Match Pictures | Matches: 2021 – 2022
Trivia
- UEFA Europa League 3rd Qualifying round
- 1st leg of two, 3rd round; KO: 16:45 Thursday (4.45pm midweek kick-off!) match live on BBC Scotland
- Jablonec nad Nisou is a city in Czech Rep.Finished 3rd, a couple points behind the two teams that pumped us and Sevco last season
- Celtic were demoted to the UEFA Cup after messing up in the Champions Lge qualifiers etc.
- Starfelt singled out as John Hartson slaughters ‘Sunday league’ defending in win over Jablonec.
- Should #CelticFC progress to the @EuropaLeague play-off round, we will face @AZAlkmaar will take place on 19 and 26 August.
- Should Celtic fail to progress, they will play MŠK Žilina or Tobol Kostonay in the Playoff round of the UEFA Europa Conference League.
- St Johnstone playing away at Galatasaray tonight in the Europa League, and incredibly drew 1-1! Congrats
- Celtic could be handed a European lifeline after it emerged Midtjylland fielded a suspended player during the second leg of their Champions League qualifier. Defender Juninho was forced out of Tuesday night’s 3-0 loss to PSV prior to the match after Fifa ruled the eight-match suspension he picked up in Brazil was still valid following his summer transfer to the Danish side.
Post-note: Reprieve shot down; Uefa confirmed that FC Midtjylland did not field an ineligible player in last week’s second round qualifying match. - Their pitch was a potato field! Likely reduced goal scoring chances for both.
- First victory for Ange Postecoglou.
- Debut for Joe Hart
- Messi announces that he wishes to leave Barcelona!
- Olympics: UK won a record eighth swimming medal at Tokyo 2020 as Duncan Scott’s silver in the men’s 4x100m medley relay set a new landmark for medals won by a Briton at a single Games, he’s won 4 medals! Jemma Reekie’s medal hopes dashed on the line in Tokyo in her 800 m race.
- Transfers:
Celtic bring boyhood supporter James McCarthy to Celtic Park for free - Joe Hart bought from Man City for £1m;
- Olivier Ntcham has left Celtic by mutual agreement, freed.
- Celtic’s rookie keeper Ross Doohan on season-long loan deal to Tranmere Rovers
Covid
- Reports: Glasgow city council will allow both Celtic and Sevco to have capacity crowds at their European games next week as the local authority gets set to give the green light for full stadiums once again.
- Full capacity crowds will now be permitted at Celtic Park from Monday, August 9 onwards.
Summary
Jablonec have never shipped 4 goals or more in a European home tie.. Until tonight!
In the last 7 years alone Dynamo Kiev, Astana, Copenhagen, Rennes and Real Betis never got near that total…
Ajax recorded 0-0 away and 1-0 at home to them!
(joebloggscity)
Scoreline masks a few things. Celtic were by far the better side on a drab pitch and possibly could have won by far more. The Czech side were very poor yet pulled themselves back into the game twice. Attacking Celtic should certain creativity.
However the defence remains poor and depending on who you talk to there are different defenders everyone blames. Two goals conceded that shouldn’t have been. Criticism made against all in the defence and even for debutant Hart.
Kyogo scored a fine chip goal and Christie after being subbed on scored a fine header. Abada was man of the match for me with a finely taken goal and deserved more. He is proving already to be a fine capture. Still a lot to improve on but good to finally get a competitive win this season.
(Hagi Bhoy of KDS)
Good result and promising performances from Kyogo and Abada.
But as others have said, major worries about not only the individual defenders but our whole team structure defensively. All over the pitch we are weak in the tackle, slow to second balls and win practically no headers.
For a 15 minute spell in the second half we were under pressure because from every goal kick we were forced to go long to Forrest, kyogo or Abada. We lost possession every time and gave them chance to attack. This will be teams game plan again us.
Turnbull shouldn’t start ahead of Christie.
Starfelt looks knackered all the time and I’m really hoping he just needs time to settle because otherwise we still need an entirely new back four.
(PMSW of KDS)
That is a good result. They were 3rd in the Czech league and that is a decent standard. 4 goals as well but as daft as this sounds, I liked the fact we got a wee bit of luck today. Our first and third goals are the kind of luck we’re usually on the receiving end of in terms of the ball fell kindly to our players. Hopefully there is a shift in mentality happening at the club and getting the breaks and a decent enough win will remind some of our players that they can actually be pretty good when they want.
From twitter
AP – This game has last season’s pattern stamped over it. Encouraging start, slack defence, increasing pressure, panic, missing easy chances, inevitable concession, everyone scunnered.
Got to start imposing on the game again. Most of all the chances need to be put away if they come.
Agent Scotland – Good result for Celtic, to go away from home, control most of the game, create plenty of chances & score 4 goals is a good night’s work, weaknesses at the back are still evident & big additions still needed but taking the game in isolation they can be happy with that performance.
