Celtic fail to make it past opening acts once again
Parkhead side fluff lines in a familiar tale in Champions League qualifying
BEING denied the chance to welcome fans back in to Parkhead at their Premiership game against Motherwell this Sunday caused the Celtic hierarchy great consternation yesterday.
But it was perhaps just as well for Scott Brown and his team- mates there were no fans inside Parkhead last night to witness their bid to reach the Champions League group stage end prematurely for the third season running.
The losses in the third qualifying round to AEK Athens two years ago and CFR Cluj last term had been painful for the Glasgow club. But this second- round defeat was just excruciating. If the ground had been full the occupants would doubtless have made their displeasure known.
Not being able to field a specialist striker up front didn’t help Celtic’s cause any. But it was their play at the back which cost them dear. An early David Siger goal and a second- half strike from Tokmac Nguen against the run of play ultimately saw Ferencvaros triumph and go through. The Scottish champions once again paid a heavy price for their lack of ruthlessness in the final third. It was a familiar story.
Celtic will drop into the Europa League and will join their city rivals Rangers in the draw for the third qualifying round on Monday. But they will need to improve their finishing if they are to avoid another ignominious exit.
Not having a centre forward available to play up front in an important European game and the Betfred Cup final last season prompted manager Neil Lennon to go out and lavish in excess of £ 8m on reinforcements. Yet, his side once again took to the field last night without one due to Odsonne Edouard having picked up a thigh injury and Leigh Griffiths still being sidelined with a calf strain.
Albian Ajeti and Patryk Klimala, the players who have been brought in since last December, were on the bench. Neither were considered fit enough to start either. Should Lennon have put his faith in one of them? Many will say he should have in hindsight.
Ryan Christie took over from Edouard and Olivier Ntcham slotted in to the playmaker role which his team mate normally occupies. It was an unwanted rejig for an encounter against opponents who lost just one group game in in this competition last term.
But Celtic’s problems were more defensive than offensive when play got underway. The three man Ferencvaros forward line of Nguen, Isael and Myrto Uzuni looked a threat whenever they received possession. The same could not be said at the other end.
James Forrest got an attempt on target, Christie and Mohamed Elyounoussi both had shots deflected wide and Ntcham struck the side netting from way out. But the home side lacked the same physical presence in the final third. There was nobody to win the ball, hold it up and bring others into play.
In the seventh minute an Isael corner was headed clear by Callum McGregor. But Somalia pounced and fed Siger outside him. The midfielder’s long- range finish, which dipped beyond the outstretched Vasilis Barkas and into the bottom left corner, was brilliant. He was, though, given far too much time and space.
Celtic responded well to that setback and finished the firsthalf strongly. Elyounoussi led the fightback. The Norwegian performed energy, purpose and no little skill and his efforts seemed to lift those around. He was unfortunate not to level when he cut inside four minutes before half- time and tested Denes Dibusz.
It was no surprise when the Southampton loanee set up the equaliser nine minutes after play restarted. He played a one- two with James Forrest before laying the ball off to Christie whose shot took a slight deflection off rival centre half Adnan Kovacevik and arched over the visitors’ keeper.
The rain was teeming down by that stage in proceedings, but Celtic’s tails were up. They came close to taking the lead twice in the space of four minutes. Ntcham struck the underside of the crossbar after getting on the end of Hatem Elhamed cutback and Dibusv palmed wide from Christie.
Brown picked up a booking from Dutch referee Allard
Lindhout after Siger protested loudly that he had stamped on him off the ball. That perplexed the midfielder and angered his manager in the dugout. Emotions were, understandably with so much at stake running high.
The Hungarians offered nothing in attack in the second- half until Nguen broke with 15 minutes remaining and Elhamed failed to halt his run. The winger’s final touch from an acute angle eluded Barkas gave his side the advantage once more.
Lennon threw on Ajeti for Forrest and Jeremie Frimpong for Elhamed, but they failed to provide the spark Celtic so desperately required.