NO GRIFFS OR BUTS
Leigh looked to have fluffed his chances but when it mattered he fired Celtic into semis
LEIGH GRIFFITHS wants to be the main man for Celtic and when it really counted he delivered a crucial goal last night.
For 83 minutes, however, he wasn’t helping his own cause. Three golden chances blown against St Johnstone as Celtic’s Betfred Cup defence hung in the balance.
That was until Griffiths struck with his third goal in three games to finally break Saints’ resistance and end an evening of frustration by firing the cup holders into the last four.
Keep calm and carry on has been the simple mantra from Brendan Rodgers during an erratic start to Celtic’s season and in Perth the first shoots of recovery sprouted across McDiarmid Park.
For all the recent turmoil, Griffiths’ winner has left the Parkhead side just 180 minutes from a seventh successive domestic trophy.
It was a victory for perseverance. Having had their attacking qualities questioned, Celtic answered some of the questions.
Yet with Zander Clark inspired in the Saints goal, Griffiths missing his hat-trick of clear openings and other chances wasted, the home side were in a position to pile the misery on the Hoops.
Griffiths, though, ensured just desserts for a second-half assault. Nothing comes without some hassle for Celtic these days and Dedryck Boyata’s injury-time red card for dissent puts him out of the semi-final.
But just getting there was all that counted last night. Saints were in the game until the end but Celtic were worthy winners of a must-win tie.
It was a game that always threatened to be tight and the first 45 minutes did nothing to eliminate that theory.
For almost half an hour, the only thing to really light up McDiarmid Park was the luminous Celtic away shirts as bags of possession went, ultimately, nowhere.
Forceful runs from Odsonne Edouard and James Forrest in an initial flurry gave a promise of better and Olivier Ntcham also had a drive deflected wide.
Rodgers was looking for a response and had ripped his team apart. Six changes were made from the loss at Kilmarnock.
Kristoffer Ajer, James Forrest, Ntcham, Callum McGregor and Edouard replaced Jack Hendry, Youssouf Mulumbu, Scott Sinclair, Ryan Christie and Mikey Johnston in moves designed to improve the display, while Scott Bain took over from Craig Gordon in goal.
But the early burst didn’t bring anything tangible for Rodgers and allowed Saints to gain a foothold in the tie.
Tommy Wright’s side knew they would have to dig in. The boss had kept faith with most of the side smacked by Rangers at the weekend with only Matty Kennedy dropping out to be replaced by Ross Callachan.
He was offered the first signs of encouragement from a set-play as Liam Craig’s curling shot from a short free-kick gathered up by Bain.
Drey Wright also embarked on a counter-attack run of 60 yards which caused some alarm in the Hoops backline. But Celtic then marched upfield and created a glorious opportunity. Griffiths and Edouard, who operated off the left, were afforded a
chance to start in the same side and, having failed to combine beforehand, suddenly worked a huge chance.
The Frenchman’s magnificent far-post cross was pinpoint and, as Joe Shaughnessy was caught, the Scotland star found himself with a point-blank opening.
Griffiths looked odds-on to score but his header was straight at Saints No.1 Zander Clark who managed to beat the ball clear. With his team struggling to engineer openings, it was a chance he should have grasped.
Celtic’s disappointment at that miss was compounded just moments later when Ajer, who had only just returned from two games out with a virus, limped off following a tackle and was replaced by Hendry.
Saints midfielder Blair Alston fizzed a half-volley over but Mikael Lustig also wasted another headed chance from a Griffiths corner before Callum McGregor missed an absolute snip with the final kick of the half. Ntcham turned superbly and played an accurate through pass which gave the playmaker a one-on-one.
McGregor would have had mortgages placed on him scoring as he raced through on Clark, yet dragged his left-foot finish wide. It was a bad miss but it seemed to ignite Celtic for the restart.
The midfielder had one deflected wide before Ntcham’s artful curler was superbly touched wide by Clark.
Griffiths badly miscued a one-on-one from a tight angle and, although Bain had to be smart to collect another Alston effort, the action was unfolding mainly in front of the Saints goal.
Clark produced a brilliant fingertip stop to deny McGregor’s fierce shot from inside the box.
Rodgers needed someone to break the door down. Lewis Morgan was called for Edouard and almost instantly rifled an effort just over. The game was on a knife-edge. Celtic were pressing and hunting but Griffiths wasted a third opportunity with 18 minutes to go.
McGregor’s floated pass took out Shaughnessy and the striker’s chest control opened the goal but he lost his composure and sclaffed an effort against the legs of Clark.
Forrest had shot deflected wide before Griffiths finally got it right. Tierney’s cross from the left found the Hoops winger and his netbound header was blocked.
There was a shout for handball but Griffiths didn’t wait for a whistle and took a touch before hammering a right-foot shot into the net to win it.
Defender Boyata’s red card for mouthing took some gloss off, but, when Shaughnessy’s late header missed, it didn’t change the outcome.