Teams
Celtic:
Formation 4-3-3
- 15Hart
- 56Ralston
- 6Bitton
- 4Starfelt
- 3TaylorBooked at 54mins
- 14Turnbull Substituted forChristieat 65′minutes
- 12Soro
- 42McGregor
- 11Abada Substituted forRogicat 65′minutes
- 8Furuhashi Substituted forEdouardat 66′minutes
- 49Forrest
Substitutes
- 1Barkas
- 10Ajeti
- 17Christie
- 18Rogic
- 22Edouard
- 26Urhoghide
- 29Bain
- 41Robertson
- 47Murray
- 54Montgomery
- 57Welsh
Goals:
- Abada (12′ minutes),
- Furuhashi (16′ minutes),
- Forrest (64′ minutes),
- Christie (90′ minutes)
Assists:
- Bitton (16′ minutes),
- Forrest (90′ minutes)
FK Jablonec
Formation 4-5-1
- 1Hanus
- 23SurzynBooked at 75mins
- 22Martinec
- 12ZelenyBooked at 88mins
- 16Krob
- 24Plestil Substituted forMalínskyat 73′minutes
- 17Kratochvíl Substituted forHouskaat 74′minutes
- 7Povazanec Substituted forHübschmanat 86′minutes
- 27Kubista Substituted forCvancaraat 86′minutes
- 11Pilar Substituted forHolíkat 78′minutes
- 15Dolezal
Substitutes
- 2Vanícek
- 3Hübschman
- 4Holík
- 5Stepánek
- 6Malínsky
- 8Houska
- 10Cvancara
- 13Vajner
- 14Smejkal
- 28Haitl
- 30Hruby
Goals:
- Pilar (17′ minutes),
- Malínsky (85′ minutes)
Assists:
- Povazanec (17′ minutes, 85′ minutes)
Ref:Halil Umut Meler
Att:
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Stats
- Possession
- Home34%
- Away66%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away17
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away8
- Corners
- Home3
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away8
Match Links
Articles
BBC
Last updated on
.From the section Europa League
Celtic “lost their way” but can take belief from the Europa League qualifying win over FK Jablonec, says manager Ange Postecoglou.
While the visitors created a glut of chances to earn the Australian a first victory at the fourth attempt, their defensive frailties were again exposed.
Celtic conceded at 2-0 and 3-1 up after Liel Abada, Kyogo Furuhashi and James Forrest had netted. However, Ryan Christie restored the two-goal cushion after Nir Bitton failed to clear Tomas Malinsky’s effort in a frantic finish.
Ultimately, it gave Celtic a handsome lead to take into the second leg in Glasgow next Thursday, with Dutch side AZ Alkmaar awaiting the winners of the tie in the play-off round.
“It’s great to get a win, especially for the players who have worked hard without getting the result,” said Postecoglou.
“It’s a reward for the players and hopefully gives them confidence and belief.
“There’s definitely areas we can improve. We started really well, but there were periods where we lost control, particularly in the second half.”
Having fallen in the Champions League qualifiers to Denmark’s Midtjylland, Celtic’s second chance in Europe brought much-needed respite for Postecoglou amid a tumultuous start to this tenure.
The drop in stature from Europe’s premier club competition was illustrated by the sparse, 6000-capacity stadium, with one end populated by trees rather than seats. A glamour tie this was not.
Postecoglou pitched former England goalkeeper Joe Hart straight in for a debut and made a big call at the other end of the pitch by dropping Odsonne Edouard.
The off-form Frenchman could have few complaints after two goals in his last 11 games and his replacement, Furuhashi, marked his first start with a lovely finish for his first goal.
However, two soft concessions undermined Celtic’s positive attacking play and their defence looked ill at ease throughout.
David Turnbull had already passed up a glorious chance before Abada opening the scoring early on, drilling home after his initial effort from a Greg Taylor delivery was blocked.
A well-crafted second soon followed. Bitton stepped up from defence to release Furuhashi, whose dink over outrushing goalkeeper Jan Hanus nestled in the bottom corner of the net.
Celtic were in control and cruising – then their defence crumbled. A simple lob down the middle caught the visitors static and Vaclav Pilar strolled through to stab the ball past the helpless Hart.
The Scottish side looked to reassert their authority against opponents who finished a distant third in the Czech top fight last season.
Abada, McGregor and Turnbull all went close and Furuhashi blazed over from four yards after Abada’s deflected effort rebounded off a post.
Celtic should have been out of sight, but sloppiness crept in as Jablonec gained a foothold. Vojtech Kubista volleyed over, Pilar had a drive saved by Hart, and Marek Plasil’s snap-shot took a nick off Greg Taylor to whizz narrowly past.
Forrest quelled the growing unease, with Abada again integral. The Israeli burst through the middle, had a strike parried by Hanus, and Forrest squeezed in the rebound from an awkward angle.
But Celtic were again caught out at the back as Malinsky skinned Carl Starfelt and his curling effort was touched on to the post by Hart, with Bitton’s attempt to clear off the line ending up in the net.
Substitute Christie finally settled a breathless contest, diving to meet Forrest’s delivery and put Celtic within touching distance of the next round.
Man of the match – James Forrest
What did we learn?
Jablonec’s quality may be questionable, but this was Celtic’s most convincing attacking display under Postecoglou.
