2019-12-12: CFR Cluj 2-0 Celtic, UEFA Cup

Trivia

• UEFA Cup/Europa League

• Match Day 6 of 6 (final group match)
• Celtic already qualified for KO stages; Cluj join Celtic in next round. Lazio lost 3-0 v Rennes
• Celtic had already played Cluj in the European Cup qualifiers, Celtic lost then Cluj lost in the play-offs, but had won the first Europa League group meeting convincingly.
• Surprisingly lots of empty seats in Cluj despite it being a big game for that club.
• Celtic supporters very relaxed going into the mostly dead rubber match.
• Celtic had just won the league cup a few days earlier v Sevco in a dramatic game, so many players given a rest as they were very jaded during that game. Been a long first half of the season so far and December is the most packed.
• Lennon confirmed that six first-team stars have been rested: Fraser Forster, Scott Brown, Callum McGregor, Tom Rogic, Ryan Christie and Odsonne Edouard all stayed behind on Glasgow.
• Cluj boss Dan Petrescu has tipped Celtic to be among the teams challenging for the Europa League. All so premature and a bit ridiculous at this point.
• Neil Lennon insists that Celtic ace Leigh Griffiths is not playing for his future.
• All 16 teams in Champions League KO stage are from the biggest five European leagues (Eng, Ger, Ita, Spa, Fra). It makes for a dull tournament and lacking colour and diversity. Media firms will be happy though.
• Ex-Celtic PlayerIan Younghas sadly passed away. RIP
• Daniel Stendel has succeeded Craig Levein as Hearts boss. The Frankfurt-born 45-year-old began his coaching career at Hannover 96, working his way up through the ranks at the HDI-Arena between 2007 and 2016 after seeing out his playing days with the Reds.
• Neil Lennon has admitted his uncertainty over the future of Fraser Forster. He was the hero in the Betfred Cup final win over Rangers and is wanted by the club but there is an issue over "affordability".
• Armstrong Okoflex is being monitored by a string of English clubs, according to media reports. The 17-year-old, who joined from Arsenal last summer, is yet to feature for Celtic’s First Team. The Telegraph newspaper reports that England are also keen to persuade the Dublin-born player to switch allegiance from the Ireland.
• Former striker Daryl Murphy admitted that last season he failed a drugs test, and served a short ban for it. Admitting to a "bad mistake" on taking cocaine on a night out.
• Ex-Celt Kieran Tierney hit with another injury blow, dislocated his shoulder during Arsenal's match v West Ham; out for est 3mths. Hope he has a speedy recovery.
• Debut for 18-year-old midfielder Scott Robertson; Dembele makes European debut; Karamoko Dembele made history tonight as the youngster, who is 16 years, nine months and 21 days old, became the youngest ever Celtic player to feature in European competition, and the youngest ever to play for a Scottish team in Europe.
• General Election: Tories win majority. Scotland won by landslide by SNP.
• The Tory candidate in Lanark and Hamilton East Shona Haslam who called the constituency a ‘solid unionist royalist Rangers supporting heartland’ has lost to the SNP. Tories at last election weren't too far behind, mainly due to tactical voting and efforst by various parties to play on unionist fears. Serve her right for playing the sectarian card.
• Russia banned for four years from all major sporting events over doping scandal – but can still compete in Euro 2020: because organiser Uefa is not considered a “major event organisation.”
• Scotland: In a bid to fill Hampden for the vital clash on 26 March, prices have been kept low with the cheapest concession tickets available at £5. Good move, respect to the SFA for that.
• English Second Tier: The Championship is a "bubble waiting to burst" because clubs are posting record losses in a "gamble" to reach the Premier League. Former Wigan chairman David Sharpe, who sold the club in 2018, said the situation is "frightening". Spending on player and staff wages exceeded clubs' revenue by 11%. More than half of clubs are spending more on wages than they make in income

Review

(JBC of TheCelticWiki)
This was a no-mark game, with Celtic playing practically a wholly reserve side, even Sinclair played despite having been fully cut out the first team.

