FILIPE JOTA came through unscathed after making his first Celtic appearance in 18 months in a bounce game against Falkirk at Lennoxtown this afternoon.
The Hoops won 2-0 with a double from teenage striker Lucas Clearie, but all eyes were on the comeback Bhoy as the fans’ favourite played the first 45 minutes before he was withdrawn, according to a report in the Daily Record.
Jota, who last played in the champions’ 5-0 win over Dundee United at Tannadice on April 26 last year as they sealed their fourth successive title, had been sidelined following surgery on an ACL injury.
COMEBACK BHOY…Filipe Jota in the typical pose Celtic fans want to see again soon.
The 27-year-old Portuguese maverick has been training with the first-team squad in recent weeks and the next stage of his rehabilitation was to judge how he would fare against Premiership opposition.
Martin O’Neill originally stated he expected Jota to be in contention near the end of this month, but it looks as though the flamboyant wide Bhoy is ahead of schedule.
Thankfully, the £8.5million man now appears to be edging ever closer to a welcome return after last season’s blank.
Seventeen-year-old Clearie did his chances of a quick step-up no harm with his double strike to add to his 15 goals in just 13 Lowland League appearances.
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