Furuhashi enjoyed a lively debut, Abada was again on the scoresheet, and Forrest added fluency to an attack that struggled to create in last weekend’s league defeat to Hearts.
However, glaring deficiencies at the back were again to the fore. Hart, a few jittery moments apart, had a solid enough start. But he wasn’t helped by a defence that has conceded in all four games under Postecoglou. Improvement is needed with much sterner tests to come.
What did they say?
Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou: “We created enough chances – we scored four and could have had another four. We just didn’t control the game as well as we could have.
“The performance was okay. Second half we didn’t really control the game the way we should have to make sure we won the game more comfortably.”
New Celtic signing singled out as John Hartson slaughters ‘Sunday league’ defending in win over Jablonec
John Harton blasted Celtic’s “Sunday league” defending in their 4-2 win over Jablonec in the Europa League third qualifying round first leg tie.
Despite dominating possession and chances, the Hoops required an 85th minute header from substitute Ryan Christie to secure a two-goal advantage after twice being pegged back by the Czech side.
First half goals from Liel Abada and Kyogo Furuhashi put Ange Postecoglou’s men into a commanding 2-0 lead before Vaclav Pilar raced through a static defence to pull one back for the hosts before half-time.
James Forrest restored the two-goal cushion in the second half but Tomas Malinsky lobbed debutant goalkeeper Joe Hart to reduce the deficit again before Christie struck to give Celtic breathing space ahead of next week’s second leg at Parkhead.
Ex-Celt Hartson felt the margin of victory should have been greater as he slammed the standard of defending at both Jablonec goals, with new signing Carl Starfelt singled out for criticism.
“It’s a good away win but they could have been out of sight,” he said. “Celtic had an opportunity to win by four or five, all they had to do was defend properly.
“It’s Sunday league stuff. The goals that they are giving away. Celtic won’t win anything defending like that.
“I know it will get better and Jullien might come in back, but Starfelt at the second goal … I know he’s early at the club but I have to call it as I see it. You can’t just dive in last minute and let Malinsky cut back inside like that and just get done.
“He lobs Joe Hart, maybe the defence was coming back but should he be that far off his line?
“Normally I’m not overly critical, but I can’t sit here and accept that type of defending. It’s going to cost Celtic.”
Speaking on BBC Sportscene, Hartson was also critical of Celtic’s failure to take chances, despite scoring four.
“We’re not putting teams to the sword. How many opportunities do Celtic need to go and score goals at this level?
“Luckily the scoreline looks quite respectable now at 4-2 because Ryan Christie comes on and scores a really good header.
“Celtic will get through next week but I worry badly about our defence.”
Ange Postecolgou identifies areas Celtic need to address after ‘loss of control’ in Jablonec win
Ange Postecolgou acknowledged that the undulating nature of Celtic’s performance in their 4-2 Europa League victory in Jablonec showed him what requires attention for the club to build on the third qualifying round first leg victory.
Yet, he pointed to the fact his men turned a 3-2 into a two-goal advantage in the closing moments – courtesy of a Ryan Christie header shortly after a second goal was conceded – as evidence of the fortitude questioned following the late concession of goals in the loss to Hearts on Saturday and in the Champions League exit at the hands of Midtjylland.
Following a night in which Kyogo Furuhashi netted on his first start, new signing Liel Abada scored a second European goal and keeper Joe Hart made his debut, Postecoglou said: “We scored four goals, but we had some unbelievable opportunities to score more. I felt we just didn’t control the game as well as we could have after 35 minutes. Defensively we were really open but part of the reason for that is that we gave the ball away unnecessarily. We were just making poor choices. There were a whole range of aspects that left the game really open. We still had chances, but it’s not the way I want us to play.
“We just keep working on what we’ve been working on, keep improving it. Keep the players focused on what’s important. That’s not an easy thing because we had Kyogo’s first start, Joe Hart’s first start, Carl {Starfelt]’s second start. There’s a whole range of reasons why the cohesion isn’t quite there yet. This group has been together for maybe 10 days. So I don’t want to be too hard on the players. But at the same time I want to make sure we are really honest with our analysis.
“[But we] absolutely [showed character]. Both Midtjylland games and the Hearts game, we had moments when we could have won and it was disappointing not to. So it would have been very easy for us to resign ourselves that, at 3-2, that was enough. But we went up there and scored a fourth. I think that’s in the group. I can definitely see that. They have that resilience, that want and desire to be strong. We just have to be smart about how we do it.”
The Celtic manager said it wasn’t “ideal” to throw Hart in on the back of only one training session following Tuesday’s £1m move from Tottenham Hotspur, but took heart from Abada once again showing his potency following his £3.4m summer move. “I kind of had to do it in the last few games,” he said of fielding Hart. “We did it with Carl and Kyogo at the weekend. We don’t have time to waste. We have brought these guys in for a reason. Joe felt good about starting. He has had a pre-season so there wasn’t anything fitness wise to worry about. He didn’t have a lot to do. He pulled off an important save at the end. He will get a better understanding of how we want to play and how we want to defend. I’m sure that experience will help him with that.”