In a challenging rain-soaked encounter, Twente triumphs 2-0 against Celtic. Explore the match details, player performances, and post-game analysis.
Introduction:
The rain poured on, but at the Celtic end, spirits were not dampened even a little bit. The home fans screamed the loudest ever. The chants around the stadium echoed with the electric atmosphere as Celtic played host to FC Twente in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Despite the good fight put up by Celtic, the Dutch side was too much for them, leaving behind a 2-0 victory over Glasgow.
The Battle Begins: Celtic’s Resilient Defense
The visitors, on the start of the match were really aggressive moving forward in attempt to find that early goal in the game. Chances of scoring increased with rain with it making the slick pitch a lot tougher to play on, but Celtic defense, headed by captain Clark played robust. Sadiku from the touchline was vocal, urging her players to keep their defensive shape. Meanwhile, Twente’s manager Pot paces up and down restlessly; his own team cannot break Celtic’s solid back line.
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Celtic’s efforts in the first half are bolstered by the presence of their fans. With weather like this, the home crowd was optimistic. Their energy was caught on in the Celtic players, who showed some determination in the way they could set about defending. Twente were stifled and unable to take advantage of the early chances.
Twente Breaks the Deadlock: Van Dooren Strikes
It seemed no attempt was going to pay off for Twente, but then their incessant try in the third minute finally reaped a goal. All game, Carleer had been throwing long balls up to the Celtic defense. Flat-footed for the first time, this opened an opportunity for Twente’s forward, Van Dooren, as he capitalized on the ball. With the delicate chip from the edge of the area, she lifted the ball over Celtic goalkeeper Daugherty, propelling Twente into the lead right before the halftime break.
This was a cruel blow for Celtic, who had fought so hard to keep the game at level terms. However, the home side did not drop their heads. At the half-time whistle, the fans were still singing and the players jogged off the pitch with determination. That was not new territory for Celtic either – they had done this before, most spectacularly in their last tie against Rangers. Were the Hoops going to do it again?
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Celtic’s Second-Half Push: Fans Still Believe
The second period was much more positive as the hoops went into overdrive. On the pitch, so did the game. The drumbeat of the Celtic faithful also increased in tempo. Now the home team had to chase the game, and the nature of the game produced some wayward passes. However, the hunger to reclaim possession was worthy of praise, with every player working so hard.
It was then that Twente, although trailing at the end of the allotted 90 minutes, was always a threat on the counterattack. Celtic, forward by necessity, left many open space behind and Twente exploited this situation, and, with the final whistle in sight, Van Dooren scored again, this time from the cut-back by Vliek. It proved a clinical coup-de-grace, which handed victory to Twente and made it impossible for the wounded Celtic to take any hope of coming back for themselves.
Brilliance of Van Dooren and The Supremacy of Twente
Van Dooren’s second goal testified to her position and finishing more than the game plan that had emerged. She was the player of the evening and her two goals the difference between the sides. Twente dominated the game for long spells, the midfield generally dictating the tempo of affairs and the defense comfortably standing up to Celtic’s attack.
Although the 2-0 score line didn’t go in their favor, Celtic can still take pride in that performance. They managed to hold together a relatively well-structured Twente and saw flashes of quality, particularly in their defensive structure. But the ruthless efficiency from Twente in front of the goal decided the game in the end.
What’s next for Celtic?
For Twente, it is game on, as the final whistle marked a stellar start into the UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage. Not so for Celtic, who have had a disastrous day at work and will look to regroup for their next challenge: an away trip to Real Madrid. Twente’s next assignment is back home, facing Chelsea.
Celtic will certainly learn a thing or two about how it feels to be at this level and they must work on getting the attack right while keeping the defensive solidity that they portrayed for most parts of this game. Supporting them, they will definitely rise to the task in their remaining games.