SCUFF OF LEGENDS
DAVID TURNBULL scored a goal at the weekend that was such a thing of beauty it could be shown on loop at the Gallery of Modern Art.
The one last night? The Celtic playmaker admits it was so ugly it’d be touch and go to screen it even after the watershed. And he couldn’t care less. Turnbull was gutted UEFA eventually decided to take the strike off him and deem it an own goal – even if it might have done him a favour.
The playmaker took a fresh-air swipe with the goal at his mercy, but he managed to dive in and make sure the ball somehow ended up in the back of the net to give his side
a crucial second on their way to an easy win. It wasn’t pretty – and in complete contrast to his sensational strike against old club Motherwell on Saturday.
From wonder goal to blunder goal, it’s no sweat to Turnbull.
He said: “I was hoping it would be my goal, as it would have been good to get another one.
“But at the end of the day no matter how ugly a goal is, they all count.
“I go from one of my better ones at the weekend to messing up a simple tap-in.
“I was thinking of tapping it in with my left foot but I kicked over the ball and topped it a bit.
“I saw the goalie diving and I knew I had another chance at it, so I threw myself at it and hoped it would go in which it did.”
The goal was scruffy but the performance was anything but as Celtic dished out some revenge against a Ferencvaros side which had dumped them out of the Champions League last August.
Turnbull said: “The manager said to us before the game that these are the matches we all play football for.
“We knew we had to win and it was a huge game for us against a good side.
“We knew we had to take the three points from this game and it’s great that we have managed to do that.
“Now we have to look to continue this form in Europe. Every game that goes by I feel we are getting stronger and stronger as a team. We are all together and I think you could see that tonight.
“We could probably have gone on to score more goals.
“We certainly created a lot of chances and we looked more solid at the back.
“So now it is about trying to continue the form we are on at the moment.”
Celtic had enough chances to knock Ferencvaros for six – including a missed penalty from Callum McGregor. The skipper was immense all night and not even a spot kick howler could diminish his display or dent his confidence.
McGregor said: “It’s one of those things, everyone misses penalties at some point.
“I just need to try and put it behind me and try to score the next one.”
McGregor also reckons there is a real team spirit growing at Celtic Park with this new group that’s been hastily thrown together by Ange Postecoglou.
The celebration after Kyogo
Furuhashi’s sensational opener even saw Joe Hart race 80 yards up the pitch to join in and the captain believes it only proves this bunch are all in it together.
He said: “The manager keeps saying we are a new bunch of players but we have a real bond in the dressing room.
“I’ve spoken about it before, if you get success then it brings everyone closer together.
“I think the boys recognise how good the pass was from Jota to Kyogo and then he does what he does by putting it away.”
It wasn’t just the goals or the chances created that pleased the 50,000 Parkhead punters, who were dragged out of work early
Turnbull goes from worldy on Saturday to mishit on Tuesday but he’s delighted to have the last sclaff
for the half three kick-off. The clean sheet was a welcome bonus as well.
They’ve been hard to find for Celts in Europe in recent years and they shipped eight in the first two games of this group campaign.
But last night was much more solid.
Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt were solid to prevent Ferencvaros getting a sniff, while full-backs Adam Montgomery and Anthony Ralston put in a heck of a shift.
New Bhoy Liam Scales looked the part when he came on and it was a much more composed night in general from a Celtic side who have been fairly helter skelter at times this term.
McGregor added: “It’s great to get another clean sheet.
“We have spoken about it and we want to have more control of games.
“In the moments when we had to defend I think we did it excellently tonight.
“Young Tony Ralston made a brilliant block at a vital time of the game.
“It is a step in the right direction but we have to keep working hard.”
The victory was crucial in the scheme of the group. Celtic still have their work cut out to qualify but there’s renewed hope with a trip to Hungary next month and Betis also due in Glasgow after the Hoops go to Germany to take on Bayer.
McGregor said: “It’s good to get that first win in the group.
“It was a really excellent performance and I thought we dominated throughout the game.
“We had loads of chances, so it is a great night for us.
“It’s brilliant for all the supporters as well, they turned out in their numbers for a difficult time.
“We have to thank them for their effort.”