BRENDAN RODGERS has named a much-changed Celtic team to face Falkirk in the Premier Sports League Cup quarter-final at Parkhead this afternoon.
USA international centre-back Auston Trusty makes his first start while on-loan Barcelona defender Alex Valle will have a debut appearance at left-back.
Stephen Welsh also returns to first-team action while Luis Palma takes over from Daizen Maeda on the left wing.
Record signing Arne Engels drops to the substitutes’ bench with Paulo Bernardo in for the kick-off while Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales and Maeda are rested.
TEAM: Schmeichel; Ralston, Welsh, Trusty, Valle; Bernardo, McGregor, Hatate; Forrest, Idah, Palma. Subs: Bain, Taylor, Kyogo, Kuhn, Yang, Holm, Nawrocki, Engels and Donovan.
The semi-final draw will be made immediately after the match is settled in the east end of Glasgow. Aberdeen, Motherwell and Rangers are already in the ballot.
Earlier today, we asked you how much you could remember about past associations with Falkirk in CQN‘s fun five-minute quiz to test your knowledge.
Now we repeat those questions and provide the answers.
QUESTIONS:
1: A Republic of Ireland legend scored his only Celtic goal against Falkirk in 2006. Can you name him?
2: Kasper Schmeichel saved a penalty-kick in his only game against Celtic on loan at Falkirk in 2007. Who was the spot-kick culprit?
3: Tommy Burns paid £380,000 for a centre-half from Falkirk in 1995. Can you remember his name?
4: True or false: Burns’ last game as Celtic manager was against Falkirk?
5: Celtic drew 1-1 with the Championship club in the Scottish Cup semi-final in April 1997. Who scored the Hoops’ goal that day?
ANSWERS:
1: Roy Keane scored his solitary Celtic goal in the team’s 2-1 win at Parkhead on February 8 2006.
2: Craig Beattie saw his penalty-kick saved by Kasper Schmeichel at Brockville in March 2007. The hosts won 1-0.
3: John Hughes – no relation to the Lisbon Lion of the same name – was signed from Falkirk in August 1995 and left for Hibs in November the following year.
4: True. Tommy Burns left Celtic a couple of days after the team had lost 1-0 to Falkirk in the Scottish Cup semi-final replay in April 1997.
5: Tommy Johnson.
Well done if you got five out of five. Go to the top of the class!
* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report from Celtic v Falkirk at Parkhead this afternoon – only in your champion CQN.
