Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Morgan Hooping for better
Leicester was his first in the Premier League since May 2017 against Watford, 539 days ago. LEWIS MORGAN says Celtic cannot afford a Europa League hangover as they prepare for today’s Scottish Cup semi-final.
The 22-year-old former St Mirren attacker (right) made his first start for the Parkhead club against RB Leipzig on Thursday night.
First-half goals from Matheus Cunha and fellow attacker Bruma gave the home side a 2-0 win which dented the Hoops’ hopes of getting out of Group B. The Scottish champions, whose boss Brendan Rodgers had to field a makeshift side due to injury and suspension, were left on three points from nine, to sit behind leaders Salzburg and the Bundesliga side.
Ahead of the trip to Murrayfield, Scotland international Morgan said: “Sunday is obviously something that we are all looking forward to now. We will learn from the RB Leipzig game, we will analyse it and will look forward to the weekend.
“The games come thick and fast so you can’t dwell on a defeat too long.
“Obviously the end result was disappointing. I think we probably had control of the game in the first 30 minutes.
“We’ve done exactly as the manager had asked and took the game to them and they changed formation. But it was that 15-minute period at the end of the first half which obviously cost us.
“The goal took the sting out of us a little bit, maybe we should have seen that out better until half-time.”
Morgan, who arrived at Celtic Park in the summer after a loan spell back at his former club, added: “We had a couple of chances – and you need to take one of them at that level.”
Rangers go to Aberdeen (4.30pm) for the day’s other semi-final.