Shved is a shining light for Lennon
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFYING:
TWICE before, Celtic have played European ties in Romania and the experience has never been pleasant.
The first visit in 1980 finished in a 1-0 defeat to Politechnica Timisoara with nine men on the pitch, courtesy of an inept Greek referee.
The second was a nondescript Europa League draw against Astra Giurgiu five years ago.
A third visit to face CFR Cluj in the third qualifying round of the Champions League is likely to follow a familiar pattern. Dan Petrescu’s team secured a meeting with Scotland’s champions by comfortably overcoming Maccabi Tel Aviv over two legs.
The Romanian champions have participated in the group stages three times and mark a significant step-up in class from a one-sided 7-0 aggregate triumph over Nomme Kalju, title-holders in Estonia.
‘We are two or three weeks fitter down the line and, obviously, we have negotiated this qualifying round brilliantly, so we are in a good place at the minute,’ said Celtic boss Neil Lennon (below).
‘But as you go along in the qualifying campaign, the quality does get stronger. Cluj are a very experienced side with an experienced manager but we’ll cross that bridge when it comes. We’ve had them watched in both ties, so we will be well prepared for next week.’
New £2million signing Marian Shved secured his first Celtic goal with a superb strike from the edge of the area in stoppage time after a tenth-minute own goal from home defender Aleksandr Kulinits made for a relatively stress-free night for Lennon’s much-changed side.
‘I was pleased with Boli Bolingoli,’ added Lennon. ‘I thought he had a great game. He looked more assured, more powerful, stronger, like the player we thought we had. I was delighted with Ntcham. I thought he was outstanding. And then Marian comes on.
‘He’s had a little bit of a frustrating time with the groin injury but he got a good 25 minutes under his belt and obviously took a lot of confidence from the first chance, which he probably should have scored, and then scoring a great goal to wrap up the tie.
‘You could see what the goal meant to him as you have to remember he is still only 21 and coming into a new culture.
‘I was very, very pleased. That will give him a huge shot in the arm confidence-wise.’ Ahead of Saturday’s Premiership curtainraiser against St Johnstone, Lennon made six changes to the team which finished the first leg. With a five-goal margin for error, he could afford the indulgence.
New £7million central defender Christopher Jullien made his first start beside Jozo Simunovic. Physically imposing and composed, the Frenchman also showed a willingness to talk and marshal the defence.
Behind him, Craig Gordon made his first start of 2019 in goal. Hardly the toughest night of his career, Gordon wasn’t exactly the busiest man on the pitch. As it turned out, he didn’t have a save to make until the 53rd minute.
Even without first-picks Odsonne Edouard, Callum McGregor, James Forrest, Ryan Christie and Kristoffer Ajer, Celtic had a night almost as untroubled as the first game in Glasgow. They could, should, have won more comfortably after Kulinits turned the ball into his own net after ten minutes. Free to leave if Celtic’s valuation is met, no one knows how many more games Olivier Ntcham has left in a green-andwhite shirt. Given a rare run-out in an attacking midfield role, the Frenchman’s excellent work sent Mikey Johnston haring towards the byeline. The winger’s low cross was heading for Leigh Griffiths, but full-back Kulinits got there first and watched helplessly as he killed any remote chance of giving the visitors a fright by putting through his own goal.
Johnston should have removed any lingering sliver of stress by scoring a second goal before half-time when Bolingoli’s cross was headed into his path by substitute Max Mata.
The 20-year-old should have buried it, his frustration obvious as he blazed a wild effort over.
In the first leg, Celtic refused to take their foot off the pedal. Here, they lost control for a few minutes early in the second half, Gordon finally forced to earn his corn.
In 53 minutes, Sander Puri’s free-kick set up a glancing header for Vladimir Avilov, which had the keeper scrambling.
Seconds later, Gordon was forced into his first real save, Bolingoli deserting his left-back post — as he does — and allowing Kaspar Paur time and space to lash a shot down Gordon’s throat.
The keeper needed strong hands to save. Celtic needed to reassert their dominance.
Lennon identified set-piece menace as one of the strengths Jullien will bring to the team.
He nearly marked his first start with a goal when he rose to a Griffiths free-kick in the area, but mis-timed his jump.
It was, nonetheless, a solid start from the new man — albeit against limited opposition.
The appearance of Scott Sinclair — linked with a £2.5million move to Preston — and Ukrainian winger Shved almost paid swift dividends. Shved, in fact, could have scored with his first touch.
Direct running from Lewis Morgan gave the winger the
chance to shoot but his low effort was blocked by keeper Pavel Londak. He got there eventually, just moments after Sinclair was denied by the sprawling Londak.
Lennon has seen enough of Shved in pre-season to predict a bright future in green and white. A sweeping left-foot strike into the top corner of the net during the fourth minute of stoppage time is unlikely to do his acclimatisation to life at Parkhead any harm.