Teams

CFR Cluj

• 87Arlauskis
• 16Susic
• 3Burca
• 92Cestor
• 45Malino PaulinoBooked at 68mins
• 37Bordeianu
• 10Deac · Substituted forHobanat 85'minutes
• · 8Djokovic · Substituted forCoimbra Aurélioat 83'minutes
• · 19Culio
• · 9OmraniSubstituted forGolofcaat 74'minutes

• 90Traoré

Substitutes

• 1Fernández Collado
• 2Pascanu
• 6Coimbra Aurélio
• 7Paun
• 23Golofca
• 28Hoban
• 77Peteleu

Celtic

• 1Gordon
• 13Bauer
• 2Jullien · Substituted forAjerat 45'minutes

• · 6Bitton
• · 23Bolingoli-Mbombo
• · 21Ntcham
• · 41Robertson
• · 16Morgan
• · Substituted forBayoat 67'minutes
• · 19Johnston Substituted forDembeleat 72'minutes

• 11Sinclair
• 9GriffithsBooked at 71mins

Substitutes

• 3Taylor
• 10Bayo
• 35Ajer
• 49Forrest
• 65Hazard
• 74Savoury
• 77Dembele

Referee:
Halis Özkahya

Attendance:

Articles

• Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

• Match Pictures

Forum

• Pre-match
• Match
• Post Match

MOTM

• Voting Thread
• Result Thread
• Winner –

Stats

CFR Cluj
Celtic

Possession
Home34%
Away66%

Shots
Home16
Away8

Shots on Target
Home7
Away3

Corners
Home4
Away2

Fouls
Home12
Away10

Articles

CFR Cluj 2-0 Celtic: Makeshift Celtic side suffers first Europa League group loss ahead of Monday's draw
Mikey Johnston holds off Culio and Mihai Bordeianu at the Stadionul Dr. Constantin Radulescu
Mikey Johnston holds off Culio and Mihai Bordeianu at the Stadionul Dr. Constantin Radulescu
Ronnie Esplin
Email
Published: 20:17
Updated: 20:20 Thursday 12 December 2019
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/cfr-cluj-2-0-celtic-makeshift-celtic-side-suffers-first-europa-league-group-loss-ahead-of-monday-s-draw-1-5061661
A makeshift Celtic side suffered the first defeat of their successful Europa League group campaign with a 2-0 loss against Cluj at the Dr Constantin Radulescu stadium.

The Hoops had already won Group E to secure a last-32 spot before the trip to Romania and manager Neil Lennon left a clutch of key players in Glasgow with 18-year-old midfielder Scott Robertson making his debut.

Following an untidy first half, defender Andrei Burca headed in from a corner in the 48th minute and midfielder Damjan Djokovic added a second in the 70th minute to secure second spot for Dan Petrescu's side.

The Scottish champions had won four and drawn one of their previous five section fixtures and it was their first defeat in 13 matches in all competitions.

Lennon rests seven, one suspended

However, despite the performance, Celtic, with their stars back, can look forward to Monday's draw with confidence.

Much of the attention around the game was on which players Lennon rested.

Fraser Forster, Scott Brown, Callum McGregor, Odsonne Edouard, Tom Rogic and Ryan Christie, as well as suspended skipper Scott Brown and 19-year-old right-back Jeremie Frimpong, not registered for European football, were all missing.

Indeed, the Scottish champions showed nine changes to the side which started in the Betfred Cup final win over Rangers at Hampden Park on Sunday, with midfielder Olivier Ntcham named captain.

Unsurprisingly, the visitors looked out of sorts in the early stages, although Cluj were little better with both sides guilty of sloppiness.

In the 18th minute Hoops' 36-year-old goalkeeper Craig Gordon, starting for the first time since a Betfred Cup tie against Partick Thistle in September, saved Billel Omrani's strike from inside the box after the Cluj attacker was set up by Lacina Traore.

Quality at a premium

Celtic's first effort on goal came in the 32nd minute when defender Nir Bitton fired in a long-range strike but Cluj keeper Giedrius Arlauskis was not unduly troubled.
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Rangers star's future in the air, Celtic ace not playing for future, Key Ibrox man 'going nowhere', Hibs and Aberdeen to battle for Scotland international…

Quality remained at a premium, exemplified when Traore, enjoying a battle with Parkhead stopper Christopher Jullien, headed a free-kick from Ciprian Deac past the far post.

Just before the break a 25-yard drive from Celtic playmaker Mikey Johnston was deflected wide for a corner but, like most of the action in the first half, that came to nothing.

Defender Kristoffer Ajer replaced Jullien for the start of the second half but Traore continued to cause trouble and, after his shot had been deflected behind for a corner, Deac zipped it in from the right and Burca escaped from Boli Bolingoli to power a header in off the near post.

