Alloa Athletic 1-2 Celtic: Giakoumakis & Abada see off spirited League 1 hosts

Alloa Athletic 1-2 Celtic: Giakoumakis & Abada see off spirited League 1 hosts

by Emily Smith
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Georgios Giakoumakis’ second Celtic goal opened the scoring at Indodrill StadiumGoals from Georgios Giakoumakis and Liel Abada earned Celtic a Scottish Cup last-16 place – but only after a late fright against League 1 Alloa Athletic.

Greek striker Giakoumakis’ tidy finish opened the scoring before Israeli winger Abada curled in a fine second.

Conor Sammon’s late header gave the part-timers hope as the visitors passed up a flurry of second-half chances.

But Barry Ferguson’s third-tier side were unable to force extra-time as Celtic saw the game out comfortably.

The League Cup holders will welcome Raith Rovers in the last 16 on weekend of 12/13 February.

The Premiership side’s wastefulness will be a cause for concern for boss Ange Postecoglou, who was dealt a blow as trio Callum McGregor, Yosuke Ideguchi and Abada all suffered injuries.

Captain McGregor was substituted following a first-half head knock, while Ideguchi and Abada were on the end of strong tackles.

“Abada and Yosuke [Ideguchi] should be okay,” Postecoglou said. “Cal [McGregor] is the one we’re most concerned about. It’s a facial injury; he’s not a great shape. It’s not going to be short-term, it looked quite significant.”

Celtic to host Raith in last 16Reaction & as it happenedCeltic made their early dominance count when Liam Scales’ inch-perfect cross found Giakoumakis, who cushioned a fine finish into the roof of the net.

The opening goalscorer had the chance to double the lead moments later, but failed to scoop an effort on target when through on goal.

Celtic continued to probe as Daizen Maeda had a near-post effort turned behind, but Alloa did well to avoid passing up a host of chances even though Ferguson’s men were chasing shadows.

The League 1 side stuck in there, though, and very nearly got themselves back in the game when Sammon raced through and struck on the volley, only for Celtic keeper Joe Hart to make a big save.

The hosts were made to pay for that miss when Abada came off the right and guided in an excellent left-foot finish high into the far corner.

Abada maintained his level of threat before he had to be forced off, with Alloa keeper David Hutton clawing a dangerous cross from the 20-year-old off the line.

Hutton bettered that stop soon after, tipping a diving header from Maeda round his near post, while at the other end Sammon gave Hart no chance with a header of his own, glancing into the far corner.

That fuelled the part-time hosts with hope, who gave their all until the final minute when Alan Trouten’s eyes lit up on the edge of the area, but the 36-year-old fluffed his lines with the game’s last chance.

Alloa Athletic manager Barry Ferguson: “I’m delighted with the effort my players put in, I’m proud of the boys. The second goal killed us a wee bit.

“But I said at half-time to keep going and they certainly done that. We made a game of it. We nearly got there in the end, we just couldn’t get that wee bit of luck.”

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou: “Overall, it was OK. We got the job done, that’s the most important thing.

“We could’ve created more and been more clinical. The game got a bit scrappy second half. We made things more difficult than we needed to.”

Player of the match

RobertsonJon Robertson

with an average of 9.41

Alloa AthleticSquad number8Player nameRobertson

Squad number12Player nameScougall

Squad number10Player nameTrouten

Squad number18Player nameSammon

Squad number19Player nameNiang

Squad number2Player nameTaggart

Squad number6Player nameDurnan

Squad number11Player nameBoyd

Squad number3Player nameChurch

Squad number16Player nameKing

Squad number7Player nameCawley

Squad number31Player nameHutton

Squad number5Player nameGraham

Squad number4Player nameHowie

CelticSquad number7Player nameGiakoumakis

Squad number15Player nameHart

Squad number56Player nameRalston

Squad number17Player nameJota

Squad number38Player nameMaeda

Squad number16Player nameMcCarthy

Squad number4Player nameStarfelt

Squad number57Player nameWelsh

Squad number6Player nameBitton

Squad number11Player nameAbada

Squad number5Player nameScales

Squad number18Player nameRogic

Squad number21Player nameIdeguchi

Squad number42Player nameMcGregor

Line-upsAlloaFormation 4-2-3-1

31Hutton

2Taggart5Graham6Durnan3Church

16King4Howie

7Cawley19Niang11Boyd

18Sammon

31Hutton2Taggart5Graham6Durnan3Church16KingSubstituted forTroutenat 77’minutes4HowieSubstituted forRobertsonat 45’minutes7CawleySubstituted forScougallat 77’minutes19NiangBooked at 60mins11Boyd18SammonSubstitutes8Robertson9Armour10Trouten12Scougall17Armstrong20O’Donnell21BurtCelticFormation 4-1-4-1

15Hart

56Ralston57Welsh4Starfelt5Scales

21Ideguchi

11Abada18Rogic42McGregor38Maeda

7Giakoumakis

15Hart56Ralston57Welsh4Starfelt5Scales21IdeguchiSubstituted forBittonat 63’minutes11AbadaSubstituted forNeves Filipeat 52’minutes18Rogic42McGregorSubstituted forMcCarthyat 45’minutesBooked at 71mins38Maeda7GiakoumakisSubstitutes2Jullien3Taylor6Bitton16McCarthy17Neves Filipe29Bain41Hatate49Forrest88JuranovicReferee:Don Robertson

Attendance:3,022

Live TextMatch ends, Alloa Athletic 1, Celtic 2.

Second Half ends, Alloa Athletic 1, Celtic 2.

Attempt missed. Daizen Maeda (Celtic) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Jota.

Attempt missed. Alan Trouten (Alloa Athletic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Scott Taggart.

Attempt missed. Mouhamed Niang (Alloa Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Steven Boyd.

Foul by Daizen Maeda (Celtic).

Mouhamed Niang (Alloa Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Anthony Ralston (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Alan Trouten (Alloa Athletic).

Offside, Alloa Athletic. Andy Graham tries a through ball, but Conor Sammon is caught offside.

Attempt missed. Jota (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.

Attempt blocked. Giorgos Giakoumakis (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Daizen Maeda.

Attempt blocked. Giorgos Giakoumakis (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Tomas Rogic.

Attempt blocked. Mouhamed Niang (Alloa Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Foul by Carl Starfelt (Celtic).

Conor Sammon (Alloa Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Goal! Alloa Athletic 1, Celtic 2. Conor Sammon (Alloa Athletic) header from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jon Robertson.

Substitution, Alloa Athletic. Alan Trouten replaces Adam King.

Substitution, Alloa Athletic. Stefan Scougall replaces Kevin Cawley.

Foul by Liam Scales (Celtic).

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