CAMILO DURAN SHINES AS CELTIC SET UP EARLY DERBY
- By LIAM McBRIDE
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Celtic stormed to a 4-0 victory against Dundee United at the weekend, securing a mouth-watering Premier Sports Cup quarter-final against Rangers next month. It makes the second consecutive season that the pair have met at Ibrox in domestic cup competitions and they will once again play back-to-back Glasgow Derbies.
Anyhow, Celtic continued to build momentum on Saturday evening, with another clinical attacking display on the road. The 4-0 victory means that the Bhoys have scored nine goals in the last two games, conceding just one. It is, of course, early days, but there are positive signs that this could be a return to a free-flowing Celtic attack that we have been used to watching over the years.
Heading into the match, there were four notable absentees. One, of course, was Arne Engels. The Belgian completed a move to West Ham that same day, with new signing Mika Baur taking his place in the squad. Alistair Johnson also missed out through injury, while Yang had a niggle and Kieran Tierney was rested ahead of Wednesday night’s monumental clash.
Camilo Duran Outstanding as New Bhoys Make Their Mark
So, with both Johnston and Tierney injured, in stepped Colby Donovan and Liam Scales. Donovan, who has had a mixed time in a Celtic shirt so far, had a really solid performance both in and out of possession. Dundee United winger Jesse Randall had very little joy on the left side, frequently being forced inside or blocked by Donovan. Moreover, his forward running and overall play was reliable throughout the match, giving him pass marks for the tie.
Scales, on the other hand, was a little more erratic. While his final third crossing was effective at times, his short passing was often overhit or played with too much height. While the Irishman can comfortably fill in at centre-back, Celtic must bring in another left back, as he simply isn’t up to the standard in that position.
Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty continued to look the part at centre-back. Even though the Tangerines had a lot of shots at goal, some of which hit the woodwork, many were long shots. Getting in behind the American partnership still proved a tough task.
Dane Murray came on deep into the second half and enjoyed a really imperious in possession performance.
The 23-year-old’s power and pace were both on show, with many marauding runs into the opposition half. Consistent game-time would do his development a world of good. A loan deal just seems really unlikely at this point, with Celtic unlikely to sign another centre-back.
In midfield, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain stepped up to the plate. Since signing on a permanent deal, the Englishman has yet to feature competitively. Yet, with his talent and speed, should he reach full fitness, there’s no reason why he couldn’t be a real asset for the Champions. Throughout the match, he linked up with Callum McGregor and Benjamin Nygren really well, making smart runs in attack plus showing off a terrific passing range from deeper positions.
The intelligence of movement was displayed no more than in the second goal. Nygren picked the ball up in the right half space. Oxlade-Chamberlain stood to the side of Vicko Ševelj and began to make the run.
Nygren recognised the space and with both midfielders on the same wavelength, he played it into the area.
Having done the hard work, the Ox played a pass across the face of goal to Kasper Høgh, who showed great striker instincts to get goal side of his opposite man. However, he was wrestled to the ground and Camilo Duran was first to the scene, ready to double Celtic’s lead.
Having done the hard work, the Ox played a pass across the face of goal to Kasper Høgh, who showed great striker instincts to get goal side of his opposite man. However, he was wrestled to the ground and Camilo Duran was first to the scene, ready to double Celtic’s lead.
And in many ways, this second goal highlighted what this Martin O’Neill 2.0 Celtic team will look like. Yes, there are still the in-possession rotations around the final third but when the opportunity arises, they will be direct, incisive and make use of the team’s speed.
Unsurprisingly, the Ox’s minutes were managed with Mika Baur coming on to make his debut. The first thing which became apparent was just how quick out of the blocks the German is. His acceleration is something that the midfield has lacked in recent years. From a stylistic point of view, he looked very comfortable taking the ball in and positioned himself very akin to what a prime Reo Hatate did.
Engels’ presence wasn’t really missed. However, that was to be expected. The 22-year-old was more important on the European stage and against the likes of Rangers, Hearts and Motherwell, where a lack of physicality could be exploited. So, despite the excellent football that the midfield played on Saturday, Celtic may still struggle in transition against LASK on Wednesday night.
On the attacking front though, there are a lot of reasons to be excited. Camilo Duran was simply outstanding on the right-hand side, with excellent dribbling, link-up play and speed all on show. While Høgh didn’t add to the scoresheet, his movement was still incredibly useful in dragging the Dundee United back four into uncomfortable places and opening up spaces for midfield runners.
Plus, it was a great afternoon for Sebastien Tounetki. With Yang unavailable and Haissem Hassan a long way from full fitness, Saturday evening was his chance to make a statement. And that he did.
An often frustrating figure last season, he was more direct, going frequently to the by-line and crossing well. You could see just how much the third goal meant to him, with an expertly composed finish marking his first of the season. The Tunisian managed just five goals last season from 49 appearances. Clearly, it’s a part of the game he will look to improve. The early-season signs are promising.
Naturally, after a good day’s work, the attention turned to the draw. Who would await in the quarter-finals? In a dramatic turn of events, the Hoops landed a trip to Ibrox.
Rangers finally managed a competitive victory yesterday, with a 5-1 routing of St Mirren. Despite the lack of quality in the current Rangers side, going to Ibrox is always a tough occasion. Celtic have won on just two of their last ten visits across 90 minutes, with six draws and two losses.
Before that though, there is a bigger task at hand. A Champions League play-off tie against Lask takes place, with the Austrian Champions also boasting a perfect to start the season. Ideally, the Bhoys would like an Engels replacement signed and added to the squad by tomorrow night. However, that looks less likely with every passing minute.