ROSS COUNTY 1 CELTIC 4
CALLUM McGREGOR scored his first goal of the season as the captain led from the front to propel Celtic into a quarter-final meeting with Motherwell at Fir Park in the Premiers Sports League Cup.
Giorgos Giakoumakis, Daizen Maeda and James Forrest followed his example to get the holders over a tricky hurdle against physical opponents in Dingwall.
The Hoops had already been denied twice by the woodwork in the first five minutes before McGregor claimed the breakthrough strike in the 21st minute when he unlocked the home side’s rearguard with quick thinking and clever movement.
THE BLINK OF AN EYE…Callum McGregor accepts the plaudits from his team-mates after the opening goal.
David Turnbull lined up to take a left-wing corner-kick while the County defenders concentrated on the Hoops big guys Giorgos Gikoumakis, Mortitz Jenz and Anthony Ralston as they jostled for a position in the congested penalty area.
McGregor moved into the box almost unnoticed as Turnbull swung the ball in his direction. The skipper made perfect connection from eight yards and the ball took a nick off a defender on its way past the stranded Jake Eastwood.
Four minutes later the keeper, making his debut for the Highlanders, was fishing the ball out of the net again after some brilliant work from Giakoumakis on the edge of the area.
Jenz got the ball rolling with an exquisite through pass that was back-flicked by Ralston onto the Greek powerhouse.
He took a touch, dragged the ball to his left foot and curled a low effort from 16 yards into the corner of the net.
JOY BHOYS…Giorgos Giakoumakis celebrates his strike for No.2 along with Aaron Mooy and Liel Abada.
It was no more than Ange Postecoglou’s men deserved considering they had been out of luck on two occasions in the opening moments.
In the third minute, Turnbull expertly swirled over a left-wing corner-kick and Welsh was quickest to react with a powerful header that swept over the searching fingers of Eastwood, but clattered off the face of the crossbar.
Amazingly, only two minutes later, Turnbull smacked a free-kick off the same spot of the woodwork. The playmaker curled in a deadball effort from 25 yards that deflected off the wall over the head of the County keeper, but once again woodwork came to his rescue.
Giakoumakis had a couple of headers that came close as Celtic eased their way to the interval with some slick, eye-catching play that had their rugged opponents chasing shadows for much of the evening.
Postecoglou made his first changes in the 56th minute when he withdrew Welsh and Abada to put on Carl Starfelt and Forrest.
However, the Hoops were caught cold 12 minutes later when the Highlanders pulled one back with a typical route one effort.
Keeper Eastwood launched a 60-yard free-kick into the penalty box, Jordan White rose above Starfelt to head the ball cross goal and there was Alex Iacavetti all on is own to nod an effort beyond the exposed Benji Siegrist.
NUMBER THREE…Daizen Maeda pounces on a rebound from keeper Jake Eastwood to fire into the net.
Celtic, though, responded in the manner which has earned them so many rewards and plaudits over the past year or so when they claimed a third goal.
In the 73rd minute, there was a multi-passing movement which shredded the home defence and ended with Alexandro Bernabei knocking a pass inside to Giakoumakis who teed up McGregor for a chance just inside the box.
Once again, the captain was on target, but he was denied by a diving save from Eastwood. The ball, however, spun from his chest and Maeda pounced immediately and fired the rebound into the net.
Three minutes afterwards, McGregor was given a welcome break as he came off and passed the armband to Forrest. Maeda came off at the same time while Sead Haksabanovic came on for his debut along with James McCarthy.
The new Bhoy, who joined from Rubin Kazan last week, is a Liel Abada clone and plays in very much the same attacking manner.
He looked lively and clever and already looks to be a good addition to Postecoglou’s squad.
Forrest brought down the curtain on an excellent performance from the trophy holders who refused to be hustled out of their stride by tough opponents when he flashed in the fourth goal in the 90th minute after a superb ball inside from Ralston following great work from Turnbull who had been first-class throughout the encounter.
Now it’s all eyes on Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side on Saturday and Real Madrid on Tuesday.
TEAM: Siegrist; Ralston, Jenz, Welsh (sub: Starfelt 56), Bernabei; Turnbull, McGregor (sub: McCarthy 76), Mooy; Abada (sub: Forrest 56), Giakoumakis, Maeda (sub: Haksabanovic 76).
