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Trivia
- Brendan Rogers' first victory as manager
- Mostly a youth/development side from Celtic for both halfs, and a little run-out for the rest.
- Notably: Izzaguiere playing.
- Commons to leave to Hibs? Henderson to remain at Hibs for one more season on loan?
- Rumours: Shane Duffy & Toure to sign for Celtic?
- Euros this week: Wales v Portugal & France v Germany are the two semi-finals.
Review![[Untitled]](https://wikifoundryimages.s3.amazonaws.com/8feb42ecacab6d00685245084116df24 "[Untitled]")
(Norwegian Plastic of KDS)
A game of two halfs where Sturm G. came out with a lot more energy in the second half and made it more difficult for the second team. More than, than the starting 11 playing better.
I see different opinions on Brown, but I thought he had a very good cameo today. He won the ball back several times by showing real energy in his defensive work. Tidy passing as well.
Allan was better today running with the ball, but still not very good at protecting the ball in pressed situations, IMO. Still can´t see Allan a natural starter in this team.
McGregor IS a starter.
Ajer was for me one of the big positives today. If he was nervous last game, he looked confident enough today. Very strong in duels and made some brave runs with the ball. Good passing as well. I wonder how much he would have played if Jozo and Boyata were fit, but I think he took his chance to make an impression very well today.
Interesting to see that Johansen was captain the first half. That´s a pretty strong signal from Rodgers that he really wants him to stay. Johansen did not have his best game, though.
Positive again from Janko.
I thought Gordon improved his set pieces at the end of last season, but today he was just horrible with his feet. Nice safe, though.
When Griffiths does not score, you don´t really need him on the pitch.
Good game from Tierney and an obvious first choice on left back, and Erik just as obvious a choice in central defence.
Best team today in 4231:
Bailly
Janko Erik Ajer Tierney
McGregor Brown
Christie Allan Armstrong
Ciftci
Teams
CELTIC (4-2-3-1)
Bailly (Gordon 46); Janko (Ralston 46), O’Connell (Sviatchenko 46), McCart (Ajer 46), Izaguirre (Tierney 46); Johansen (McGregor 46), Bitton (Brown 62); Christie (Roberts 46), Allan (Lindsay 46), Henderson; Ciftci
Not Used: Fisher, Fasan
Goals: Christie 35
STRUM GRAZ (4-4-2)
Gratzei (Schutzenauer 83); Koch (Schmid 83), Maresic (Spendlhofer 46), Schoissengeyr, Lykogiannis (Potzmann 83); Ehrenreich (Huspek 19, Gruber 72), Matic, Lovric (Stankovic 58), Schmerbock (Dobras 58); Alar (Horvath 58) Edomwonyi (Kienast 69)
Not Used: Jeggo.
Pre-season friendly
Merkur Arena, Graz
Sunday, July 3, 2016
STURM GRAZ…0
CELTIC…1
(Christie 35)
Referee:
Attendance:
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Forum
Articles
Sturm Graz 0 – 1 Celtic: New boss Rodgers handed first victory
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/celtic/sturm-graz-0-1-celtic-new-boss-rodgers-handed-first-victory-1-4168488
By
CRAIG FORBES
Published: 03:08 Monday 04 July 2016
Celtic continued their preparations for the new season with new manager Brendan Rodgers’ first victory, as Ryan Christie scored the only goal to defeat their Austrian hosts in the Merkur Arena.
Rodgers used the opportunity to gain a further insight into the strength of his squad as he used 22 players during the course of the match.
The visitors enjoyed the bulk of possession during the early stages and played numerous dangerous balls into the Sturm Graz penalty area, but without creating clear-cut chances.
Christie, pictured, did manage to test Christian Gratzei in the third minute after Saidi Jank and Scott Allan had forged a route down the right flank, but the goalkeeper was equal to the former Inverness striker’s curling effort.
Celtic goalkeeper Logan Bailly had to be alert too, reacting sharply to deny scoring opportunities to first Marc Andre Schmerbock and then Martin Ehrenreich.
The Scottish champions, however, looked much the more dangerous and Nadir Ciftci had a chip cleared off the goalline before the same player was thwarted again when he ran on to a Christie pass, but was unable to find the target after taking the ball round Gratzei.
Celtic were rewarded for their superiority in the 35th minute when Scott Allan got the better of the Sturm Graz defence inside the penalty area before setting up Christie to score from close range at the far post. Moments later, the home rearguard was exposed again and Liam Henderson had an opportunity to extend the lead, but he directed his shot too close to Gratzei.
Before the break, Celtic were on the back foot as Sturm Graz created a trio of scoring chances, but Rodgers side survived as Fabian Koch, Bright Edonwonyi and Schmerbock all failed to convert.
The Celtic manager made ten changes at half-time, only Nir Bitton remaining in place.
The Austrians having also made mass changes, the match descended into a rather tepid affair, though Stuart Armstrong livened up the action with a long-range effort which appeared to be heading into the top corner before Gratzei pulled off a brilliant save.
During the scrappy final stages, Patrick Roberts also tried his luck from distance, only to see his shot flash narrowly wide of goal.
Substitute goalkeeper Craig Gordon was hardly tested during the second period, but was called upon few just a few minutes remaining as pulled off an excellent reflex save to push away a rasping drive by Andreas Gruber.