Youth/Development Team Thread

CELTIC’S Development Squad kick off a double-header of European action for the Hoops when they take on Hungarian side, Puskas Akademia, tonight (Wednesday) in the second leg of their UEFA Youth League tie at the Tony Macaroni Stadium, Livingston.
The young Celts are hoping to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit and provide a boost ahead of the first-team’s UEFA Europa League clash with Ajax at Paradise on Thursday night.
And defender Jamie McCart believes that victory tonight and progress on the European stage is achievable for the Development Squad.
“We just didn’t start well in Hungary,” the defender told the official Celtic website. “They started fast with the crowd behind them and we didn’t get up to speed quick enough, putting us on the back foot for most of the first half.
“We defended well for the full game and created chances in the second half, but we just couldn’t deliver that final pass or have the cutting edge to get a goal.
“It was tough to play on that pitch particularly after a difficult first-half. We just tried to get up to speed and test them more. We had a few opportunities, but if we had made them more meaningful then we might have got a result. They were quite a physical side and weren’t afraid of going into challenges.
“It was disappointing to lose it, especially right at the end when I felt we were going to hold out for a draw, but we will bounce back quickly from it.”
Despite the blow of conceding a goal so late in the contest, there is still plenty of optimism among Tommy McIntyre’s side that they can prevail in the second-leg later this month.
“We can definitely turn the tie around,” said McCart. “We’ll be playing on a better pitch, and I’m sure we can get a better result. We need to take the game in the first 10 minutes. They did that to us over there so if we do that to them it can help us come out on top.
“That game was just a one-off. We are usually far more creative in the final third and our normal problem is not converting enough of the chances we create. That was a one-off game and we will be determined to rectify it tonight.”

 

Conor Hazard replaces Colin McCabe between the sticks and Dan Higgins comes in for Mark Hill in defence, with Jack Breslin moving into a holding midfield role in place of the suspended Joe Thomson.

The final change sees Jack Atchison lead the line up front with Calvin Miller moving into a supporting role on the left flank.




Hazard; Higgins, Kelleher, McCart, McIlduff: Breslin; Archibald, Nesbitt, Hendry, Miller: Aitchison.


Subs: McCabe, Murray, Payne, Lafferty, Johnston.

Updates to follow on the Celtic Twitter account

https://mobile.twitter.com/celticfc

 

Almost ready to get underway big night for the hoops.

1-0 down from the first game

 

Anyone got a stream like last time or is it just twitter again?

 

Twitter updates again

 

kool

 

Positive start for the hoops tonight Almost a goal after kick off

 

Hopefully there's some highlights after the game kicking about

 

16 minutes played the hoops playing well so far Going close a few times to getting the first goal.

 

The Hoops 1 up

 

Archibald with the Hoops goal

 

1-0 Celtic, Archibald with the goal

 

Nice one bhoys.Good price aswell at 6/4.

 

Going close to the second goal Playing well just now plenty chances

 

2-0 Celtic Miller scores

 

2-0 Miller puts Celtic ahead in the tie

 

The boy playing upfront is only 15, is that right?

 

Aye

 

Yeehaww,nice start.Well don calvin.