15/07/2014 Sportscene

One name leads out there, Kallum McGregor starts competitively for

the first time. He was a star last season. Despite a good preseason,

one player is on the bench. The referee is Greek. He is 36 years old

and from Athens. Celtic made it last year, but they turned it round

against the Kazakhstan side and their manager Neil Lennon decided --

said it was his biggest achievement and the ball. It is incredible that

it was a year that Celtic were taking on Cliftonville. It is likely

that they will ask more team -- questions than the Northern Irish

team did. Former Celtic striker and current Scotland assistant boss Mark

McGhee is alongside me. How do you see it going? It can only go

Celtic's way, lots of goals in the teams with Commons. They will have

to start with the right frame of mind. We saw them a year ago at this

stage having to qualify through the sort of games. They concentrated in

did the job may need to get themselves into the group stages. It

is all getting very wheel -- real for the Norwegian manager drafted in

as Neil Lennon's replacement, alongside him, John Collins, the

former Celtic midfielder, back as assistant. Another early start

without being in this accommodation is unthinkable. It would have been

stressed to Ronny Deila early on in the negotiations that brought him

here to Celtic Park. The bread-and-butter no longer satisfies

the appetites of the Celtic supporters. The title is theirs

before a ball is kicked, really, as Griffiths chases the ball.

He start on the right-hand side with Stokes through the middle. Textbook

pass from Charlie, left foot, over the top. Into Griffiths. The touch

did not get him in. They were keeping the ball, being patient,

working the opposition. They do need this European adventure, Celtic.

Here come the Icelandic champions, the most successful side in

Icelandic football being chased down by the English, Martin. He had a

loan spell in Iceland, just ten games, just a up fitness. He ended

up staying. He's been here for a free veneers -- few years now.

Fraser Forster, still a Celtic player, but we don't know Fama to

longer. The Celtic fans will hope a lot longer -- we don't know how much

longer. We were wondering if there was any prospect of him leaving and

they might have compromised him by playing in the Champions League game

if he moves to a club in Europe, and he is playing, so maybe that tells

us he is going to be here. McGregor. An early touch him. A big night for

the 21-year-old. A terrific season in England with Notts County and a

good pre-season with Celtic when they were in Austria. Commons has

found him. He has won a free kick as well. He has done well there.

Quickly. He is stepping in off the left-hand side, on his right foot

it's a difficult thing to pick up. A good opportunity with a free kick.

35 yards out. Stokes leaves it for Munro. Van Dijk. -- Mulgrew. Another

one that Celtic will hope stays at the club is coming campaign. I

thought maybe he could have moved his feet quicker and could have

headed it across goal. Just a little bit high. Mulgrew, firing it out to

lusty, who missed so much of last season through injury. -- two

lasted. -- Lustig. Mulgrew is skippering the side. Scott Brown out

for. -- for the foreseeable future thanks to the horrible hamstring

injury he picked up against Rapid Vienna. Griffiths tries to keep it

alive. Just stepping away from Baldi. In

from Ambrose. Mulgrew. Izaguirre. Stokes is trying to work it back to

the Hondurans. Strong defending, in the writeback area. Hauksson, now

Martin. -- in the writeback area. That is what you need when striker

becomes isolated, when the opposition are dominating, when it

is up there, you need to keep it. He has done well for his team.

KR had been on a good run until last week when they lost to the bottom

side, or at least they were the bottom side, until they came out as

2-0 winners last Thursday night with a goal in each half. Before that,

five wins in a row for KR Reykjavik. Ambrose, sliding it through for

Lustig. Decent looking cross and Griffiths was waiting. Decent cross

into a good area, but you are right, Leigh Griffiths was waiting for it

and he has to be on the move and get across people, but instead he was a

bit flat-footed and did not give himself any opportunity to get on

what the end of was a good cross. Baldur Sigurdsson is playing just in

front of the four-man defence, and he got it clear.

Celtic's top scorer last season. 32 and he's not even an out and out

striker. Very difficult to replicate that. Scotland's Player of the Year,

a fantastic season and gold tally. It will be interesting under the new

management to see if he is given such freedom and such license,

because a lot of the time it doesn't take too much into the defensive

side of the game. I don't mean he does not work hard, but he is very

effective, but it will be interesting to see how his role

develops under the new manager. Hauksson, the former Iceland U21

international. Plays over at right back. They actually lost a left-back

today. The man on loan from Molde was expected to be here but returns

to his home club in Norway this morning. According to the KR

manager,, Runar Kristinsson, he also happens to be Iceland's most capped

player with 104 caps. He has managed to win a trophy every

season since he took the reins here. First time from Johannsson, for

Griffiths. Commons. He is so unlucky. What a hit from Commons.

The flag is up for offside, in the meantime. That was a wonderful

effort. As you were saying, the Player of the Year in Scotland.

