Matthews on hand to spare Hoops’ blushes
CELTIC avoided a bloody nose without doing much to convince it will be the same story come Wednesday night.
Then, the Hoops entertain Shakhter Karagrandy in the second-leg of the clubs Champions League play-off.
Trailing 2- 0 from the game in Kazakhstan, they have precious little room for manoeuvre if they are to claim the place in the Group stage.
And, after reaching the last- 16 of Europe’s most prestigious club competition last season, that is very much what they crave.
So it was that they left out a clutch of stars for a game against an Inverness side who had won all three of their opening League fixtures.
An Inverness side too who were the last to beat the Bhoys at Celtic Park in the League, a run that stretches all the way back to last November.
Georgios Samaras, James Forrest, Anthony Stokes, Kris Commons and Derk Boerrigter were all absent yesterday.
Joe Ledley and Mikael Lustig, likely starters on Wednesday both, dropped down to the bench.
However, if the plan was to give them a mini break, it didn’t work out, with both men pressed into action as things went pear shaped.
Right from the start, Celtic had appeared intent on sleepwalking their way to defeat.
Aaron Doran, ICT’s in-form midfielder, was repeatedly given plenty of time and space in the early stages.
And he took full advantage when curling a 20 yard shot beyond Fraser Forster and into the net to make it 1-0. Celtic responded – to an extent. Adam Matthews, the Welsh internationalist, was positive in both an attacking and defensive sense throughout, and he did all he could to pull his side through.
He showed speed and skill to dispossess Billy McKay and, later, did well to pick out the head of Amido Balde with a decent cross, but Balde put his effort too close to ICT keeper Dean Brill.
Efe Ambrose, restored to a centre defence that looked decidedly uncomfortable in Kazakhstan, went closer when heading just over the crossbar.
Celtic weren’t convincing, though, and it wasn’t a big surprise when the visitors extended their lead with a goal that didn’t reflect well on Lennon’s men.
Emilio Izaguirre started it off when heading a long throw from Josh
Meekings back across his own box. Dangerman Billy McKay was allowed to get to the loose ball first, and he fired in a speculative overhead kick.
Even then the home side had the chance to clear, but it was Richie Foran who was the sharpest, nipping in ahead of his marker to head past Forster from close range.
From a Celtic perspective, things were in danger of getting embarrassing.
All too aware of Neil Lennon’s agitation on the sidelines, they finally got themselves into the game. Charlie Mulgrew was the man that made the difference, clipping a shot over the diving Brill from Izaguirre’s pass.
It was only one goal, but it was to the Champions, and you sensed the away fans feared that their chance had disappeared.
This Caley Thistle side have plenty about them, and they resisted the temptation to go into reverse gear. They certainly got bodies behind the ball, but they also pushed forward whenever the opportunity allowed.
One particularly sharp break lead to some strong penalty claims.
Doran nipped the ball past Virgil Van Dijk and bore down on goal. Shamed, the Dutchman sprinted back and leaned his shoulder into the Inverness player, sending him toppling to the ground as his teammates screamed for a penalty.
The referee wasn’t having any of it, though, and waved play on.
It proved to be a key moment, as Celtic’s pressing eventually paid off. Matthews cut inside and slammed a low shot home for an equaliser.
That killed the hopes of another win for ICT in the East End of Glasgow, but, as the final whistle blew, Terry Butcher celebrated by running onto the park and thrusting his arm into the air towards the travelling support.