Old Firm managers hail teams’ success in Europe
● Lennon hails his ‘big-game player’ as change of boots helps striker put Celtic in control of Euro qualifier
Celtic manager Neil Lennon said an interval change of boots saw Odsonne Edouard demonstrate once more against Sarajevo that he is “a big-game player”.
The French striker struggled to keep his feet in the first leg of the Champions League first qualifier at a sodden Asim Ferhatovic Hase stadium, where Mirko Oremus put the hosts ahead in the 29th minute before Mikey Johnston quickly levelled.
Edouard, 21, scored both goals in the 2-1 William Hill Scottish Cup final win over Hearts last season to give Celtic an unprecedented domestic treble treble and he started this campaign with a classy finish in the 51st minute before substitute Scott Sinclair added a third with a cheeky back-heel four minutes from time.
“Odsonne had to change his boots at half-time because the pitch was very heavy,” said Lennon. “He was slipping a little bit but looked a lot more assured in the second half.
“Odsonne is a big-game player. You don’t have to whip him too much to get a response from him. His finish showed great composure.
“Mikey scored a great goal, it was a great hit. Again, he did some special things in the game, so he can be delighted. It was a really important goal at that stage of the game. It settled us and we had control after that.”
Celtic have been linked with 20-year-old Ecuadorian midfielder Sergio Quintero, but when asked about the Imbabura SC player Lennon said: “I don’t know where that has come from. He has not cropped up in any conversation so far.”
It was the first qualifying game out of four qualifying rounds to make the group stages and the Glasgow club are now heavy favourites to go through.
The return game is at Parkhead next Wednesday night, with the victors taking on the winners of the tie between Estonian side Nomme Kalju and Shkendija of North Macedonia.
Lennon was pleased with what his side are taking into the second leg but insists the tie is not over.
He said :“To score three goals
away from home, no matter the level or stage, at this stage of the season is very promising.
“I am absolutely delighted with the result and performance.
“It is so early in our preparation but the condition of the players, the quality of the goals in the game was great. It was a terrific team performance.
“They were well set up tactically, we knew they would be a real danger at set-plays, which proved to be the case, and we had to dig in a little bit and once we did we took control of the game.
“I was really pleased about how we reacted to their goal.
“We were a bit cagey, trying to work them out, and once we got the ball down and moved it quicker, we got a lot of joy from that.”
Elsewhere in last night’s Champions League qualifiers, Welsh side The New Saints threw away a two-goal lead late on to draw 2-2 with Feronikeli.
Greg Draper’s 49th-minute penalty was added to by Aeron Edwards but Mevlan Zeka pulled one back in the 89th minute before Astrit Fazliu struck from the penalty spot in added time for the Kosovan side.
Red Star Belgrade, who beat eventual winners Liverpool in the group stage last season, earned a 0-0 draw in their first leg at Lithuanian side Suduva.
Astana, who reached the group stage in 2015-16, got their campaign off to a winning start with a 1-0 win over Romanian side Cluj.
Yevgeny Postnikov’s 68thminute strike earned the hosts a slender first-leg advantage against a side who beat Manchester United at Old Trafford in the 2012-13 group stage.
Petros Avetisyan scored twice as European debutants Ararat Armenia won 2-1 against Swedish side AIK, who had Robert Lundstrom dismissed in the 13th minute.
Former Cheltenham defender Daniel O’shaughnessy was on target as Finnish champions HJK Helsinki won 3-0 against HB of the Faroes.
Valletta came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Dudelange in Luxembourg.