The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
‘Sensational’ Celts hailed by Rodgers
ROSENBORG 0 CELTIC 1: Forrest’s goal keeps Champions League hopes alive
Boss Brendan Rodgers described Celtic’s performance as “sensational” after James Forrest’s second-half strike gave the Hoops a 1-0 win over Rosenborg and took them another step towards Champions League football.
Following the goalless draw at Parkhead last week, the Scottish champions again started without their only two recognised centre forwards Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths. However, winger Forrest turned out to be the heor, firing high past keeper Andre Hansen in 69 minutes to take the Parkhead club into tomorrow’s play-off draw.
Celtic had to cope with the absence of defender Erik Sviatchenko, who returned from injury but hobbled off in the 25th minute to be replaced by midfielder Nir Bitton.
Rodgers said: “It was a big performance. Take away the win, what was important for me was the maturity. This time last year I was going into these games with a hope that we could go through, to try to find a way.
“To come out here and play to that level with that composure – everyone was talking about the pressure of the game so to play that way was sensational, really.
“I am really delighted with the players, how they managed the game, how they kept their nerve and courage to play, yes it was a great victory for us.”
Rodgers further detailed his delight by saying: “Look at Nir Bitton tonight,coming into the game as a midfielder.
“I always love a midfielder who can play at centre-half and he came in and played as if he had played there all his life.
ROSENBORG 0 CELTIC 1 (CELTIC WON 1-0 ON AGGREGATE)
James Forrest’s second-half strike in Norway took Celtic another step closer towards Champions League football.
Following the goalless draw at Parkhead last week, Celtic were again without their only recognised strikers Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths, with winger Forrest asked to move into the middle.
The Scotland international was thwarted in a first half dominated by Brendan Rodgers’ side but, in the 69th minute, Forrest fired a shot high past keeper Andre Hansen to take the visitors into tomorrow’s play-off draw.
Rodgers had indicated that Forrest was in line to replace Griffiths, who would have missed the first leg with a calf injury had he not been suspended.
The Scotland striker could only make the bench and while fit-again Danish defender Erik Sviatchenko replaced 19-year-old Norwegian Kristoffer Ajer, he lasted only 25 minutes before going off with an injury.
Midfielders Callum McGregor and Jonny Hayes also came in with Olivier Ntcham and Tom Rogic dropping to the bench and Ajer missing altogether.
Rosenborg, with former Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner again leading the line, found Celtic as keen to press as they had done in Glasgow which gave encouragement to the 400 or so away fans in the near 21,000 crowd.
When Celtic keeper Craig Gordon made an easy save from Milan Jevtovic’s low 25-yard drive in the 15th minute, it was his first real involvement.
The Scottish champions almost took the lead five minutes later when Hayes’ free-kick from the left touchline found Sviatchenko at the back post but his header was chested away by Bendtner.
Rodgers was forced to reshuffle when Sviatchenko hobbled off with Nir Bitton replacing him in the heart of the defence.
However, Hansen had to pull off a fine save from Forrest’s side-footed effort from six yards, following a Kieran Tierney cut-back.
Hansen saved a Scott Brown drive and Gordon collected a Bendtner header but it was the hosts who would have been happier to hear the interval whistle.
However, two minutes after the restart, Rosenborg attacker Yann-Erik de Lanlay took a cushioned Bendtner pass and drove just wide of the target.
Griffiths came on for Hayes in the 57th minute, seconds after Tierney had curled a 20-yard shot just past the far post, before Rosenborg skipper Mike Jensen hit the side-netting with a decent drive from the edge of the box.
There was growing anxiety as the minutes ticked past but Forrest took a Sinclair pass and, from 14 yards, fired an angled drive in off the crossbar before racing off to celebrate.
Rosenborg threw everything forward but in the 82nd minute Forrest missed a great chance on the counter-attack when through one-on-one with Hansen while Griffiths too had an effort blocked by the keeper.
However, it was academic as Celtic deservedly moved to within 180 minutes of the Champions League under Rodgers for the second successive season.
Rosenborg: Hansen, Hedenstadt, Bjordal, Skjelvik, Meling, Jensen, Konradsen, Midtsjoe, Jevtovic (Helland 72), Bendtner, de Lanlay (Vilhjalmsson 73). Subs not used: Ostbo, Rasmussen, Rashani, Gersbach, Lundemo.
Celtic: Gordon, Lustig, Simunovic, Sviatchenko (Bitton 24), Tierney, McGregor, Brown, Armstrong (Rogic 70), Forrest, Hayes (Griffiths 57), Sinclair. Subs not used: De Vries, Gamboa, Ntcham, Eboue.
Referee: Jonathan Lardot (Belgium).