For Celtic
ning run. Ten of these have been achieved under Rodgers, with the other two at the end of last season under his predecessor, Ronny Deila. These came after a 1-1 draw with County in late April that stands as the last time a Scottish team were not vanquished by Celtic in their east end of Glasgow environs.
No-one gave the Highland club much chance of repeating their effort of eight months ago. Rightly, as it turned out, but for spells early on they proved a more stoic and, for the Celtic defence, sticky opponent than might have been imagined.
Ferocious in their workrate and counter-attacking with alacrity, as many visiting teams have in recent times, they had their ‘what if’ moments in the early exchanges.
A few dozy moments from Jozo Simunovic had to be offset by the alertness of his defensive partner Sviatchenko. When that security was breached, County striker Liam Boyce slashed wide after being sent through early on, while composure and conviction utterly deserted Alex Schalk. It seems that Scottish teams go weak at the knees when faced with the unstoppable opponent that Celtic are proving to be. The “door is wide open” for a joint bid for the 2026 World Cup from the United States, Canada and Mexico, according to the president of CONCACAF Victor Montagliani.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino says world foot- ball’s federations are “overwhelmingly in favour” of expanding the World Cup to a potential 48 teams, a structural change which could be implemented for the 2026 tournament.
There has not been a World Cup hosted in more than one nation since the 2002 finals were awarded to Japan and South Korea. The USA held the event in 1994.
Montagliani, who is also president of the Canadian Soccer Association, said: “The opportunity for a joint bid, I think that door is wide open.
“At face value I don’t see it being a challenge and I think any administration, whether it be in the west or in my case Canada, or in Mexico, would be supportive of an event like the World Cup.”