Pre-season friendly
Saturday, July 10, 2021
Dragon Park, Newport

CELTIC…2
(Karamoko 24, Ajeti 39)

CHARLTON…1
(Washington 76)

Ange Postecoglou made it two wins from two as Celtic manager after the Hoops defeated Charlton Athletic with another impressive pre-season performance. Karamoko Dembele gave Celtic a thoroughly deserved lead midway through the first half and Albian Ajeti doubled the lead just before the break. Celtic dominated the game from start to finish but Charlton managed to claw a goal back through Conor Washington.

Celtic started well and created several opportunities within 10 minutes of kick-off. The first saw Callum McGregor slip a pass through for Adam Montgomery. The 18-year-old winger cut a dangerous pass across the face of goal but it was just behind Karamoko Dembele.

Albian Ajeti was unfortunate not to round off a great passage of play moments later. Dembele played Ajeti through and the Swiss striker rounded the keeper only to see the Charlton defence block his shot from a tight angle.

David Turnbull, who turned 22 today, nearly scored when he ran on to Greg Taylor’s pass across the face of goal but the midfielder drilled his shot narrowly wide of the post.

Celtic dominated possession as they went in search of a goal and moved the ball around with a good tempo which Charlton struggled to deal with.

Montgomery saw plenty of the ball out on the left and cause the opposition defence problems with his neat footwork and willingness to take on his marker.

The breakthrough came midway through the first half following a great pass from Nir Bitton down the left channel. The Charlton defence blocked the cross from Montgomery but Dembele ran in and pounced on a rebound and fired his shot back across goal and into the bottom corner.

Celtic dominated possession and moved the ball around with a good tempo throughout the first half as they worked their opponents with great movement off the ball.

A second goal looked almost inevitable and it came five minutes before the break. Anthony Ralston won the ball out on the right and showed great pace to drive down the right wing and float a cross towards the near post which Ajeti headed beyond the keeper.

The second half saw both sides field almost entirely different teams but Celtic’s control on the game was unaffected.

Mikey Johnston immediately began troubling the Charlton defence out wide on the left. He got the better of his marker a few times in the early stages of the first half and provided some dangerous balls into the box for Odsonne Edouard.

On the other wing, Ewan Henderson used his vision and creativity to provide Edouard with a great ball when he whipped a wonderful cross in towards the back post but it was inches out of reach for the French striker.

Johnston also looked to increase Celtic’s lead himself and did well to work some space inside the box to get a few shots off. The Charlton defence blocked his first two attempts but the 22-year-old did well with his subsequent attempt. His curling right-footed shot towards the top corner left the keeper helpless but crashed back off the post.

Charlton managed to claw a goal back against the run of play when they broke away after what looked like a foul on Ryan Christie. Conor Washington did well to slot his shot beyond the outrushing Scott Bain.

Celtic responded well with some quick one-touch passing as they looked to re-establish their two-goal lead. Owen Moffat impressed again down the right and it was unfortunate no team-mates were able to get on the end of his cross into the box in the closing stages of the game.

Bain deserved credit for preventing Charlton from snatching a draw minutes from the final whistle. Washington’s right-footed shot looked to be heading for the far corner but Bain, somehow, managed to get a hand to it to deny the Charlton striker a second goal.

FIRST HALF CELTIC SIDE: Barkas, Taylor, Bitton, Ajeti, Soro, Turnbull, McGregor, Montgomery, Ralston, Welsh, Dembele

SECOND HALF CELTIC Side: Bain, Christie, Johnston, Ntcham, Edouard, Urhoghide, Shaw, Murray, Henderson, Montgomery, Hjelde

FIRST HALF CHARLTON: MacGillivray, Roddy, Purrington, Dobson, Elerewe, Pearce, Jaiyesimi, Dempsey, Stockley, Morgan, Clayden

SECOND HALF CHARLTON: Harness, Barker, Oguntayo, Henry, Fameqo, Bakrin, Watson, Vennings, Washington, Davidson, Ghandour

Celtic defeat Charlton in convincing fashion to make it two wins from two in pre-season