HERO KEEPER STRYJEK FANCIED CHANCES
MAX STRYJEK has revealed that he knew he would save Georgos Giakoumakis’s stoppage-time penalty at Celtic Park.
Needing a win to go top of the Premiership table on Saturday night, Ange Postecoglou’s side were handed a gift when Ayo Obileye slapped Kyogo Furuhashi in the 93rd minute.
But the Polish keeper kept his cool to block the Greek’s woeful attempt from 12 yards and ensure that the West Lothian side took their fourth point from Celtic this season.
Adamant that he was certain that he would read the striker’s intentions the minute Bobby Madden pointed to the spot and flashed a red card, Stryjek said: ‘I didn’t know what happened because it seemed to happen behind me. ‘I’d caught the ball and I heard him blow the whistle and thought he’d given a foul for me catching someone as I caught the ball.
‘I didn’t know that Ayo had hit him in the head, but when I saw the red card, someone said that’s what had happened. It all happened very quickly and then I was having to face the penalty. To be fair, I felt confident. I just felt something inside myself and I knew I was going to save it. ‘We analysed all their penalty takers — but it is really hard to get it right because he can just go and put it in the other side and it is usually a goal. I just had a feeling he would put it to my right-hand side and I saved it.’
Despite Celtic dominating the game, they managed just two efforts on target in 96 minutes.
Hailing the organisation and diligence of the 10 players in front of him, Stryjek added: ‘The defence was brilliant. I think Celtic only had one shot on target apart from the penalty, so we did well in general and defended our box really well. ‘We did ever so well to get a point and I think we deserved it.’
Livingston have now not conceded in two games against Ange Postecoglou’s side this season.
‘The credit goes to my defenders and all the team as well,’ said the Pole. ‘They barely had a shot on target in both games, so I think we have played really well and defensively we have done everything we’ve been asked to do. They have been two really good performances against Celtic, so fair play to the whole team.’
Stryjek was at fault as Aberdeen won late at Almondvale early in the season — but he was the toast of Livingston after his heroic late save denied Celtic on Saturday. ‘The Aberdeen game was the second match of the season and in football you have to deal with mistakes,’ he said. ‘They happen and everyone makes them. We analyse our mistakes and we try to move on.
‘I’m just glad I could help the team get a point and our aim is to win games in the future. We go to the Hibs game next week with a four-game unbeaten run, so everything is possible.’
Stryjek had been bracing himself for a hostile atmosphere on Saturday but was spooked by the silent protest by some home fans at the outset of the match against plans to appoint former top policeman Bernard Higgins in a security role.
‘I have been here with a friend to watch them against Bayer Leverkusen this season and the atmosphere was unbelievable,’ he explained.
‘It was so loud and I was thinking: “I would love to play here.” ‘And then when I got here I was thinking it was going to be really hard with 60,000 shouting and singing.
‘But as the game started and for the first 30 minutes I realised there was no singing and it was very quiet.
‘I didn’t know why but then I heard later there was a protest. ‘It was a bit weird but then it all started getting very loud after 30 minutes and it was great. I really enjoyed it. We play football for days like these.’
Asked if he enjoyed silencing the crowd at the end, he said: ‘That’s part of the game, ‘How can you not enjoy playing in a beautiful stadium like this with 60,000 people watching you play. What can be better for a footballer?’