Pre-season friendly
Wednesday, July 7, 2021
Dragon Park, Newport

CELTIC… 3
(Ajeti 31, Moffat 55, Edouard 89)

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY… 1
(Windass 3)

Ange Postecoglou kicked off his time as Celtic manager with a pre-season friendly win against Sheffield Wednesday today (Wednesday). Josh Windass fired the Hillsborough side in front after just three minutes, before goals from Albian Ajeti, youngster Owen Moffat and Odsonne Edouard reversed the Hoops’ fortunes.

Given the occasion, the non-competitive match comprised three 30-minute periods which allowed Celtic to field two entirely different XIs over the course of 90 minutes.

Much of the play went in Wednesday’s favour during the first period as they pressed Celtic deep into their half from kick-off. Windass broke the deadlock after just three minutes when he burst into the box and fired past Vasilis Barkas to the left of goal.

Buoyed by their goal, Wednesday continued to contain the Hoops within their half. As the match approached the quarter-hour mark, however, Ewan Henderson carved his side’s first half-chance of the day when he won a free-kick on the inside left channel, which was eventually scrambled clear.

Wednesday’s next half chance of their own fell to Massimo Luongo one minute later, when he sliced a left-footed effort from range wide of the mark.

Over the 20-minute mark and the Hoops hit their stride with a spell of concerted possession. Chances were at a premium, but Owen Moffat tested the Owls’ keeper with a wicked long-range effort that was parried clear.

Straight after the first break, Albian Ajeti restored parity on the scoreboard when the Swiss forward – who donned the captain’s armband for the day – latched onto a superb Henderson through-ball to before unleashing a clinical finish to the left of goal.

From there, Celtic dominated possession, often building from the back as they sought to unpick an increasingly deep-lying Sheffield backline.

On 55 minutes, Owen Moffat put the Hoops in front when he pounced on a loose ball 18 yards from goal. Henderson did exceptionally well to force the move, before the 19-year-old let rip from range.

Substitute between the sticks Scott Bain was called into action on a handful of occasions during the final stretch of the match, as Ange Postecoglou’s men continued pressing to extend their lead.

It took a typically deft finish from Odsonne Edouard in the final minute of the match to do so, when he latched onto a through ball to the right of goal, before coolly slotting the ball across the keeper and into the net.

A routine win for the Hoops and, albeit a non-competitive pre-season friendly, a winning start for new Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou.

CELTIC FIRST XI: Barkas; Ralston, Welsh, Murray, Montgomery, Soro, Shaw, McInroy, Moffat, Henderson, Ajeti
CELTIC SECOND XI: Bain; O’Connor, Murray, Hjelde, McPherson, Connell, Otoo, Robertson, Afolabi, Coffey, Edouard

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: Wildsmith; Borner, Dunkley, Hutchinson, Palmer, Trialist, Bannan, Luongo, Green, Windass, Paterson
Subs: Dawson, Galvin, Brennan, Dawodu, Waldock, Hunt, Hagan, Dele-Bashiru, Adedoyin, Trialist

Website Man of the Match: Owen Moffat

Celts kick off pre-season schedule with win against Sheffield Wednesday