Setting the tone already, why should he not be Player of the Year. Taking

its first time. What a fantastic effort to combat of the bar. --

taking it. -- to come back off the bar. Wonderful technique from

Commons, we saw it so often last year, so confident outside the

penalty box. Another example there. Lustig in trouble but gets the free

kick. The shot was overdue because we had played ten minutes and that

was the first one goal, and I think Celtic would be expecting by this

stage, given the possession, to have had a few more shots on goal, but

that has got it started and now we can start to see them build up the

bit of confidence and maybe get some more shots away and May the 1st

goal. Griffiths. One by Gunnarsson, the left-back. Wasn't expecting to

start. The man from Molde, if he had been playing left-back, which he had

most of the season, they are 11 games into their campaign, KR

Reykjavik and that works in their favour tonight. Celtic's first

competitive outing. Johannsson, who played under Ronny Deila. Won the

title with him as well. Johannsson, to Commons. He looks in the mood.

The goalkeeper made a real mess of that and eventually dealt with it,

Stefan Magnusson. A great strike, on target, with power. Gave the

goalkeeper problem and looked as though it moved a little bit. It's

one the bit in the air, but the goalkeeper dealt with it well

enough. -- it swung a bit. Scramble out of the corner, the first of the

match. -- scrambled out for the corner.

Van Dijk almost got there. Ambrose. But a free kick. One of the

interesting things is the interesting relationship between

McGregor and Lustig. Griffiths has to develop that as well. A couple of

times when they have hit the diagonals, they are both on the

touchline, so they haven't got that right yet. You watch the corner, and

the referee blew his whistle before Ambrose got the shot away. It is a

hip injury for Lustig. Hauksson came across. Away by Ambrose. Just

dragging the ball away. The first real questions being asked of the

Celtic defence there. Good work from Gunnarsson on the left-hand side.

Just a word of warning. McGregor trying to search for Anthony Stokes,

thumped away by Sigurdsson. Trying to find Izaguirre, who

appreciate the spot by Commons. Gary Martin's sixth goal. -- sixth

game of this campaign so far. Gunnarsson. Either van Dijk or

Ambrose can step in with the ball and Mulgrew can fill in, so that's a

good bit of security. Leigh Griffiths was a bit slow to get it.

Again, taking it up the park. They do like to marauding forward

from their defensive post. McGregor -- to marauding forward.

Ambrose, and Izaguirre, he played all three of his country 's games at

the World Cup final. Van Dijk had ambitions to be part of

the Dutch squad. Izaguirre. Straight to Balde. -- Lorenzo Balbi. The

pitch could have done with some rain, it is a bit sticky. The

grasses along when you walk across it. It is slowing the ball down a

bit -- the grass is long. Slipped through towards

The long ball forward from Hauksson. Offside flag against Gary Martin.

He feels he probably has something to prove.

Not the best angle to be able to clarify the offside there. Flag was

up as soon as Martin went on goal. Meantime, here come Celtic through

Stokes. Did not catch it well, but Johannsson gets the consolation

prize of a corner. Just came underneath him a little bit and

forced him to side footed. The surface is a little bit slow and it

didn't arrive as quick as he would have liked. Stokes with the corner.

Not a bad headed clearance and it has got KR Reykjavik on their bike,

and it is with Martin. That is a free kick, the referee in agreement.

Again, Martin did well, running down the line. There might have been a

hand on his back to give him the opportunity to go down, but again

good running from him and he's taken his team up the park. Got the team a

free kick, which is good. Lorenzo Balbi is over it. Scored his first

for the club the same night that Luis Suarez scored his two goals

against England. Celtic deal with it and it is with

Callum MacGregor. A great run on the right-hand side from Leigh

Griffiths. There it is with Griffiths. Loads of black and white

shirts back to defend. Stokes is tossing it in. That will be easy for

the goalkeeper, Stefan Magnusson. The 33-year-old in his second spell

at the club. He does have Icelandic caps, ten of them, in fact. Hasn't

played for them since a 4-0 defeat against Hungary a few years back. No

KR Reykjavik players in the Iceland squad in the last couple of years

anyway. And Iceland squad that was very close to getting to Brazil in

the finals that have just finished. They lost out to Croatia in a two

legged play-off. They drew 0-here -- 0-0 here, in a different part of the

cash -- capital. A 2-0 defeat by Croatia through in Zagreb.

The more weeks went by after the arrival of step Johannsson, the more

comfortable he looked, getting into his stride -- Stephan Johansen. He

had not long finish the Norwegian season before he was brought to

Celtic during the January transfer window.

Some legally little fouls being put out -- niggling little fouls being

put in. That was Atlason. Griffiths is offside. At this stage

of the season they are looking to develop the play and see things a

bit earlier. Izaguirre is doing a lot of creeping down the left-hand

side and there have been a couple of times he might have been put in but

at this stage of the season it takes a bit longer to get it right. Grip

is right on the line and it was a tight decision. I pray yes, but the

right decision. -- yes, but the right decision.

Celtic have six of these matches to play if they reaped -- reach the

Champions League. I think it is unfair with a European pedigree like

Celtic, that they have to play these rounds. One qualifying round, maybe

two, but three is ridiculous for a club like Celtic. Secondly, if they

approach it the way they are, these are part of the build-up. They are

not playing a C Milan Barcelona. They are playing a team they should

take care of. Playing at team like this in a pre-season friendly,

instead of that it's competitive, which is better for the builder.

Ronny Deila had plenty to say about it yesterday. All Celtic can do is

keep playing well and then the other clubs can come back to Europe, like

Aberdeen, then Celtic can go back and not have to play these games.

