn away a powerful shot from Edouard who had held the ball up and turned brilliantly to create the opening from 20 yards.
From the resulting corner kick, whipped over by Christie, there were loud appeals for a penalty from Celtic who claimed Christopher Jullien’s header had been blocked by an AIK hand. Hungarian referee Tamas Bognar was unmoved.
While AIK rarely managed to get out of their own half, the set piece aptitude of Seb Larsson presented potential danger whenever they did. A corner from the former Arsenal midfielder caused uncertainty in the Celtic defence 10 minutes before half-time before Sigthorsson’s shot was blocked by Scott Brown.
A degree of frustration crept into Celtic’s work in the closing stages of the first half but they emerged re-energised after the break and were quickly rewarded with the breakthrough.
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Linner did well to repel Celtic’s first attempt of the second half, turning over a stinging shot from McGregor, but the 22-year-old Swedish international won’t look back with any fondness on his part in Forrest’s 48th minute opener.
Bolingoli drove forward and played the ball to the edge of the penalty area where Rasmus Lindkvist mistimed his attempt to meet it before Forrest. The winger surged into space and while his shot was well struck, Linner was able to get two hands on the ball but could only help it loop over him into the net.
As Celtic looked to press home their advantage, Linner redeemed himself somewhat when he made a fine reaction save to keep out a fierce drive from Christie.
While the single goal lead would have been far from the worst outcome for Celtic, its vulnerability was illustrated when AIK managed to muster a decent spell of possession during which Gordon was relieved to clutch Nabil Bahoui’s looping header underneath his crossbar.
Celtic were soon back in command and the security of a second goal was delivered by Edouard’s sweetly struck free-kick. Daniel Granli conceded it with a clumsy foul on Johnston around 22 yards out. From a central position, Edouard swept it over the defensive wall and beyond the despairing left hand of Linner high into the corner of the net.
McGregor dragged a shot narrowly wide as Celtic continued to probe for further insurance ahead of the second leg but they will feel this is a job they are capable of seeing through.