Pre-season friendly
Saturday, July 17, 2021
Celtic Park, Glasgow

CELTIC… 0

PRESTON NORTH END… 1
(Whiteman 64pen)

A Ben Whiteman penalty just after the hour mark was enough to give Preston North End a 1-0 victory in their pre-season clash with Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side at Paradise. It was a soft award by referee, Kevin Clancy, but the Preston player converted the effort beyond Scott Bain.

In a first-half of few chances, it was Vasilis Barkas who kept the visitors at bay with two superb saves early in the game, including one from former Celt, Scott Sinclair, who had received a warm welcome from the 2,000 Celtic supporters in the stadium.

At the other end, it was David Turnbull who came closest for Ange Postecoglou’s side. His first effort from the edge of the box went just wide of Declan Rudd’s right-hand post, while just after the half-hour mark, he had a shot on target which the Preston goalkeeper saved with his foot.

In between those two efforts, Liam Shaw, playing in the midfield three alongside Turnbull and captain, Callum McGregor, fired a right-foot shot from 25 yards that went wide.

And just before the break, Adam Montgomery and Greg Taylor combined well down the left-hand side, with the latter rolling the ball into the path of Anthony Ralston, but his effort went high and wide.

Ange Postecoglou made a number of changes at the break, most notably replacing Barkas with Scott Bain, while there were further substitutions at the hour mark, with Liel Abada coming on for his first appearance in the Hoops.

But just four minutes after that, the visitors were awarded a penalty when Sean Maguire went down in the box under little pressure. The referee pointed to the spot and Whiteman duly slotted the ball home.

Preston had a chance to extend their lead soon after, but Patrick Bauer’s header was comfortably saved while, at the other end, Dane Murray connected with Ewan Henderson’s free-kick, but couldn’t direct his header on target.

Liel Abada went even closer on 74 minutes, firing a right-foot shot on target from 16 yards, but it was well saved by the Preston goalkeeper, denying the Israeli internationalist a dream debut goal.

With two minutes remaining, Declan Rudd produced another superb stop, this time to deny Henderson, whose curling effort from the edge of the ‘D’ looked destined for the top corner of the net.

CELTIC: Barkas, Taylor, Ajeti, Turnbull, Urhoghide, Shaw, McGregor, Montgomery, Ralston, Welsh, Moffat.
Subs: Bain, Abada, Rogic, Edouar, Bolingoli, Afolabi, O’Connor, Coffey, Robertson, Murray, Henderson, Hjelde.

Celts pay the penalty as Preston win pre-season clash