On-target Griffiths: ‘Formidable Celts can’t be stopped’
CELTIC 4 Griffiths (14), Forrest (42), Sinclair (87), Rogic (89) ABERDEEN 1 Rooney (33) LEIGH GRIFFTHS paid a personal tribute to Kieran McDade after putting Celtic on the road to a comfortable victory over the side who have pushed them closest in recent years.
The 13 year old died tragically on Friday after suffering a cardiac arrest during a football training session at Dunbeth Fo ot b a l l Cl u b in Coatbridge eight days earlier.
And after scoring the game’s opening goal in front of the Lisbon Lions Stand, the striker ran the length of the pitch to go behind the goal at the Jock Stein End where he held up a T-shirt with “RIP Kieran” written on the front.
“The boys knew I had the T-shirt there,” he said.
“I was going to put it up the other end but it was a fitting tribute to put it behind our goal.
“Thankfully I scored in the 13th minute, the boy’s age. It’s shame for the family.
“I met them before the game in reception, so thanks to the gaffer for allowing that to happen.
“They got to meet the manager and the players so hopefully they enjoyed it and hopefully the wee man is up there in the sky smiling because we got the three points.”
Griffith’s goal was a beauty – moving on to a cutback from James Forrest he cleverly nutmegged Kenny McLean with his right before running on and smashing a 25-yard left foot effort into the far top corner of the net.
But, to what will be the concern of Scotland manager Gordon Strachan with Malta to be faced a week today, he didn’t last the hour as he had to be substituted with a strain.
“I’ve been struggling with my hamstring tendon since before we played Hapoel at home,” said Griffiths.
“But I’ve battled through it. I will go away with Scotland, see the physios there and what they are thinking.
“I always want to play for my country, I don’t want to let anybody down. Hopefully I can pull through and get a chance.”
Even the thought he might miss out in Malta was not enough to keep the smile off his face, so pleased was he with Celtic’s performance.
“The way we go forward I don’t think anyone can stop us, especially when we break at pace,” he said, an interesting comment ahead of the upcoming Old Firm derby.
“We ha v e my s e l f, Mo us s a ( Dembele), Scott ( Sinclair), James ( Forrest), Patrick ( Roberts), Tom ( Rogic), and Ryan ( Christie), who was on the bench today.
“It’s formidable the way we can go forward at pace and hurt teams.
“It’s great to have those kind of attacking options.”
If the chat ended up being about the men up front it started off being all about the other end with Craig Gordon dropped for Dorus de Vries.
“I just do what I do in every game and put out what I think is the best team. My keeper is no different to any outfield players,” said Brendan Rodgers, only too aware of the comparisons his move would prompt wi t h Joe Ha r t’s situation at Manchester City.
“I always say my teams have to play with control from behind in order for us to play how I want us to play. To have that speed and domination of the game.
“I thought Dorus came in and did very, very well. He had one loose pass but apart from that he was able to orchestrate the game from behind.
“Listen, I want to reiterate, Craig Gordon has been fantastic since I came in here.
“There has been a lot of unfair focus on him. He’s a good guy, 33 years of age and as such is definitely a player I want to have around here.”
De Vries was denied a clean sheet by an impressive Aberdeen equaliser Adam Rooney showing great awareness to chase down Kolo Toure’s too-short clearance of a Niall McGinn cross before spinning and smashing a shot past Dorus de Vries.
Pretty much all the goals were good, Forrest’s finish a lovely effort with outside of his right boot and Thomas Rogic’s free- kick score for 4-1 especially attractive.
Scott Sinclair’s penalty score, which he created, was most notable for the dismissal of Aberdeen’s Mark Reynolds, who had earlier been booked for a foul on Rogic, and the scowl it prompted from Moussa Dembele, nominally the club’s penalty taker.