THISTLE DO FOR TIME BEING
Hoops dig out win but big improvement needed
BETFRED CUP PARTICK 1 CELTIC 3
And for a while at Firhill yesterday, this Hoops display was no better than bang average against Partick Thistle.
After a defeat to Hearts and a disastrous Champions League exit at the hands of AEK Athens, there’s been a clamour for new signings at Parkhead.
But here, it was a Costa Rican fringe player who stepped out of the shadows to brighten up Celtic’s week.
Cristian Gamboa has been a bit-part player for Brendan Rodgers since he arrived from West Brom two years ago.
He’s been unable to shift Mikael Lustig from right-back during the club’s double Treble campaigns and looked to be on his way out.
But by supplying Moussa Dembele and Tom Rogic for two vital goals yesterday, Gamboa’s case for jumping ahead of the Swede might never be stronger than now.
Certainly, by loudly singing his name from the stands it appears the Hoops faithful would like to see him getting a run.
Rodgers’ men looked to be cruising against the Jags – without being brilliant – thanks to Leigh Griffiths’ 99th goal in a Celtic shirt. But when Alan Archibald’s Championship side levelled through Andrea Mbuyi-mutombo in the second half a bit of mild panic set in. Thankfully for the fans and the manager, Gamboa (inset) took matters into his own hands with two rampaging runs to tee up Dembele and Rogic to put the game to bed. After booking a Betfred Cup quarter-final berth, Griffiths is now desperate to hit the century of goals against Suduva in the Europa League play-off – despite Dembele’s return to fitness. He said afterwards: “I’ll take any goal regardless of whether it’s a tap in or a 30-yard screamer.
“I got the goal early for 99 and was thinking if I get one more chance I’ll stick it away but it wasn’t to be.
“But it’s driving me on to get the 100 so I’m looking forward to Thursday and if I get a chance I’m confident I’ll take it.
“Hopefully I’ll get there eventually. Moussa is just back from injury and the gaffer’s easing him back in. It’s great to see him out there fully fit.
“As a striker, I want to be selfish but you need your best players fit so it’s great to have him back.”