Sydney Super Cup

Accor Stadium, Sydney

Sunday, November 20, 2022

CELTIC… 0

EVERTON… 0

Everton win 4-2 on penalties

Celtic rounded off their trip to Australia with a 0-0 draw before losing out 4-2 on penalties against English Premier League side Everton at the Accor Stadium in Sydney.

Built for the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000, over 40,000 fans - most of which in green and white - were inside the iconic venue to see Ange Postecoglou's team in action.

The fans headed out after watching an entertaining draw with the Celts creating the best opportunities, however, it would go straight to a penalty shootout after 90 minutes and after Giorgos Giakouamkis and Reo Hatate missed, Everton left with the victory.

Celtic, looking to end their tour down under with a positive result, started positively with David Turnbull having the first effort on goal after four minutes which sailed over the bar from 20 yards.

The Hoops were putting Everton under severe pressure early on, keen to make amends for Thursday’s defeat to Sydney FC and almost took the lead moments later when Jota fired a dangerous ball across the box which went untouched.

Moments later, the Premier League side would have their first threatening moment, Anthony Ralston getting in the way of Demari Gray’s goal-bound shot from inside the area which would have tested Joe Hart.

On 11 minutes Frank Lampard’s team really should have taken the lead when Neal Maupay was sent through on goal from Vitalii Mykolenko’s through ball but he got his lob all wrong as it drifted over Hart’s but well wide.

The temperature inside the Accor Stadium for the afternoon kick-off was close to 30 degrees Celsius, a heat that required a cooling break at the halfway point of the first-half.

Straight from the restart, Celtic went on the offensive and their good play saw them awarded a free-kick to the right of centre on 28 minutes which Jota stepped up to take and the Portuguese winger curled it over the wall and saw the ball slam against the bar.

Ralston and Gray were enjoying a good battle down Everton’s left-side. The Scotland international was again there to divert the former Leicester City player’s shot on 32 minutes, which looked to be heading into the bottom right corner.

Despite the chances at either end, neither keeper had been tested. That was until the 36^th minute when Reo Hatate played through Kyogo and he skipped past the challenge of Yerry Mina before forcing Asmir Begovic into a smart stop from 18 yards.

Then, right on the stroke of half-time, Celtic had two good chances to go into the break with the lead, first of all, Hatate had his own effort on goal from the 18-yard line which just whizzed over the crossbar, then David Turnbull smashed a free-kick from 25 yards which Begovic kept out.

Celtic close Sydney tour with penalty shootout defeat to Everton