KARAMOKO DEMBELE made history for Celtic.
And fellow youngster Scott Robertson had reason to be proud too.
Karamoko Dembele, 16, became Celtic’s youngest-ever player in EuropeCredit: AP:Associated Press
But other than that it was a night to instantly forget for the below par Hoops.
At 16 years, nine months and 20 days little attacking sub Dembele became Celtic’s youngest player in Europe.
A special moment for him and his family while Robertson’s start added to a fine night for the club’s academy.
But goals from Andrei Burca and Damjan Djokovic ensured otherwise it was a game to immediately erase from the Hoops memory banks.
It’s fair to say you’d get long odds for seeing this Celtic team again.
Left behind and resting in Glasgow were Fraser Forster, Callum McGregor, Ryan Christie, Tom Rogic and Odsonne Edouard while Scott Brown was suspended and Jeremie Frimpong was ineligible.
Cluj emerged victorious in Romania but Celtic still topped the groupCredit: AP:Associated Press
Robertson came in for a stunning Hoops debut – as revealed by SunSport – while Craig Gordon, Leigh Griffiths and Scott Sinclair got their first starts for months.
Other than the £480,000 for a win there was precious little at stake for Group E winners Celtic at the far from full and humble Constantin Radulescu stadium which has an open end with a house just 20-yards behind the goal..
But, then, Lennon’s nature craves victory in every game.
Cluj needed only a point to join the Hoops in progressing.
Boss Dan Petrescu walked out side by side with Lennon – patting each other on the back as they strode across to the dugouts – and no doubt was ribbed by the Celts boss for tipping his side as potential competition winners.
Christopher Jullien – walking a suspension tightrope – was sloppy after just 40 seconds with a needless, poorly hit pass across the face of the box which luckily led to nothing.
Lennon named a much-changed side with qualification already assuredCredit: Kenny Ramsay – The Sun Glasgow
Youngster Scott Robertson made his senior debut for the clubCredit: Reuters
For all that Cluj were on edge – keen throughout to hear how Lazio were getting on against Rennes – there was a lack of atmosphere in the ground to help them.
Celtic, too, would’ve probably preferred a bit more noise to keep them lively.
Cluj had a half-hearted penalty appeal in the 10th minute for a Boli Bolingoli challenge from behind on Ciprian Deac. But Turkish ref Halis Ozkahya rightly blanked it.
Celtic were hardly under siege in a numbing first half.
Their first moment of threat – using the word loosely – came from a decent Bolingoli cross to the near post which a diving Giedrius Arlauskis collected well.
Griffiths was always a willing runner whenever the Celts defenders were looking for an out-ball.
And he darted into the Cluj box in the 16th minute to meet a Lewis Morgan cross but couldn’t get enough connection in his attempted volley, partly blocked by Cestor Mike.
Jullien once more caused the Hoops unnecessary worry in the 18th minute with an aimless free-kick.
Celtic’s second-string side failed to impressCredit: AP:Associated Press
It led to Billel Omrani exchanging passes with Lacina Traore before hitting a powerful right foot shot from 18-yards which Gordon parried well to his left.
Then, nine minutes from the break, a Deac free-kick picked out Traore at the far post but his miscued header was never bothering Gordon as it went well wide.
Celtic’s only other highlight of the half was a stunning Mikey Johnston run – following good work by Griffiths – and a right foot shot which took a slight deflection, looped up and dropped just wide.
It was no surprise that Jullien was subbed at the break – replaced by Kristoffer Ajer – as he’d been getting close to the booking which would’ve got him a ban for the last 32 first leg.
Neither side had been sparkling, Celtic very much looking like a makeshift team.
But there was joy for Cluj with a 49th minute opener.
Deac’s whipped in corner saw Burca storm into the box – past a sleeping Bolingoli – and power a point-blank header beyond a helpless Gordon and in off the post.
It was a poor goal to concede.
The away side were in party modeCredit: Kenny Ramsay – The Sun Glasgow
And they almost lost an even worse one just two minutes later – courtesy of Gordon.
The keeper was way too slack with an attempted pass out of his box to Moritz Bauer, over-hitting it and Juan Culio gratefully collected. He instantly squared it for Deac.
The wide-man suddenly had a clear shot at goal – and his effort was pushed away by a diving Gordon.
Celtic’s response was a 57th minute close range header from Griffiths – rising well to meet a Bauer cross – which went straight to Arlauskis.
Soon after Ntcham tried his luck with a long range shot but it lacked the power to really trouble the Cluj keeper.
The Romanians, however, wanted this more – and they got a second goal in the 69th minute.
Culio’s superb ball from the left arrowed across Gordon’s goal and at first looked to be heading out to safety. But the excellent Deac had other ideas.
He raced in to brilliantly clip it back at an angle for Djokovic to slam the ball home from point-blank range.
Celtic’s defence had been horribly exposed again – but from a Cluj perspective it was a terrific goal.
That was that.
Dembele made his historic entrance in the 72nd minute for Johnston, another fine moment for Celtic’s academy.
But the Hoops were lucky not to lose a third in the 77th minute – Deac racing into the box and firing a left foot shot which Gordon dived high to push away.
In stoppage time the Celts keeper produced a reflex stop from Traore.
Celtic star Scott Brown shouts ‘I can’t wait for the free bar’ in celebration with chief exec Peter Lawwell
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
