Celtic 0
Ross County 2
League Cup (Second Round)


Celtic 

0 - 2

Ross County


League Cup (Second Round)
Sunday, November 29th, 2020
Celtic Park, Glasgow (Behind closed doors)
2:00 PM Kick-off


Goalscorers
None. Ross Stewart (pen.) (39)
Alex Iacovitti (84)

Team Managers
Neil Lennon Stuart Kettlewell

Starting Eleven
1 Vasilios Barkas
2 Christopher Jullien
6 Nir Bitton
35 Kristoffer Ajer
8 Scott Brown
17 Ryan Christie
44 Hatem Elhamed
93 Diego Laxalt
10 Albian Ajeti
18 Tomas Rogic
22 Odsonne Edouard
Ross Laidlaw
Keith Watson
Coll Donaldson
Callum Morris
Alex Iacovitti
Josh Reid
Harry Paton
Iain Vigurs
Charlie Lakin
Stephen Kelly
Ross Stewart

Bench
3 Greg Taylor
4 Shane Duffy
11 Patryk Klimala
21 Olivier Ntcham
27 Mohamed Elyounoussi
29 Scott Bain
42 Callum McGregor
52 Ewan Henderson
56 Anthony Ralston
Ross Munro
Ben Williamson
Connor Randall
Michael Gardyne
Jordan Tillson
Matthew Wright
Jermaine Hylton
Billy Mckay

Substitutions
Mohamed Elyounoussi for Albian Ajeti (68)
Callum McGregor for Nir Bitton (68)
Shane Duffy for Hatem Elhamed (79)
Patryk Klimala for Tomas Rogic (84)
Jordan Tillson for Charlie Lakin (13)
Connor Randall for Josh Reid (77)
Billy Mckay for Harry Paton (89)

Cautions
Shane Duffy (82) Harry Paton (27)

Red Cards
None. None.

Match Officials

Kevin Clancy (Referee)





Match Report


Source unknown.

Ross County halted Celtic’s run of 36 domestic cup matches without defeat by knocking the holders out at Celtic Park. A first half penalty from Ross Stewart and a late header from Alex Iacovitti send Stuart Kettlewell’s side into the quarter final draw in a performance that showcased some excellent defending and game intelligence by the Staggies.

It was the Staggies who started the brighter. Harry Paton found himself with the ball 8 yards out to the right of the goal, but his effort rippled the wrong side of the near post. It was then a moment that Stuart Kettlewell didn’t want to see just 60 seconds after Paton’s chance. Charlie Lakin took to the deck with what looked like a thigh injury and had to be replaced by Jordan Tillson.

The hosts had an ideal chance to take the lead midway through the first half. Ryan Christie getting past a couple of County players before being felled by Coll Donaldson. Odsonne Edouard stepped up to take the freekick which was dead centre on the edge of the Ross County box but Ross Laidlaw was equal to it with a good stop low to his left.

6 minutes before the half time interval the Staggies would take the lead. Josh Reid showed a piece of individual excellence to get past his man on the left hand side and crossed low to the near post where he round Ross Stewart. Stewart was felled in the box leaving referee Kevin Clancy with no choice but to point to the spot. Sending Barkas the wrong way, Ross Stewart gave the visitors the lead hammering his spot kick to the right.

Celtic had the chance to level before the break. Ajeti found himself in space and was played through with just Laidlaw to beat but his curled his effort off the inside of the bar and saw it cleared.

The start of the second half saw holders of the Cup, Celtic, try and exert more pressure on the County rear-guard. Ross Laidlaw pulled out a top drawer save from close range on 55 minutes. The ball performing a pinball act in the 18 yard box and Edouard managing to hammer a shot towards the target where Laidlaw was equal to it.

County did respond and there was neat link up play from Josh Reid, Ross Stewart and Iain Vigurs that saw the latter take aim towards Barkas’ goal from 30 yards but it was an easy hold for the Greek stopper.

As the game drew on Celtic Substitute Mo Elyounoussi glanced a header beyond the far post. This was followed by a great opportunity for Edouard who fired high from close range moments later. The Staggies were forced in to another change with 15 minutes remaining as Josh Reid had to be replaced by Connor Randall after picking up a knock.

With six minutes remaining County won a corner and a prime opportunity to keep the ball in the Celtic final third. This was after great work by Ross Stewart and Jordan Tillson who were trying to drive the Staggies toward the Celtic defensive line. Coll Donaldson glanced the ball on at the near post and Alex Iacovitti managed to get free of his man at the back post and head beyond Barkas and doubling the Staggies lead at Celtic Park.

Substitute Connor Randall almost made it 3 just moments later. He picked up a loose ball and drove towards goal beating two players and having a clear pathway to take aim at Barkas, he fired the ball toward goal but the Celtic Stopper did manage to save at his near post.

That would prove to be the last real action of the match and Stuart Kettlewell and his team make their way in to the quarter finals of the competition. It was a display of heart, determination and commitment on a day to remember for the Staggies.

*Match report courtesy of Ross County Football Club*.



Squad Statistics (as at November 29th, 2020)


2020/21 All Time
Age
Ross Laidlaw (GK)28 15 - 37 -
Coll Donaldson25 191271
Keith Watson31 8 - 643
Josh Reid18 17 - 17 -
Alex Iacovitti23 202202
Callum Morris30 5 - 431
Stephen Kelly20 12 - 12 -
Charlie Lakin21 9191
Iain Vigurs32 15121828
Harry Paton22 181483
Ross Stewart24 1967728
Connor Randall (sub)25 12 - 12 -
Jordan Tillson (sub)27 17 - 25 -
Billy Mckay (sub)32 17210836






League Table (as at November 29th, 2020)


No league table has been added for this season.