Challenge Match
Chelsea Training Centre
London
Wednesday, January 15, 2020

CHELSEA U23s…0

CELTIC RESERVES…1
(Robertson 67)

CELTIC’S reserve side produced an impressive performance and superb result to beat Chelsea 1-0 at the London club’s training ground.

It was a thoroughly deserved victory for a young Hoops side, with Scott Robertson, who made his first-team debut back in December, scoring the only goal of the match in the 67th minute.

Tommy McIntyre’s side started the match brightly, and after winning a couple of free-kicks, they had the ball in the Chelsea net in the fourth minute when Robbie Deas headed home Luca Connell’s set-piece. However, it was ruled out for offside.

The Hoops continued to press forward and it took until the 11th minute before the home side managed to put a dangerous ball into the Celtic box, but it was calmly cleared to safety by Daniel Church.

The match settled into a good contest, with both sides battling to create openings, and on 35 minutes, Karamoko Dembele danced past his marker before hitting a shot that was well-saved by the Chelsea goalkeeper while, at the other end, Deas came to Celtic’s rescue with a strong block when it looked as though the home side were going to score.

Into the second-half, and Barry Coffey came close to grabbing the opener. The Irish midfielder latched on to a through ball from Karamoko, but his chip over the keeper just went narrowly wide.

However, as the game moved towards the final third, it was Celtic who scored the opener in the appropriate 67th minute

Robertson made a wonderful run towards the Chelsea goal, creating space and slotting the ball into the far corner of the net.

And just five minutes later, Celtic almost extended their lead, but Connell’s shot, following great link-up play between Coffey, Karamoko and Jonathan Afolabi, was blocked.

Tommy McIntyre’s side were continuing to press forward in search of a second goal, and Afolabi did well to beat the offside trap and go around the keeper before hitting a goalbound shot that was scrambled clear by a Chelsea defender.

Although Celtic looked the more likely side to get the next goal, the Hoops defence also had to remain resolute in the face of Chelsea counter-attacks, and the home side came close with a chance from outside the area that went just wide of the target.

However, Celtic confidently saw out the game to secure an impressive and thoroughly deserved win over the Premier League outfit.

CELTIC: Mullen, O’Connor, Church, Deas (Welsh 46), Hendry, Robertson, Karamoko (Savoury 84), Coffey, Afolabi (McGrath 81), Connell, Burt (McBride 89).
Subs: Hughes, Hjelde, Paterson,

Super Celts sink Chelsea with Robertson's 67th-minute winner