Aberdeen will be joining in on Thursday and then Motherwell are up

against another Icelandic side. Martin's effort. Forster holds on. A

decent effort but the two centre halves, they back off and let them

have a shot. He has a knife or goal, Gary Martin. KR Reykjavik are

currently third in the league. And St Johnstone face lucerne of

Switzerland. Saints away from home in the first leg. Celtic away from

home and on the ball with Izaguirre. He evades the challenge of

Sigurdsson. Celtic contrived to give it away immediately after. 20

minutes gone, they have got to lose patience. They have two games to win

the tie, so it is early and they've not scored yet. They could get

anxious, but they shouldn't and eventually the play will go for them

and they will get a goal, so they don't have to force it and start

hitting long balls, just be patient and keep probing and one of the good

players up front will get a goal. Celtic forfeited home advantage for

the first two qualifiers and they will play at Murrayfield for the

first time next week. Celtic Park being used in the opening ceremony

of the Commonwealth Games morrow. The referee not happy with the

challenge by older Sigurdsson, the KR captain.

Mulgrew. Griffiths. Snapping at his heels.

Johansen. MacGregor. Mole group things it out to Lustig. -- he pings

it out to Lustig. It goes Celtic's way. Celtic finding it difficult

with Reykjavik playing a tight back for an Sigurdsson in front of them,

to get the ball into Commons has been difficult. He is getting

frustrated. He wants the ball and he is moving it from side to side to

create space but not yet been able to find a space often enough in the

central area that was so effective. Celtic were 3-0 winners over

Cliftonville in the first leg at this stage last season and scored

another couple at Celtic Park to comfortably go through. Not quite as

comfortable against the Swedish side in the following round, the third

qualifying round and then what an experience that Celtic, 2-0 down in

the second leg, then won 3-0 with a last-minute goal from James Forrest,

a ?50 million goal that took Celtic into the group stages again. Looking

for a hat-trick of group stage appearances. A long way to go.

Picked up by Josepsson. Very deft from Sigurdsson. He is now on the

ball. Hauksson. Back to him. We have seen plenty of Martin, and he is on

it again. Not a bad delivery either. Lustig had to be at his station and

aware of the thread. Lovely touch by Griffiths. Getting no sympathy from

the referee. The cross from Gunnison. Pressure here for Celtic

to withstand. Yet it is blocked. Griffiths has made the recovery

frustrated with the past. That is Griffiths. It is ambitious. The

goalkeeper has slightly shifted out the centre of the goal and he tried

to hit the long one back into him but didn't quite catch it and he

recovers. Not a ridiculous idea for someone of his ability to go there.

There was a decent period of pressure just before that. I think

Celtic are aware that there is a threat. The important thing about

these games is that Celtic need to get the first goal, and if they

don't, they will be under pressure, but if they get the first goal, you

will see them settle down and they will believe they will win the game.

At the moment there is that bit of edginess and nervousness but the

first goal can help diminish that. This will not help the nerves,

Lorenzo Balbi winning the free kick off Ambrose. And Gary Martin is

sizing this up. Everybody rather than the goalkeeper -- other than

the goalkeeper up and around the penalty area for KR. Martin.

from the left-hand side and they have taken them poorly, much to the

pleasure of Celtic, and they have not been able to put any pressure

through the free kicks as they have fallen short. KR have to take more

advantage and put them in a dangerous area and they have done it

with crosses but not with free kicks. Johansen. Stokes. There is a

danger that Celtic are expected to win this tie, and with some degree

of comfort. Even those in this part of a world were suggesting that.

By think Anthony Stokes should be getting himself back up front. -- I

think. Still nothing each. Sigurdsson. Up and under. Less sick

felt he was felled. The -- Lustig felt he was fouled.

Izaguirre wins a free kick. He is not expecting a challenge. They are

not going to just lie down and be beaten in a Champions League game.

They are going to fight. He needs to get on with it.

Last season's group stage for Celtic yielded just one victory. They won

that one and lost all the others. Miserable compared to the previous

season. A no holds barred clearance there

from Sigurdarson. A wistful look at the referee from Martin. He was

wanting a free kick. A good initial play by Izaguirre.

Lost sight of the goal of there. That was a straight pass. A bit of

space, the movement got him on the ball. A good bit of play from

Stokes. Much more encouraging for Celtic. As the game goes on, there

will be spaces. They have to be patient, and eventually Charlie will

get one of those and they will score a goal. They both have similar

goal-scoring records. Stokes, 68 goals, Commons, 65 and 164 games. --

in 164 games. Stokes was another who really began to crack out in the

second half of the last season. Forster watched all three of

England's World Cup matches from the bench, but a fantastic experience

for him. Lovely ball from McGregor. He has got it in but it could just

not get there. The angle. Much more encouraging. Half a dozen passes and

he ends up with the ball on the left-hand side. Celtic have to build

play and build opportunities. If they keep passing the ball the way

they did then, they will open up this act four. -- back four.

This time last year, Wilson played the last two rounds for Celtic and

then left for Nottingham Forest before the final stage. A real

problem this time last year, Celtic, in the respect that will then left

not long after the start of the season. Hoover had also gone, the

spine of the Celtic team. Look at their domestic record. You would

never know it. One defeat came to Aberdeen.

A free kick. The referee is on the scene. No question, Johansen hauling

Balbi to the deck. Reykjav?k is hardly a metropolis,

but there are six top-flight clubs playing football in the Icelandic

capital. Griffiths to McGregor. This is

promising from a Celtic point of view.

