SEAD HAKSABANOVIC fired in a double salvo for his first Celtic goals as the Hoops overcame Dundee United 4-2 at Parkhead yesterday.
The £1.7million arrival from Rubin Kazan in August neatly tucked two in the visitors’ net in the first-half of another encounter spoiled by ridiculous and controversial VAR interruptions.
Afterwards, though, the Sweden-born Montenegro international forward claimed: “I’m NOT happy!”
Haksabanovic has looked lively since joining the champions following a summer of training on his own in public parks in his native homeland, but goals had eluded him until his sixth-minute strike when he nudged a left-wing pass from Filipe Jota in at the far post against the Tannadice side.
SMILES BETTER…Sead Haksabanovic races away after scoring the first of his two goals against Dundee United.
And, after the visitors had been gifted a penalty-kick leveller, it was the wily attacker who got the second with a low right-foot shot after Giorgos Giakoumakis had nodded down a clever ball into the box from Matt O’Riley.
That looked like being the winning strike in a day of missed champions for Ange Postecoglou’s men until a cross from the left by Dylan Levitt was missed by Moritz Jenz and Tony Watt and then eluded the startled Joe Hart in the last minute.
Thankfully, order was restored when Kyogo Furuhashi nodded in a third and Liel Abada deftly chipped in No.4 in the fading moments of stoppage time.
Haksabanovic admitted: “It’s always good to score goals. It’s my first and second for Celtic and hopefully I can get more because I’m not happy.
“When you come to a new team it’s always good to get your first goal. I wouldn’t say I had become frustrated. I had been staying after training working on things that I knew would help me out.
“I just needed to be patient and hope that when my chances came I would score.”
Haksabanovic had made way in the 64th minute for replacement Abada and watched the late drama from the dug-out.
PICK IT OUT…Sead Haksabanovic looks on as his low right-foot shot eludes United keeper Mark Birighitti for the second goal.
The raider, speaking to Celtic TV, continued: “It was amazing. I was a bit nervous, but then once we got the goal from Kyogo I was so calm and then Liel scored another.
“Of course, it as frustrating because when you have scored you hope that has helped the team win. United scored late in the game, but we showed again what we are capable of.”
Following his two-goal burst, Haksabanovic added: “Now my confidence is higher, so, hopefully, in the next game I can get one or two more.
“We had the ball and had the chances, but Dundee United can always score. They have good players and are a good team, so we always have to stay focused.
“They made it 2-2 and then we turned the game to win.”
VAR-CICAL, BUT HAKSABANOVIC DOUBLE AND LATE STRIKES FROM KYOGO, ABADA CLAIM WIN
