Flag Day and the road to 10

It all starts here!!

The new season 2020/21 begins one of the biggest season in both the clubs - and also the games history!! This could be the season where the best football team in the world begin their quest for TEN titles in a row. It is an achievement that has never happened before and one that the fans have been building towards for years.

The big team news was the omission of the new record signing for a goalkeeper in favour of the incumbent Scott Bain. New signing Barkas from AEK Athens would have to sit and watch from the stands for the opener.

Bain

Frimpong Jullien Ajer Taylor

Brown McGregor

Forrest Christie Ellyounoussi

Edouard​

The game got off to a busy start with a couple of early chances. Firstly Jullien from a corner followed by Ajer with a header which lacked a little direction and ended up over the bar.

Hamilton proved early that they were here for a game too and had a chance in seven minutes, as a loose pass from Jullien gave Winter a chance from 20 yards that Bain parried over the bar. They followed this by a nice passage of play that opened another opportunity. A clever backheel from Winter in midfield was struck across field to Odoffin. His cross into the box was met by the head of Moyo but the ball went inches wide of Bains goalpost.

Celtic upped the pace shortly after. A corner was met on the volley by Jullien which rattled the outside of the post. Hamilton midfielder Martin was cautioned for a brutal tackle on Frimpong who had ghosted past him.

The first goal of the season would fall to none other than Edouard after 19 minutes of play. Christie did well to get the ball to Frimpong who passed centrally to the French hitman. Eddy passed to Taylor on the left and his excellent ball into the centre was met by the striker to continue his good form of last season.

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Once again Hamilton came close after Sean Want came close with a header from 6 yards from a corner, but he glanced it over the bar.

Frimpong was causing issues for the Hamilton defence, and his nifty footwork on the right allowed him to stroke a great cross to Edouard, but his headed effort went just past the post on the keepers right.

Celtic were playing some great stuff, probing the Hamilton rearguard for n opening. McGregor sent a nice ball to the impressive Taylor who again crossed sublimely into the path of Frimpong to stroke home the second of the game.

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The Champions looked to be on easy street, but only three minutes after doubling their lead, the visitors tried to spoil the party with a goal of their own. A long diagonal free kick wasn't cleared well and dropped to Scott Martin on the edge of the box. His shot deflected off both McGregor and Jullien before inching past the despairing grasp of Scott Bain in goal.

With the visitors making inroads against the lead - the impetus seemed to drain for a while. Ross Callaghan was yellow carded for coming through the back of Ellyounoussi and Christie came close with the resultanat free kick. Only the glancing head off someone in the Hamilton wall stopped it from getting up and down in time and it nestled on the top of the net.

Moi got a shot away before the break, but it was easily saved by the keeper. The last chance of the first half fell once again to Jullien lurking at the backpost and another ferocious volley was somehow blocked by Hamilton.


I'm not sure what Lenny said in the dressing room at half time but the Celts came out all guns blazing in the second half and had restored the two goal cushion within three minutes and it was a thing of beauty. A clever break with Bain and Christie involved led to Forrest charging down the right wing and his beautifully weighted pass fell right into the stride of Edouard who casually side footed it it high into the net for his second.

Eddy had another chance with a slide rule pass from Calmac saved by the onrushing keeper but he was not to be refused his hat trick. Some nice passing from Forrest, then Elyuounoussi to Christie on the right - his shot was parried but only into the path of the talismanic striker to claim his third of the afternoon with a right foot shot rifled into the onion bag.

Christie had a shot deflected for a corner and Forrest came close with a curling effort after cutting in from the right hand side, but the keeper was up for both efforts much to their chagrin.

Ajer committed to a lung busting run that ended up dropping to his feet in the penalty box. His pass to Elyounoussi led to a decent strike from the on loan Norwegian but the keeper was once again well placed to palm it away round his post.

Lennon made a few changes to freshen things up moving in to the last 20 minutes or so and one of the subs N'tcham played in a lovely ball that dropped to the feet of Jullien in the box but he couldn't quite find the finish or get a touch on the rebound.

Klimala who had also came on found himself on the end of a floated ball from N'tcham but there wasn't sufficient power generated to trouble. He was not finished there though, and was about to score the goal of the game in my opinion.

Jullien took the ball in defence and passed a ball into the right hand channel for the Pole to chase. It was perfectly weighted but he had a lot to do to hold off a Hamilton defender. He showed great strength, speed and footwork to fire a shot low across the keeper into the far corner of the net for his first competitive goal for the club. It really was a beauty.



It ended there with Celtic claiming a 5-1 victory. It was great to see
the team play so well and it was great to see the celebration of the unfurling of the flag - but most of all - it was just great to be able to watch the club we all love so dearly, playing football again. I've missed it so much.

On to 10 bhoys. Great start.