THERE appears no way to keep Matt O’Riley out of the headlines.
The stylish midfielder has spent a fair chunk of this summer in the midst of intensive transfer speculation after his impressive 19-goal campaign last time out.
Brendan Rodgers awarded him the captain’s armband for this morning’s first game of the USA tour and O’Riley promptly took centre stage as he rifled in two strikes as the champions eased to a 4-0 triumph over DC United in Washington.
The London-born Danish international midfielder was joined in the romp by Mikey Johnston and James Forrest and the scoreline would have been even more emphatic had the former not had a penalty-kick saved.
New recruit Kasper Schmeichel watched from the sidelines after touching down in The States just hours before kick-off.
NUMBER ONE…Matt O’Riley rolls in the opening goal as Luis Palma gets a close-up view.
NUMBER TWO…Matt O’Riley celebrates again after leaving the DC United keeper helpless.
NUMBER THREE…Mikey Johnston strikes from close range.
NUMBER FOUR…James Forrest strokes the ball into the empty net after being set up by Yang Hyun-jun.
The Hoops kicked off at a good tempo with Nicolas Kuhn and Luis Palma busy on the flanks and Reo Hatate getting into his stride in the middle of the park.
Kyogo Furuhashi displayed a flash of the menace that has seen him collect four pre-season goals in the previous friendlies against Ayr United and Queen’s Park. The Japanese striker was just off target with a spectacular scissors kick.
He was then denied after keeper Zamudio touched a netbound header onto the post.
It was no surprise when O’Riley knocked in the breakthrough goal in the 26th minute when he rolled the ball in from close range and he doubled the tally five minutes later when he tucked away a rebound from a Kyogo shot.
Scott Bain made a smart save from Badji before making way for £1million new Bhoy Viljami Sinisalo at the interval.
The Finnish international was one of five changes by Rodgers as also sent on Yuki Kobayashi, Odin Holm, Yang Hyun-jun and Mikey Johnston as replacements for Matthew Anderson, O’Riley, Palma and Kyogo.
BACK IN THE OLD ROUTINE…James Forrest and Mikey johnston celebrate the third goal with Greg Taylor, Yang Hyun-jun and Odin Holm about to add their congratulations. Images courtesy Celtic TV.
James Forrest also entered the fray when he came on with skipper Callum McGregor, Anthony Ralston, Greg Taylor, Bosun Lawal, and Gustaf Lagerbielke as the manager made another raft of changes.
The evergreen Hoops winger set up No.3 in the 65th minute when he sped onto a Yang pass and then played the perfect ball across the box for Johnston to tuck away.
The fourth and final goal arrived four minutes later after some superb work by Yang as he picked out Forrest in the ideal position to slot home.
The South Korean wide Bhoy was also flattened in the box to provide the visitors with a penalty-kick in the 78th minute, but Johnston was denied from the spot by the keeper.
Celtic now travel to North Carolina for a meeting with Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions Manchester City on Wednesday and the curtain comes down on the tour on Saturday against Chelsea.
TEAM: Bain; Donovan, Welsh, Scales, Anderson; Iwata, O’Riley, Hatate; Kuhn, Palma, Kyogo. Subs: Sinisalo, Oluwayemi, Clarke, Taylor, Lagerbielke, Yang, Holm, Kobayashi, Kwon, Lawal, McGregor, Murray, Forrest, Dede, Ralston, Turley and Johnston.
WATCH AS CELTIC HIT FOUR IN WASHINGTON