Mulgrew did well to keep that in plate there. He was lucky. He was

just trying to shepherd the ball out for the goal kick. That is lovely

from. Van Dijk. Play on, says the referee. It is not

a massive crowd inside the KR-vollur stadium but they are not happy. They

are right on top of that. You do not often see him play on the

right-hand side. You do not often see him on the right. The manager

will want him to create the space for Lustig, and then he takes it on

to his left foot where he can be effective. It is a good position for

a player like Leigh Griffiths. Not a bad ball thereby Atlason. Well

read by Ambrose. Commons has it now. Now it is with

Haukur Hauksson. Returning the favour.

Apart from the two Commons efforts, one that hit the bar and one that

was saved Magnusson, Celtic have not really troubled the KR Reykjavik

goalkeeper. There will think that the manager will want to encourage,

but it has given them a picture in this first half will stop idea not

think it has been bad for the game at this stage in the type of

opposition. Celtic are doing probably about as well as could be

expected. Johansen and Commons. McGregor.

Mulgrew to Johansen. Great ball by Lustig. Great play all around from

Celtic. The opportunity was set up and it was fantastic. A short pass

and a chip over the back for Lustig. Neither of the players could get the

end of it. Encouraging. Keep playing that, keep doing that, and Celtic

will get there eventually. The quarter is taken by -- the corner is

taken by Mulgrew. He is teasing Finnbogason. Nobody they are in

yellow. -- there in yellow. A couple of minutes to half-time. Celtic are

looking for the vital away goal. If there is anything missing from the

Celtic first-half performance it is that there has not been a player who

has really taken anyone on. When it is tight like this you need someone

just to keep the ball. Sometimes you need someone to try to beat

somebody, Stokes work almonds, someone to take someone on and

create an opportunity. -- Stokes or Commons. A little shuffle

information perhaps from Delia. Maybe move leakers has out to the

left. -- Leigh Griffiths. Only five minutes to half-time and I think it

is late to make that change. Van Dijk gets in the way. Josepsson. I

think McGregor may have found his way into the opposite -- may have

found his way. Johansen. Can Celtic find the

opening goal in the dying seconds of this first-half in Iceland? It is

easy to forget when Celtic are passing the ball and working

Reykjav?k as hard as they are, Reykjav?k are getting tired. They

are trying to contain Celtic and denied them opportunities on the

butt that is hard work. -- opportunities, but that is hard

work. There will be nothing added on at the end of the first half here at

the KR-vollur Stadium. Celtic have come closest to very good ash

Chicago have come closest. Two very good efforts. -- Celtic have come

closest. Two very good efforts. Half-time and the Champions League

qualifying round, first leg. It has not one -- been one to get

the pulse racing. It is all about getting through the qualifying round

and getting closer to the group stages of the Champions League

second leg, which is coming next Tuesday night at Murrayfield. With

me in the studio, my guests. What have you thought of that so far? On

a sticky pitch, the ball does not quite travel like you would like

it. They fell out of it and allowed KR Reykjavik a couple of chances.

This time of the season, that is probably the biggest issue, when you

do not see the pass or you over hate it or you do not get it there. They

want to get a result, they need it, just to get the momentum going. This

is something of a wearing down process, and KR Reykjavik will tire

as they try to constantly deny space and opportunities to Celtic. We were

just saying that it is almost the back four that have talked in really

tight. That can be difficult to break down. Charlie Mulgrew played a

great ball. You would hope that they do tire, but you expect that this

time of year, from a Celtic perspective. McGregor is playing

almost on the inside, and on the other side, Griffiths, who does not

like playing out there, he is tucked in, almost convincing that middle

area, and they are hoping maybe a change of play... There has been one

instance where Celtic... They can get that opportunity and finish it.

You have got to play with pace. You got to play quicker. You are not up

to full speed at this time of year. Scott Brown gives the team real

drive. Johansen in the middle, lovely on the ball, but you need

somebody with the ability to drive past two or three players and catch

the opposition. Celtic needs players who can take people on and go on the

inside and outside, and one of their players was injured and they are

missing him. Players need a good preseason and they need to get their

fitness levels up. Celtic almost scored within the first ten minutes.

When you have got ability like the best, Chris Commons is capable, and

what a fantastic strike. If it drops beneath the cross are, that is a

different game. He would love to get off to a season with a goal like

that, a fantastic strike. Beautiful technique. And it looks already as

if he is going to be as valuable a plow it -- player to Celtic this

season as he was last season. I think Celtic me -- miss the creative

players, and maybe he has stepped in, and he has done magnificently

well over the last few years. They will have to hope that he can

reproduce what he has done over the last couple of years. Little pockets

of space in between the lines, and it makes it difficult for the

opposition to pick up. It is important that he can get on the

ball. He is the one real creative force that they have, but it is

difficult when you are playing against such a tight defence. You

were concerned about the kick out from Forster, just handing

possession straight back. I have spoken to him about this in the

past. This particular instance, he kicked it away, and this was

probably the one key chance, albeit a short one, that he handled quite

well, but it will be interesting, under Ronny Delia, and I think it

will be interesting to see will add that philosophy to his game and

build the game from the back in a more structured way that -- maybe we

have seen in the past. Is there a case for reshuffling the front four?

