Newco find new ways to traumatise themselves
Scott Bain had little chance with either Newco goal yesterday, but made several flawless interventions in in the game: diving out from his goal to hold a cross in the first half, saving when the hopeless Morelos was clean through on him, grasping a free kick just under his crossbar and punching the ball out of play.
His game will most be remembered for the added time save from Windass before he collected the ball off the post when Morelos showed all the composure of Ibrox strikers before him, like Sebo and van Vossen.
Jozo Simunovic scarcely broke sweat before his 57th minute red card. There could have been an earlier red for a two footed lunge on Tom Rogic, and I don’t believe there was intent behind Jozo’s action, but it was a red card.
‘What happened to Dedryck?’ remains an open question. The Belgian international picked himself up from a bomb scare first season to become an integral part of the Invincibles, but after gifting possession for the opening Newco goal, and being turned by Morelos at the second, he will have been the most relieved man in Glasgow at full time yesterday.
Tom Rogic’s goal was incredible, not only the quality of the 27-yard strike, but the way he created the opening for himself. No one else in the Scottish game could have scored that goal. Some players hide when they are a goal down in a hostile environment, Tom stepped up when we needed it.
Moussa Dembele scored one, got an assist and led the line well. His goal exposed some inept defending. A Scott Bain pass to Scott Brown allowed the captain to launch a long ball with his first touch, Moussa controlled with his head before lobbing the keeper.
This goal came after a period of intense Celtic pressure on the Newco goal, which forced eight corners but didn’t create the breakthrough. When Newco pressed forward they lost concentration.
Like Rogic, Moussa is a player who comes alive on big stage.
With 25% of the game remaining, the scores level and being a man down, Brendan Rodgers swapped a midfielder for a striker. Without a right back on the park, I didn’t expect Forrest to be sacrificed, but it was a ballsy, match winning, play.
Odsonne Eduard didn’t hang around. 100 seconds after taking to the field, he scored what proved to be the winner. Think back for a moment to the occasions Brendan played Odsonne with Moussa and Leigh Griffiths on the bench. It was clear Odsonne was still learning his craft, but without those development opportunities he would not have been yesterday’s match winner.
The final drama was provided by Windass’ shot, Bain’s save and that miss from Morelos. The ball sat perfectly for the striker four yards out, but as we so often see from one footed players, what was an easy tap-in with his left foot, bounced off the outside of his right boot in the wrong direction.
All he needed to do was hold his left foot against the ball to equalise. How do players get to that level so reluctant to use their weaker foot?
Twice coming from behind, then scoring a winner with 10 men, is a memorable way to win any game. At Ibrox, it was delicious. Newco collapsed like a pack of cards, at home, with a man advantage. They continue to find innovative ways to traumatise themselves.