Moments later, Gordon prevented Deac from doubling the home side's lead with another good diving save as the Hoops defence opened up again.

In the 57th minute Parkhead striker Leigh Griffiths, making his first start since August, headed a Moritz Bauer cross straight at Arlauskis before the keeper gathered a 30-yard strike from Ntcham.

Dembele makes history

Vakoun Issouf Bayo came on for Lewis Morgan in the 67th minute but three minutes later, following a terrific cross from Emmanuel Culio, Deac cut the ball back for Djokovic to hammer it high into the net.

Celtic's 16-year-old attacker Karamoko Dembele quickly replaced Johnston to become the youngest ever player for the club in a European competition but the home side retained their threat and Gordon made further saves from Deac and Traore, with the Parkhead side struggling to the end.

BBC

By Stefan Bienkowski

BBC Sport Scotland

1 hour ago From the section Europa League

Cluj v Celtic
Celtic had gone unbeaten in the Europa League prior to the Cluj defeat

A much-changed Celtic side slipped to their first defeat in seven Europa League games this season, losing 2-0 to CFR Cluj in Romania.

Neil Lennon, whose team had already clinched top spot in the group and will be seeded for Monday's last-32 draw, made nine changes to the side that beat Rangers in Sunday's League Cup final.

And second-half goals by Andrei Burca and Damjan Djokovic ended the Scottish Premiership side's 12-game winning run in all competitions and gave Cluj a second win over Celtic this term.

Lennon – who left several first-team regulars in Glasgow – gave a debut to 18-year-old Scott Robertson, while 16-year-old Karamoko Dembele became the youngest player to represent Celtic in Europe.

Reaction and as it happened

Celtic's B team struggle in Transylvania

With top spot and qualification for the last 32 assured, Lennon opted for a team that lacked game time and, in some cases, experience too. And on a cold winter night, they struggled to impose themselves on a Cluj side that knew a victory would see them accompany Celtic into the knockout stages.

The first warning of a Romanian threat came from Billel Omrani. The Algerian forward scored twice and provided an assist at Celtic Park four months ago when Cluj knocked Lennon's side out of the Champions League and looked certain to score again in the 17th minute in Transylvania.

After latching on to a cut-back from Lacina Traore, Omrani had the entire Celtic goal beckoning but was unable to curl the ball beyond an on-rushing Craig Gordon.

Celtic tried to turn the momentum but with a tentative midfield duo of Olivier Ntcham and Robertson, they struggled to dominate possession in the way they had in their previous group games.

Traore then came close with a header shortly after the half hour when he latched on to a cross from Ciprian Deac, while a right-footed shot from Mihai Bordeianu five minutes from the break looked destined for the back of the net before it ricocheted off a Celtic player.

What the first half hinted at, the second half delivered. Cluj finally broke through three minutes after the break when Burca pulled away from Boli Bolingoli to latch on to a corner and head in at the front post.

Just three minutes later, the Romanians almost doubled their lead when a left-footed shot by Deac forced a superb save from Gordon.

Celtic showed some intent through a Leigh Griffiths header and a Mikey Johnston shot either side of the hour, before Ntcham's right-footed shot from outside the box forced a save from Giedrius Arlauskis.

Yet Cluj continued their search for a second goal. Twenty minutes after missing his own close-range opportunity, Deac latched on to a cross and cut the ball back to an unmarked Djokovic, who scored from inside the six-yard box.

Celtic responded by bringing on Vakoun Bayo, a fringe striker returning from injury, and 16-year-old Dembele, while regular starter James Forrest remained on the bench.

At full-time, the home support celebrated watching their side qualify from the group stages for the first time. But for Celtic, it is a game that they and their fans will surely forget soon enough.
Man of the match – Ciprian Deac
Daec

Deac is by no means a spring chicken at 33, but the Cluj winger did more than enough to put Celtic to the sword after setting up both of his team's goals.

In a match that offered very little in terms of attacking intent, Deac was instrumental in breaking the deadlock and proved to be a vital player as his side made history.
Match stats

Celtic have failed to score for the first time in Europe this season in what was their 14th game. They last drew blank in both last-32 matches against Valencia last term.
At 16 years and 293 days old, Dembele is the youngest player to play for Celtic in major European competition.
Cluj have qualified for the knockout stages – and won three successive home games – in a European competition for the first time.
Ciprian Deac has been directly involved in five of their Europa League goals, scoring two and providing the assist for each of the last three.