HOWEVER you want to describe Ange Postecoglou’s unique style at Celtic, it certainly isn’t the easy way.
To follow the Australian’s pre-match quip through about him abandoning his principles being akin to a vegetarian popping in for a ‘Maccas’, boy, do his players like to make a supersize meal of things at times.
Ultimately, they got their just desserts in the end here against Ferencvaros, as Kyogo Furuhashi’s brilliantly taken goal from a delicious Jota assist and David Turnbull’s fortuitous second late on gave Celtic the three points they needed and fully merited to keep their hopes of qualifying for the Europa League knockout rounds alive.
It was captain Callum McGregor of all people who inadvertently made life more difficult than it had to be against a Ferencvaros side who offered very little, and frankly looked disinterested for much of the day.
The midfielder had a penalty saved not long after Celtic had broken the deadlock, but it mattered not as the much-maligned Celtic defence stood firm to collect their second clean sheet on the bounce, before Turnbull put the gloss on the scoreline that the home side’s performance deserved.
Despite the Tuesday afternoon kick-off time, the Celtic support did their best to give the stadium the feel of a big European night, with the stands packed and the atmosphere possibly only lacking the edge that a few extra hours of lubrication in the pubs around the ground would have provided.
There was a message for UEFA too from the Green Brigade, and you didn’t need to be Susie Dent to crack their own colourful Countdown conundrum, or decipher what they felt about having to take a half-day holiday just to come and watch their team.
The only change to the line-up from Saturday’s win over Motherwell was the inclusion of the fit-again Adam Montgomery at left-back in place of Boli Bolingoli. If it isn’t broke, and all that.
It was Ferencvaros who would threaten first though as Myrto Uzuni got in on Celtic’s left all too easily, firing the ball across for Ryan Mmaee at the near post. Thankfully for the hosts, he got his contact all wrong, and the ball spun to safety. It was a rare foray into home territory.
Celtic’s first real opportunity came after some neat play from Turnbull and McGregor saw the skipper play Jota in on the left, with goalkeeper Denes Dibusz equal to his effort from the angle of the box.
Man of the moment Jota came close again with a long-range effort that Dibusz stretched to tip over, but there was a lull in the proceedings and the atmosphere as Celtic then patiently passed the ball around searching for a way through the packed visiting defence. Through to the break it rather gave the match the feel of an afternoon kick-off against a lower-end Premiership side, with Postecoglou’s men needing an injection of urgency and invention.
With the Hungarians sitting so deep, there was little opportunity to get Furuhashi into the game and utilise his pace and movement in behind, resulting in the Japanese striker cutting something of peripheral figure in the opening 45.
Celtic had to get him involved, and they almost did soon after the restart as Anthony Ralston’s low cross found the forward darting in at the near post, but the ball just evaded him before he was flagged offside.
It was more promising from the hosts though, and when they next got Furuhashi involved, they got their rewards.
Celtic played themselves out of trouble down in their own left-back area, Jota emerging with the ball, getting his head up and producing a peach of a defence-splitting long pass with the outside of his right foot.
Furuhashi took a touch to nudge it into his stride before calmly slotting low to Dibusz’s left to send Celtic Park wild, including Albanian president Ilir Meta, who was beside himself in front of the press box.
The game should have been out of sight soon after as Montgomery was tripped in the box by Samy Mmaee to gift Celtic a penalty, but McGregor’s effort from the spot high to Dibusz’s left was palmed away by the keeper to keep his side within touching distance.
There was something of a conservative move from Postecoglou in response, or as close as you are ever likely to get from him, as he swapped Tom Rogic for Nir Bitton and moved Furuhashi to the right to accommodate Giorgos Giakoumakis up top, with Liel Abada making way.
Giakoumakis made an impact with his powerful running and strength, and he almost got on the scoresheet as he took a Furuhashi cross on his chest and produced a bicycle kick that whistled over.
Moments later though the clincher would come. And wouldn’t you know it, when the chance arrived, Turnbull made something of a meal of it.
Jota forced the ball across goal where the midfielder looked certain to tap home, only to miss his kick and send the ball spinning into the air with his standing foot. Dibusz came out, Turnbull stretched out a leg, and somehow the ball ended up in the top corner.
He should have had another moments later as he sclaffed a great opportunity wide with just Dibusz to beat, and Jota then missed another glorious chance when put through by substitute Mikey Johnston.
Had it been four or five, Ferencvaros could have had no complaints. But then, that would have been too easy now, wouldn’t it?
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