[Official TC Thread] Celtic vs Lincoln Red Imps 2nd Leg

Job done- tonight told us very little. Need to step up against Astana now, a tough journey and tie ahead.

 

Happy we went through, don't know if we have enough quality to put out Astana

 

Next.

 

:smiley-laughing002:

 

Great result,foot off the gas in the 2nd half,some great performances from some.

 

Is that where their right mid works?

 

Anybody go with job not done?

 

We do.

 

Oh ffs! Let me guess. You're not happy at all. Rodgers out and *.

 

Astana is a dark horse and we don't know much about them.
Still, I will always be confident as long as Ambrose is out of the team.
We have no obvious weak link now, and if Brendan makes a few relevant signings, then better still.

 

CELTIC cruised into the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round after sweeping aside Lincoln Red Imps 3-0 in Paradise to complete a 3-1 aggregate victory.
All the damage was done in the first-half as the Hoops ran riot, determined to atone for last week’s shock defeat in Gibraltar.
Mikael Lustig broke the deadlock before Leigh Griffiths opened his account for the season with a trademark fizzing long-range strike. Fittingly, the best goal of the evening came from the outstanding Patrick Roberts, who finished with style after a one-two with Callum McGregor.
Brendan Rodgers’ side will now meet FC Astana in the next round, with the first-leg taking place in Kazakhstan next week.
Attack was the message from the manager as Celtic lined up in a fluid 3-5-2 formation in front of a huge home crowd, with Roberts and James Forrest deployed on the flanks in place of Tom Rogic and Ryan Christie to provide natural width.
Lustig made a competitive return to action to partner Erik Sviatchenko and Kieran Tierney in defence, while McGregor and Stuart Armstrong came into the midfield following their impressive displays in the weekend’s 2-1 friendly win over VfL Wolfsburg. Saidy Janko, Efe Ambrose and Nir Bitton were the others to drop out.
From the first whistle, Celtic poured forward with purpose, pace and intensity as they immediately pinned the visitors back deep in their own area. In the opening minutes, Roberts had a shot blocked in the box and Griffiths slid the ball across goal, forcing Jospeh Chipolina to knock the ball behind for a corner.
Moussa Dembele was next to threaten as he prodded the ball goalwards after Armstrong had got a touch to Forrest’s cross.
And in the 10th minute, Celtic looked to have been presented with a golden chance to break the deadlock when Armstrong was fouled by Ryan Casciaro as he burst into the box, leading referee Bartosz Frankowski to point to the spot. It looked a definite penalty but after consulting with his linesman, he awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box instead, which Griffiths blasted over.
The onslaught continued – Armstrong had a rasping drive saved by Raul Navas and then McGregor saw his deflected drive cannon off the bar with Navas beaten. McGregor came close yet again when he got a toe to Tierney’s cutback but Navas came to his side’s rescue with a superb reaction save.
Roberts was terrorising the Lincoln defence, particularly left-back Joseph Chipolina, and frustration got the better of the defender when he took out the English youngster with a crunching tackle, earning him a yellow card.
From the resulting free-kick, Celtic finally broke Lincoln’s resistance. Armstrong swung a cross into the mix and after it had ricocheted around the penalty box, the loose ball fell to Lustig, who finished with precision.
A sublime piece of skill from Roberts gave Dembele a sight of goal but Bernardo Lopes got in the way of his shot as Celtic refused to take their foot of the gas.
And goal number two swiftly arrived. Roberts was again involved, darting down the right and feeding Griffiths, who cut inside before rilfling beyond Navas.
The Scottish champions were rampant now as they scored their third goal in the space of six minutes – and it was the best yet. Roberts left several Lincoln players for dead, collected a return pass from McGregor and then slotted into the far corner.
The hardworking Dembele almost added a fourth before the break after collecting Lustig’s cutback, wriggling clear and steering a shot on target but Navas managed to claw the ball away.
The Gibraltar side had barely ventured forward in the opening 45 minutes, but they caused a scare four minutes after the restart when Lee Cascario almost capitalised on a defensive mix-up to reach a long ball over the top ahead of Sviatchenko and Craig Gordon, but the striker could only steer his shot wide.
Celtic, while enjoying plenty of possession, weren’t operating at the same tempo as the first half. As a result openings weren’t as plentiful, though Dembele was unlucky after wriggling clear in the box and seeing his final effort deflected into Navas’ arms.
Some credit should be apportioned to Lincoln, however, who responded to being ripped apart with real spirit, committing more men forward and stringing some passes together without ever seriously troubling Gordon.
Midway through the half, the Bhoys suddenly sprang back into life as they created a flurry of chances. Griffiths headed wide from Lustig’s perfectly-weighted ball over the top, Dembele drove wide from an acute angle and the same player was then unable to beat Navas after being supplied by Roberts.
As the game entered its closing stages, the home side should have inflicted further punishment on Lincoln, with Griffiths coming closest when he was denied by Navas after racing through on goal. But all that ultimately mattered was that Celtic had maintained their Champions League dream for this season.

 

done a job, not getting overly carried away as they are for the most part a part time club.
Became a wee bit slack in the second half, feel as if we still need to add quality to make it to the group stages. felt as if our corners were not very threatening, maybe we should put Griffiths on them.

on a side note, disappointed with the interviewer who didnt ask Rodgers very much at the end there. Im sure the fans are all eager to know if there ar any developments with regards to signings.

 

pretty poor 3-1 aggregate.be happy if we make Europa league tbh.not good enough to mix it with the big boys

 

:smiley-laughing002:

 

Said it a day or two ago that I'd bite your hand off for 2-0. So I'm pretty happy!

 

No matter the opposition that was brilliant tonight Celtic

Can't beat European nights at paradise ,the fans in the north curve hats off

Love it ......

 

Thank *, wont have to endure merciless slaggin in work on me birthday tommorow :smiley-laughing002:

Thought Dembele was really unlucky could of had a few, we'll be grand lads, be looking for more intensity definatley.

 

cheers crow, just in from work mate

 

Haven't seen Astana but if we play as good in that 30 mins we will go through. Astana fs lol If you can't put that team out we don't deserve CL.