I think Delia is getting to know the team. Commons is looking to play

that behind and to play that behind and of is to look for the ball.

Griffiths, he wants to play on the last man and stretch the opposition.

Stokes comes and he can float around a lot more. Griffiths is out on the

right and is not comfortable there. If you put him in the middle, you

can put Stokes out wide and McGregor on the other side, and it would be a

better balance, but for Ronny Delia, he is getting to know the players.

He has seen them in training and a few games. This is competitive

football and he will be looking to see if they can step up. We listened

to him on the radio just before we started and he was talking about

McGregor, who had a good knowledge of the game, and he will be hoping

that his players have that and can play a few different positions and

he can have different ways of playing, not just one way every week

that he can change depending on who is playing in the league. He has got

to come into the Scottish league and there will be teams that he has

never played against before, so it'll be interesting. It is

important for him to set tone. Even if they lost, you would expect they

would go to Celtic Park and wind. Getting a victory is vitally

important. The players start to buy into what you are doing as a

manager. You do not get results, the players can sometimes start to ask

questions in terms of, is this guy as great as we think he is? What did

you make up the appointment of Ronny Delia? You bump into him before he

got the job. It was about six weeks before he got the job. We went along

to his club to monitor what the goalkeeper coach was doing. He left,

of course, but I had no idea that he was going to be the Celtic manager

at that point in time. He was impressive and he was involved on

the pitch with his players. He was not doing too much and he was not

too overenthusiastic. We sat down and spoke to him afterwards and

reflected on what they were doing and he impressed me. I really did

not think he would be the Celtic manager. He has also been obviously

impressed people -- he has obviously impressed people. He was known

about. He must have impressed someone to get that huge job. You

would have expected Celtic to get in behind the Reykjav?k defence a lot

earlier than they did. A great ball I Charlie Mulgrew. -- by Charlie

Mulgrew. These guys are on the same wavelength. All of the sudden, the

opposition defence is running back towards their own goals, and it is

difficult to bear. If you get the full-backs getting in... You get

enough bodies in there, and eventually, he will pick somebody

out. That is the thing about Forster, he is someone who can

naturally play the ball and take players on and give you that

penetration and which stopped it is about getting the right balance for

the team, and it will take time for Ronny Delia to find the best lens.

-- blend. They have been without their skipper for three months. You

would expect Celtic to stroll through, but these games get war and

March difficult as you age towards the group stage. -- more and more

difficult. You need to experience, huge experience over the last two

years, Scott Brown was a captain, and he was missing last year, when

he got sent off in vital games, and he can help, and we talk about

younger players coming through, they need experienced players coming

through to really make them settle in, so he will be a huge miss, and

it does not look as though they are going to go to the market and by

someone. If he is out for three months, should they be signing a

Scott Brown type player for that role? It is difficult to find a

replacement for a player like him. He is a top international player. To

go out and get someone of that caliber will cost you a fortune. He

comes back in three or four months. It is a difficult conundrum for the

club. Do we speculate? That is why these guys are earning big money, to

make those decisions. There are going to be difficult rounds to

play. Would you be spending ?30 million on players at this stage not

knowing that you will actually get there? It is a big chance to take. I

think the strategy is quite sensible. They be that is the likes

of Roy Keane or the big guys did not get this job, the demands on them to

get big players. It is all about trying to fight for

the Europa League and there are quite a few hurdles.

We don't know too much about the Icelandic opposition, but those

games look pretty tough for St Johnstone and Aberdeen. I have been

out there before playing in games. They are at a different level than

what we are seeing with KR Reykjavik tonight. There is Switzerland's, I

have been out there for the preseason and they are a tough team.

You see that they have a high standard out there. It is a tough

draw at this stage in the competition. Aberdeen will be

thinking that they might have enough quality to get to the group stages

but they have a long way to go. They are a quality side. The guys in

there, St Johnstone, Motherwell, they are good teams. There are guys

that have played on European stages as well, so they will go into that

tight with a lot of confidence, because they had a good season last

year, and they had someone who could be a potentially great signing for

them. I think those teams have got a good opportunity. This is ready in

analysis takes a strange twist. You will have to explain this. Doing a

bit of dodging there, but the trees were trying to knock me over. Just

doing a bit of filming for the adventure show. And you can find out

what he was happy with. I think it might have been his time on the

adventure show, which is tomorrow night at 7:00pm. Heading back into

the second half of the match in Iceland between KR Reykjavik and

Celtic. It is 0-0 have through. Here comes the second half life, with

your commentators. This is the third time KR Reykjavik have a Scottish

opposition, losing 14-1 on aggregate against Aberdeen in 1969, then

losing against Kilmarnock. Ambrose in the background there. A decent

World Cup campaign with Nigeria. They have had their problems since

their final match in Brazil, their last 16 game against France. Ambrose

played all four games, Bosnia, Argentina, then the game against the

French. Izaguirre played all three games for Honduras against the

French, Ecuador and Switzerland. The closest KR Reykjavik have come to

the group stage was in 2011 when they got to the third round in the

Europa League losing 6-1 on aggregate, but they knocked out a

Slovakian side who had been in the Champions League group the season

before. KR Reykjavik do require a level of respect and I'm sure Ronny

Deila has that in mind. He is up against Runar Kristinsson,

and they came up against each other in the Norwegian top-flight. Ronnie

Christensen was a midfielder, Ronny Deila was a defender. -- Runar

Kristinsson. Here is Albee -- Lorenzo Balbi. Not

a bad ball. It was useful. They have a corner, the host. No, not a bad

ball, and he got a second bite and got a corner kick. I was going to

say, these games are difficult until Celtic get the first goal, and they

do have to bide their time and defend well and keep their

concentration until they get a goal, and then the picture changes

and becomes different. Away by van Dyck. He took a clatter and it might

even have been his central defensive body who did the damage.

