Celtic face Newco amid their onerous load

The look on Karamoko Dembele’s face!  He had just been shoved, two handed, to the ground by a Dundee United defender, who made no attempt to play the ball or do anything apart from shove Karamoko, inside the box.  If ever there was a ‘Welcome to Celtic’ moment for a young player, this was it.

Like many spectators, I was unsure what the current handball rule was when the ball struck Giorgos Giakoumakis arm before being turned in by Daizen Maeda, but I am not a referee.  John Beaton is.  The goal should have stood, the Karamoko incident should have been a penalty and a comfortable 0-3 Celtic win should have been a landmark statement of intent.

The goals John Beaton allowed to stand were scrappy.  Two deflections and a fumble by a usually reliable keeper, not that this mattered.  Celtic dominated play, United were unable to craft a chance worthy of the name.

We will face Newco in the semi-final at Hampden on Sunday 17 April.  Newco are almost certain to play a Europa League quarter-final second leg on 14 April.  We have a league game at Ibrox on 3 April and it is likely we will face Newco again at Celtic Park before the end of that month.

Celtic will have a week to prepare for each game.  Newco have the prospect of two major European ties and three games against Celtic inside a month, an onerous load.  The hard work is still to be done, but we are well placed.