GIORGOS GIAKOUAMKIS was the star of the show on Saturday afternoon as Celtic defeated Ross County 4-0.
It was a sun-drenched afternoon at Celtic Park and the players gave the fans all the encouragement they needed to make it a party atmosphere. Before long it was ‘taps aff’ for many of the fans in the North Curve as they celebrated goal after goal.
There was a certain amount of trepidation going into this match for supporters. Over the previous 20 games, Malky Mackay’s side was the ‘best of the rest’. Surely they’d come to Celtic Park and try to earn something from the game, especially sitting in sixth place on goal difference heading into the tie. A win could have propelled the Dingwall side to fourth in the table.
After a moment of applause for the late Frank Connor, who recently passed away, the captain Callum McGregor joined the huddle, and the visitors got the game underway.
Celtic started quick, with Jota receiving a brilliant ball on the right from Tom Rogic. However, the Portuguese winger fired it over the bar after cutting inside. Celtic looked in the mood from the start and you could sense a goal was coming.
After the Benfica loanee whipped in a corner, the Dingwall side’s defence was strong, but the danger wasn’t over. Jota, on the left, drove into the box, leaving his markers with ease with his tricky skills. The winger then floated the ball to the back post, and on-form Greek striker Giakoumakis met it with his head and nodded the ball downwards. It was an open goal for the centre-forward, but his movement and leap paired with Jota’s ball work made it a good goal.
A minute later, Ange Postecoglou’s men were denied the opportunity to double their advantage from 12-yards out. Ross County loanee, Joseph Hungbo, handled the ball in the penalty box. Don Robinson waved on the claims from the players – replays showed it was an incredibly poor decision.
Celtic didn’t let the decision disrupt their flow, relentlessly attacking the away side, Juranovic floated the ball across to Maeda, who nodded it into the path of the Giakoumakis whose first attempt was cleared of the line by Jack Baldwin, but the striker headed in the rebound. The big Greek man doing ever so well to readjust to find the back of the net.
If Parkhead wasn’t bouncing before, it was now.
Within a minute, Japan internationalist Daizen Maeda had the chance to open his scoring account for the day. The captain played a ball over the top of the defence, meeting the head of the former Yokohama F. Marinos striker’s head, forcing a good save from Ross Laidlaw.
Celtic then got their third of the afternoon after Jota’s out-swinging corner met Giakoumakis, who knocked it on to Maeda, directing it into the back of the net from six-yards out. It was instinctive from the Japanese star and put the game well and truly to bed.
Ross County’s afternoon went from bad to worse when Kayne Ramsey received his marching orders from Don Robertson for a challenge on Tom Rogic. A red card was produced although multiple replays have shown since the decision was harsh.
As a result of the challenge, the Australian midfielder was unable to continue, and Matt O’Riley was introduced.
The referee blew for half-time, with Celtic three goals to the good.
It was a case of damage limitation for Ross County in the second half. The away side looking even more rigid and unwilling to budge in an attempt to smother another Celtic onslaught.
Jota forced Laidlaw into another decent save after he cut in from the right and had a shot at goal.
On the sixty-minute mark, O’Riley headed the ball. Like before, it struck the hand of a County defender and this time, the referee awards the spot-kick.
Juranovic marched to the penalty area to collect the ball. He then turned to Giakoumakis and gave the striker his opportunity to land a hat-trick. The Greek striker made no mistake, sending the keeper to his left as he rolled it into the bottom right hand side of the net.
Postecoglou turned to his bench to welcome David Turnbull back to the side after four months sidelined. In December, the midfielder pulled up in Celtic’s League Cup win with a hamstring injury. Most of the fans inside the ground made sure to give David a massive ovation to welcome him back.
The game fizzled out towards the end and Celtic seemed more than happy with their day’s work.
A ruthless display saw the Hoops extend their advantage at the top of the table to six points, with the attention turning to Rangers when they take on Dundee on Sunday.
Giakoumakis will get the plaudits, rightly so, but the whole team played well, from front to back.
Celtic enter the international break on a great run off form. They’ll be hoping they can pick up where they left off when they travel to Ibrox on Sunday 3rd of April.