They both seem to be OK as their manager watches on, 38-year-old

Ronny Deila, Celtic's 19th manager. Here is the corner that led to van

Dyck and Ambrose getting a sore one -- van Beek -- van

MacGregor. Now the Commons. MacGregor did not look out of place

in the first. Excellent ball for Lustig. The two Scandinavians.

Charlie Mulgrew, for Griffiths. Good effort from Commons again. That one

is off target. It was off target, but that is three out of three for

Celtic that have come from Kris Commons with some interplay between

him and Griffiths. We wondered if there had been a change before

half-time of the managers had swapped MacGregor and Griffiths, but

Griffiths is back on the right-hand side now.

The Icelandic season begins in October. That is due to the harsh

winters. Stokes. MacGregor. Izaguirre. Sigurdsson gets it away

to Martin. He is on his own really. A bit of company. He is not getting

there. Ambrose does. Stephan Johansen. Commons does well to keep

it alive. MacGregor. Just looked like it was opening up the Celtic.

Joss Upson got himself in the way. Part from the passing move and there

was the pace of it -- Josepsson. MacGregor, Commons, or moving

quickly and sprinting into position. That will make it difficult for

Reykjavik. Lustig. And Griffiths. We know he can do a lot better than

that. At this stage of the season, that is

what they are here for, to get it out the way and side -- fine tune

it. Maybe the next sighting will, and he will hit the target.

Eventually the referee makes the decision after Mulgrew was all over

Lorenzo Balbi. Last season was the first time Celtic had to negotiate

the three rounds of qualifying and they are having to do it again this

year. The coefficient says so, and it is frustrating for the Celtic

players and the management team and the supporters, just the fact that

there are teams who finished fourth in their leagues who come in at the

later stages. Away by van Dijk. Sigurdsson with the long ball out. A

wonderful turn. Excellent skill. They do have individuals in the team

who are capable. Yes, and Celtic must respect that. Celtic snuffed it

out, stopping them coming into the box. There were a couple who felt

that their minds have drifted to this fixture. Struggling to hold

onto their title, that is sure. Johansen. It might break for Stokes.

Commons! He has got to score, surely. I think with his quality,

you would expect him to do better, but it was on his right hand side,

not the favoured left. He is trying to hit the target, scoop it into the

top corner but he has, and it is over the left-hand side. Got to

score is maybe taking it a bit too far. Bob Lee Ball causing problems

for the goalkeeper -- a bobbling ball causing problems for the

goalkeeper. MacGregor. Ambrose. Johannsson -- Johansen, for

Griffiths. Good work by MacGregor. That is in towards Griffiths. Celtic

putting a bit of pressure on here. Sigurdsson headed it clear.

The Celtic skipper for the night, Mulgrew. Looks likely to hold onto

the armband in the absence of Scott Brown. Lustig asked the question.

Better pressure from Celtic. They are playing on the front foot and

pressurising a bit higher up the park. There is an added tempo to the

game that was missing in the first. MacGregor has started well. He has

probably gained a lot from his first performance and is getting himself a

bit more involved. MacGregor. Stokes. Stokes again.

This is promising. Commons. Did not quite get a hold of it. Commons may

be expected that wind up in the bottom corner, but MacGregor was at

the heart of it, then Stokes, and the cutback in almost finding its

way into the back of the net. Another huge chance for Kris

Commons. Head in his hands there. Anyone who scored 30 goals a season

does not go a season without missing chances. You only get 30 goals if

you take shots and your percentages up, and eventually when he has that

many shops, one of them will go in. Sublime goal tally for Kris Commons

when you consider that he is not a main striker. He smashed through the

30 goal barrier in the course of a season that was terrific thing on a

personal level and also for Celtic. 26 times they have been Icelandic

champions, KR Reykjavik. The oldest, most successful club in Iceland.

