Celtic delivered an impressive display at home to secure their place in the Europa League knockout stages with a 4-2 victory over Dutch side FC Utrecht on Thursday evening. Interim manager Martin O'Neill expressed his delight with both the result and the performance, highlighting the team's resilience after a challenging start to the competition.
Comfortable Victory Despite Brief Utrecht Fightback
The Scottish champions started strongly at Celtic Park, with Benjamin Nygren opening the scoring early on. An own goal from Utrecht defender Nick Viergever and an Arne Engels penalty extended Celtic's advantage, putting them in a commanding position. Auston Trusty added a crucial fourth with a powerful header, though the visitors threatened a comeback with goals from Dani de Wit and Adrian Blake making it 3-2 at one stage.
O'Neill's Post-Match Assessment
Martin O'Neill acknowledged the match wasn't entirely straightforward, particularly when Utrecht scored twice to create some nervous moments. "I thought our pressing was terrific," O'Neill commented. "And, as a consequence, we got ourselves a couple of goals in front. They get a goal back and it unnerves you a little bit. But Trusty comes up with a great header and naturally we deserved to win the game."
The manager praised his players' efforts, noting that qualification seemed unlikely after winning just one of their first four Europa League matches. "Great credit to the players, genuinely great credit to them," O'Neill added. "They worked tirelessly on what they have done."
Looking Ahead to the Play-Offs
Celtic will discover their play-off opponents on Friday, with either Ferencvaros or Stuttgart awaiting in the next round. Should they progress, potential round of 16 opponents include Portuguese sides Braga or Porto. Interestingly, Ferencvaros are managed by Robbie Keane, the former Celtic striker who was once managed by O'Neill himself.
"Robbie's just starting his managerial career," O'Neill said of his former player. "And from the start he's made, he's doing really, really well. He was a great player too so he's got a bit of pedigree."
Transfer Speculation Surrounding Wingers
Following the match, O'Neill addressed transfer rumours linking Celtic with moves for wingers Fares Ghedjemis of Italian Serie B club Frosinone and Damir Redzic from Slovakian side DAC Dunajska Streda. The manager confirmed both players are on the club's radar, though he remained cautious about making definitive statements.
"I've got to tell you, you wouldn't be a million miles away with those names," O'Neill revealed. "Would it be one or the other? It could be. They're both wingers. There's progress today on certain things, yes. I don't want to be that cryptic. I would hate to say something is absolutely certain and then it fell away."
The victory represents a significant achievement for Celtic in European competition, providing momentum as they prepare for the crucial play-off round that will determine their continued participation in this season's Europa League.
