THE last time the Celtic fans streamed out of Parkhead after witnessing a Champions League group triumph was just over a decade ago.
James Forrest, who opened the scoring with a penalty-kick in the first-half of the 2-1 win over Ajax, is the only survivor from the EIGHTEEN players who were stripped in Neil Lennon’s matchday squad.
The Hoops were also without the influential pair of suspended Scott Brown and injured Kris Commons for the confrontation with the Amsterdam outfit.
EURO STARS…goalscorer James Forrest and Virgil van Dijk celebrate Celtic’s opener against Ajax at Parkhead on October 22 2013.
It’s almost incomprehensible that the triumph on that evening of October 22 2013 is the team’s last success at this level under the lights in the east end of Glasgow.
Unfortunately, that victory was Celtic’s solitary win in their group that season as they ended a miserable campaign rock bottom of the section.
Following the match against Ajax, they travelled to Amsterdam a fortnight later where they lost 1-0. Next up were AC Milan who strolled to a 3-0 win at Parkhead during an error-strewn showing from the hosts.
The curtain came down in wretched fashion in the Camp Nou Stadium, where the visitors were routed 6-1 by a rampant Barcelona, who had won 1-0 in Glasgow earlier in the group.
Celtic’s other match also ended in a 2-0 reverse to AC Milan in the San Siro.
PRIZE GUY…Beram Kayal whips in a right-foot drive for the winner against the Amsterdam side.
The fans, however, lapped up the well-earned victory over former European kings Ajax in Glasgow where Forrest netted from the spot just before the interval.
Beram Kayal got what proved to be the winner with a deflected shot early in the second-half as Lennon’s side took control.
The only wobble came late on when substitute Nir Bitton was red-carded and Lasse Schone claimed an injury-time goal, but it was too late for the Dutch to get anything from the encounter.
The Celtic team that historic evening was: Forster; Lustig (sub: Bitton 77), Ambrose, Van Dijk, Izaguirre; Forrest, Kayal (sub: Ledley 71), Mulgrew; Stokes, Pukki (sub: Balde 91), Samaras. Unused subs: Zaluska, Fisher, Rogic and Atajic.
* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report from Celtic v Feyenoord this evening – only in your champion CQN.