Commons was tripped. Great play between Mulgrew and Commons, getting

in the whole, and then Charlie with the slide rule pass through the

middle. Into his feet, and Kris Commons took it forward with one

touch. Great play. This is in quite a central area. A

little bit closer than the one in the first half, probably six or

seven yards closer and this is with in range for Charlie Mulgrew. The

one in the first half he tried to play it to van Dijk, but this time

we will see him having a shot. An embarrassment of riches of free

kicks with Celtic. We have seen Griffiths score free kicks in the

past. So many capable from here. This will be the right of Stokes or

the left of Mulgrew. Stokes. I expected Charlie to maybe take that,

but a decent enough effort. Not too far over from Anthony Stokes, but

again, this stage of the season, they were practising training, but

when you get out onto the park it is a different ball game, playing a

Champions League match and putting it into the top corner. A little bit

of a site for him. He is capable of putting it in the net. Lorenzo

Balbi, Luis Suarez's brother-in-law, and we don't know how much truth

there is the Luis Suarez was invited to nice, but were a couple of

reasons, not least is banned from football stadiums -- he's banned

from football stadiums, that is one of the reasons he is mooted of being

here. Zato is the replacement, defensive midfielder. Justice his

first season at the club. -- just his first season at the

club. Mulgrew. MacGregor. Van Dijk takes

in his stride. Izaguirre. That was an awkward one, but Martin

read it. Sigurdsson arriving if Martin can get away from Mulgrew,

which she can't. Van Dijk a bit casual. Sigurdsson trying to pick

his pocket. Van Dijk resists. James Mulgrew. Charlie Mulgrew has

defended well down the left-hand side.

Lustig had to look lively. Johansen. Griffiths. Good effort.

Sensational effort, and that is one of the advantages of having a left

footed player on the right. We know Leigh Griffiths is capable of that.

Comes back inside on his left and hit a tremendous shot. Mulgrew's

effort is blocked. Sigurdsson gets there. Celtic starting to knock on

the door here. An absolutely volcanic effort from

Leigh Griffiths, exploding off the underside of the bar. That should

give Leigh Griffiths encouragement about playing in that area. The

corner from Stokes. Lustig tried, but it's another corner. Looks like

he might have got moron that may be a goal-scoring opportunity. Just

seemed to glance at it. Here is the shot from Griffiths again. Shaking

the gold frame. Taking the corner kick, but clutched on with both

hands by Stefan Magnusson. Celtic doing more than enough to justify

being in front, but still goalless. That is encouraging itself. Leigh

Griffiths and MacGregor finding itself -- themselves on opposite

sides from the corner kick. Not sure if there has been a change now.

Johansen. Lustig to MacGregor. Mulgrew. Johansen. Griffiths trying

to make his mark. He arrived after the Champions League adventure last

season. Mulgrew's ball for Stokes. He has not played on that side that

often. Even mentally, being put out there, when he comes an side and has

the shot that should give her encouragement as there are

opportunities to join in with Anthony Stokes and Kris Commons it

is 8:15pm local time here. A bad evening though. The Champions League

final taking place in the Berlin R Gelling -- Perlin and wonderful

scenes today there is the national team paraded the World Cup. -- as

the national team. Martin driving it forward.

Izaguirre. Mulgrew. Griffiths again. He looks

in the mood now. Ronny Deila standing in the

technical area, taking it all in. Tricky footwork therefrom Zato.

There -- there from Zato. A good second half for the Scottish

champions. Not a goal to show for it.

Celtic passing the ball quicker and a bit more aggressively, running a

bit more aggressively. Murrayfield, the scope -- home of Scottish rugby,

that will be the venue for the return. Griffiths. Good play.

Brilliant from Griffiths. Will you finish the match? He hasn't on this

occasion -- will he have the finish to match. Should they negotiate his

round, they would have to play at Murrayfield in the next qualifying

round, the third round, with the likes of Maribor, Helsinki, who they

played a couple of seasons ago and actually knocked out KR Reykjavik

before they played Celtic. Celtic could have been coming to Iceland a

couple of seasons ago after the draw was made.

Think that was for something after the incident. I think it was for

dissent. The referee has given the free kick and had something to say,

and he is booked. Griffiths. Commons. Zato who was

relegated with another Reykjavik team last season. Brought straight

back into the top flight. The defence looks sturdier than last

week Retallick. The goals they were good finishes, but it defensively

wasn't too clever. Stokes hanging the ball up. Zato. Only half away.

That is a long ball, hopeful punt, or is there something in it towards

Martin? Ambrose slams the door in the face of the Englishman.

The build-up play at Celtic had, the rhetoric formation is 6-to-1. Very

crowded -- the Reykjavik formation is six -numeric 2-1 - one. You want

to see them try and beat someone rather than pass through the crowded

area. Spooky is going to be on for Celtic

in a minute. Summoned by his Norwegian manager. -- Pukki is going

to be on. Griffiths, brilliant again from him.

Just overcooked it slightly. It has gone for a corner. Despite the

protests of Sigurd arson. Leigh Griffiths trying to get in behind

without passing the ball and putting them under a lot of pressure, but

good pressure from Griffiths. Mulgrew, bending it in. Stokes knew

exactly where the ball was. Lost track of the flight as a zipped over

his head. Another great delivery from Charlie Mulgrew.

track of the flight as a zipped over his head. Another great There will

be a double change for Celtic. The rector is coming on, and so is

Pukki. -- Richter -- Boerrigter. Ronny Deila is going to shake things

up a bit. In the meantime, Gary Martin. Trying to be way too clever

there. Fraser Forster has had pretty much nothing to do for the evening

so far. Finnbogason, who we have hardly mentioned in the second half.

