By Our Man at Parkhead
MARTIN O’NEILL’S Celtic revolution hit top gear last night as the Hoops survived a massive mid-game wobble to dump FC Utrecht out of Europe in a 4-2 Parkhead classic.
On a night where the stars shone bright under the Glasgow lights, it was Swedish sensation Benjamin Nygren who stole the show, proving why he is the most talked-about talent in the Scottish Premiership right now. The Hoops didn’t just start fast; they went from zero to sixty in seconds.
Just six minutes in, a clever short corner saw Kieran Tierney — back to his marauding best — fire a low ball across the face of goal for Nygren to tap home his 14th of the campaign.
The Dutch visitors were still rubbing their eyes when it became two.
Nygren, harassing like a man possessed, forced former Celtic keeper Vasilis Barkas into a horror pass. The Swede’s resulting cross was turned into his own net by a shell-shocked Nick Viergever.
When Arne Engels hammered home a 19th-minute penalty after a VAR handball call, Parkhead was bouncing. At 3-0, it looked like a massacre was on the cards.
But this is Europe, and nothing is ever simple. Utrecht, led by the clinical Dani de Wit, clawed their way back.
De Wit curled a beauty past Kasper Schmeichel just before the break, and when Adrian Blake finished a lightning counter-attack on 62 minutes, the famous “Celtic Roar” turned into nervous whispers.
With the score at 3-2 and the momentum shifting, Celtic needed a hero. Step forward Auston Trusty.
The American defender rose highest in the 66th minute to meet an inviting Engels corner, powered a header into the top corner, and effectively sent the Hoops into the play-offs.
It was a night of high drama, world-class finishes, and a few defensive heart-stoppers.
But as the final whistle blew, one thing was clear: with Nygren and Engels pullings the strings, O’Neill’s men are a match for anyone in the Friday draw.
CELTIC (4-3-3): Schmeichel; Donovan, Trusty, Scales, Tierney; Engels, McGregor, Yang; Tounekti, Maeda, Nygren.
UTRECHT (4-3-3): Barkas; Vesterlund, van der Hoorn, Viergever, Murkin; Engwanda, Zechiel, de Wit; Blake, Cathline, Rodriguez.
