Ange Postecoglou didn’t reckon Celtic at lucky with the opening goal that broke the stubborn Ross County resistance at Celtic Park this afternoon before debut Bhoy Cameron Carter-Vickers long range effort deflected over the helpless keeper and looped into the net. A double from Albian Ajeti followed and that certainly pleased to the President of Albania…
“Another great win at home for this season. Happy that Albian Ajeti starts the season with two wonderful goals, further strengthening the contribution of Albanians for the unstoppable success of #CelticFC. Congratulations bhoys! Hail Hail!,” Ilir Meta tweeted this evening.
Speaking to Celtic TV after the 3-0 win this afternoon Ange Postecoglou recognised that it was a difficult game for his team. “It was testing, when you don’t score early it always has the potential to turn into a little bit of a struggle but for the most part we maintained our discipline and we knew the second half it would open up and we would get some opportunities and once the first goal went in then we saw that.
Albian Ajeti scores the second goal of the game Photo: Jeff Holmes
“It wasn’t easy and we didn’t expect it be be easy but credit to the players, they stuck at it.If (our first goal) was luck then the ones we missed are unlucky but I don’t look at it that way.
“The weight of our play was creating chances and a couple hit the crossbar, that one went in. The most important thing for me was that we stuck to our principles and got our rewards.
On his debut Bhoys Postecoglou said: “Cam was great. We’ve all got to remember, even myself, that we’re still giving guys debuts so it shows you that the team is very much still in the building stage. I thought Cam and Jota for their first games came in and did very good jobs for us.”
Postecoglou was also full of praise for double goalscorer Albian Ajeti. “Hopefully it does a lot (for his confidence). He had to persevere and there was a couple of times he almost got onto the end of crosses in the first half but the key is to be there all the time and the balls will arrive and in the end he got his rewards.
Albian Ajeti scores their side s third goal of the game. Photo Jeff Holmes
Greg Taylor limped off holding his shoulder in the first half and towards the end of the second half both Liel Abada and Carter-Vickers went down struggling with camp.
Postecoglou confessed he’s worried about Taylor’s problem but insists that the rest of the squad is in good health ahead of Thursday’s Europa League group stage campaign starting against Real Betis.
On the injury situation ahead of the trip to Seville to play Real Betis in the Europa League opener the manager admitted that the injury to Greg Taylor is now worrying. “Greg’s shoulder is a bit of a concern as it’s a reoccurrence.
Greg Taylor reacts to his shoulder injury. Photo Jeff Holmes
“But the heavy legs, when you look at the players who got them it was Cam who was having his first game for a while and even Liel, he went away with Israel but didn’t play much those two weeks.
“We’ve got time to recover and we’ve got a couple more bodies in there for the time Thursday comes around.”
Tony Ralston, who was missing today, will be available for the game in Seville, Postecoglou confirmed.
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