Zato. The pass was poor, but it's over the

head of Johansen. Sigurdsson, poking it through. Martin was closed down

beautifully by Virgil van Dijk. The centre-half giving good cover and

clearing the danger. A little bit fortunate getting through on the

left-hand side. It broke off the edge of the box and got them in

behind the good cover from the centre-half. Ronny Deila telling the

fourth official to wait until the corner has been taken. That was how

it was one. And that is how it is taken. Headed away by van Dijk. That

is Forster's. He has done it quickly towards Griffiths. Good control from

Leigh Griffiths. That is causing KR Reykjavik all

sorts of trouble when they get Griffiths on the ball on the right

flank is acquire. -- on the right flank. Izaguirre. Lustig leaving it

for Johansen. Mulgrew. Lustig. Another corner. The thumbs

up from Ronny Deila. The changes will be made in a second or two.

Pukki and Boerrigter waiting patiently.

Boerrigter will come on for Griffiths, and he had been such a

danger on the right, but he has run his race. I think he has had a good

second half in particular. First, the understanding between him and

Lustig was not entirely working, but in the second half, they found him

more often and he looked a bit more aggressive and confident on the ball

and more prepared to get at them. On comes the Dutchman, Boerrigter, who

scored a Champions League goal for Ajax against Real Madrid. Stokes

comes. Replaced by Pukki, who scored a hat-trick in pre-season and is

also on the mark in the previous match. Robbie disappointed not to

start tonight. He is on now though. -- probably. As just over 15 minutes

to make an impression. Van Dijk was close. McGregor. Picked up on the

chest by Sigurdsson. disappointed to come off having not

scored. It is a European again and he wants to score goals and he has

not. The manager does not want people injured were overdoing it,

and rightly, because there is another game to come, and he will

probably get a goal in the second game. A thundering effort off the

bar earlier in the first half from Kris Commons.

Lustig. They are just doing enough, Reykjav?k, to keep the match

scoreless post up -- Reykjav?k. Celtic have to come here these days

if they want to get back to the big stage, the glamour of the Champions

League. He was always going to shoot and

MacGregor is there. The keeper has done well, spread himself and made a

save. The keeper makes a little bit much of it and makes a good save the

second time. A little bit wide and he is not able to get it into the

back of the net. It is encouraging for Celtic, I don't care that it is

0-0. At this stage of the game, it could get away from them. Celtic

could still live -- when this game. They will fancy that they can get at

least one away a goal from this match. A great ball in. McGregor

could not quite get it under control. At little bit of a surprise

stop a terrific ball. It might have done a little bit better.

It does not get art around these parts until about half past 11,

midnight. -- dark. A great ball in. A little header that hits him in the

chest. A little bit unfortunate for the -- unfortunate. 12 minutes to

go. Celtic lost last year to Barcelona.

The most disappointing performance was they want in Amsterdam, they

lost 6-1. Here comes Pukki. Leaving it for Izaguirre. Johansen.

Mulgrew. Izaguirre. Commons. MacGregor. Another corner. He has

made a difference since he came on. He has caused a little bit of a

problem for KR Reykjavik. A harmless pass. That was tired from

Kris Commons. He has been really active in the last 50 minutes. -- 15

minutes. A little bit of a tired effort. Gary Martin is coming off.

The English striker. Very politico in the Middlesbrough youth team

pulls up -- very prolific in the Middlesbrough youth team. Perhaps he

can show what he can do. I think he did a decent job for his team. He

was isolated, particularly in the first half. Strikers want to score

goals come in so he will be disappointed. The rain is starting

to come down. It rained quite a bit in these parts. -- reigns.

There was no purchase in the six yard area. The substitute

Ragnarsson. A little bit of the flexion. -- the flexion. That would

have been some sucker punch for Celtic to take. The final eight

minutes now. Celtic are still sitting out a goal. They feel there

is one out there for them. An average from Boerrigter, tapped over

by Magnusson. Keeping the pressure on. You feel as if there is a goal

here for Celtic if they can keep pressing for this last bit of the

game. A Commons corner. Shot to Izaguirre. He has a good left foot

on him. Bailed out why Zato -- by Zato. McGregor for Commons and

Mulgrew. Izaguirre. Boerrigter. Mulgrew resists the shot. A couple

of bodies in the way. There is Boerrigter. Wave after wave at the

moment. Johansen, he is the latest to have a go. Same result. Ambrose

as well. A change of pace. It has gone in! What a moment that is!

Celtic absolutely deserved that, and what a moment it is for McGregor!

First competitive start, and he has slammed home a crucial away goal.

That is thoroughly deserved. Celtic worked hard for that goal. KR

Reykjavik have defended well. Look as though there is a bit of the

flexion. It goes back inside and off his left foot. Slightly deflected up

in the corner at the near post, a terrific growth for the young man in

his debut. -- goal. He was a bright light for Notts County. He is the

bright light of Celtic now, though I'll stop back from that letter

misspelled. -- though. Back from that loan spell. He has got some

terrific balls into the box. He has taken the ball to KR Reykjavik and

put pressure on from wide areas. KR Reykjavik are looking for an

immediate retaliation. 1-0 would do Celtic. They should have more than

the one, but they will take it. Prior to the goal, there were a

couple of blocks, people throwing themselves in front of the ball and

defending in numbers. Celtic have kept the resident. -- present. Chris

Commons has been involved in everything. Looked as though he was

getting tired but he kept the momentum going went forward -- and

want forward. The most sought after things in

European football, away goals will stop they can be a golden ticket,

and tonight, Celtic are finally making the breakthrough.

It is Lustig, but he was offside. I am delighted for the manager of

Celtic. It is important for them to have a