MATCH 1843 - Thursday 18 August 2021

SEASON 2021/22

Qualifying Round 1st Leg

CELTIC  2  AZ ALKMAAR  0

Scorers: Kyogo, Forrest

Thanks to an excellent strikers goal from Kyogo and a deflected Forrest goal Celtic record a fine win over Dutch outfit AZ.

AZ's second visit to Celtic Park but this time it's not a low key friendly in an empty ground, instead it's in UEFA competition in front of a capacity stadium. AZ are only the third Dutch side I've seen at Celtic Park in European competition since my first European tie in 1982.  Previous Dutch visits were Ajax 1982, 2001, 2013 and 2015 and Utrecht in 2010.

MATCH 1628 - Thursday, 26 November 2015

Season:  2015/16
UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE Group Stage
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

Pre-match build up

CELTIC    1    AJAX    2

Scorers:  McGregor;  Milik, Cerny

Another disappointing experience in Europe for Celtic as a young hoops side was narrowly beaten by Ajax.  It was far from the vintage of 1982, 2001 or even 2013 when the sides went head to head in previous European campaigns.  This was the fifth time the clubs had faced each other in UEFA competition but the first meeting in the UEFA Europa League.  The match lacked a bit of quality compared to the great matches of the past and it was more like a B-match however it was still an exciting encounter as both sides went all out for the first win in the group.

Ajax fans packed out the away end and created a great noise throughout the match.

The scene is set

Kick off in front of 45,000 fans

Personnel note:  7th Ajax match overall including 4 European ties v Celtic all in Glasgow.

1982 - Celtic 2 Ajax 2 (My 1st European tie)

2001 - Celtic 0 Ajax 1  

2013 - Celtic 2 Ajax 1

Football Focus - GOING DUTCH

All my matches to date involving Dutch sides:

 

1982 - EUROPEAN CUP - CELTIC  2  AJAX  2

1989 - FRIENDLY - CELTIC  1  AJAX  0

1995 - CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL - AJAX  1  MILAN  0

1996 - EURO 96  - NETHERLANDS 0 SCOTLAND 0

1996 - EURO 96 - FRANCE 0 NETHERLANDS 0

1997 - FRIENDLY -  CELTIC  2  FEYENOORD  2

2001 - CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFIER - CELTIC 0 AJAX 1

2001 - FRIENDLY -  CELTIC  1  AJAX  3

2008 - FRIENDLY -  FEYENOORD  1  CELTIC  3

2010 - FRIENDLY -  CELTIC  1  AZ ALKMAAR  2

2010 - UEFA CUP QUALIFIER - CELTIC  2  UTRECHT  0

2013 - CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP - CELTIC 2 AJAX 1

 

 

MATCH 1530 - Tuesday, 22 October 2013

Season:  2013/14

Group match - Day 3
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

 

CELTIC    2    AJAX    1
Scorers:  Forrest, Kayal; Schöne

Sixth occasions seeing Ajax unfortunately like the other times they did not wear their famous red stripe strip.

MATCH 36 - 15 September 1982 - FLASHBACK

Season:  1982/83
EUROPEAN CUP - 1st Round 1st Leg
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

*** My first European match ***

CELTIC    2    AJAX    2
Scorers: Nicholas (14 pen), McGarvey (27); Olsen (4), Lerby (18)

Johan Cryuff played in this memorable European tie but it was Jesper Olsen that proved to be the real Ajax star on the night with a wonder goal to open the scoring.  1982 Celtic were a fine side though and fought all the way to earn a draw on the night.

Ajax's second goal was a thing of beauty.

Teams

Celtic:
Bonner, McGrain, McAdam, Moyes, Reid, McStay, Burns (Sullivan 84), MacLeod, Provan, Nicholas, McGarvey


Ajax:
Galje, Molenaar, Van Veen, Molby, Boeve, Schoenaker, Ophof, Cryuff, Lerby, Olsen, Vanenburg

Att: 56,229

My ticket:

My first scarf bought after the game:

Highlights:

EURO 96 - ENGLAND

Match 795 ** Group Match ** NETHERLANDS  0 - 0 ** SCOTLAND ** VILLA PARK
Match 796 ** Group Match ** ITALY 2 - 1 ** RUSSIA ** ANFIELD
Match 797 ** Group Match ** CZECH REPUBLIC 2 - 1 ** ITALY ** ANFIELD
Match 798 ** Group Match ** GERMANY 3 - 0 ** RUSSIA ** OLD TRAFFORD
Match 799 ** Group Match ** GERMANY 0 - 0 ** ITALY ** OLD TRAFFORD
Match 800 ** QF ** FRANCE 0 - 0 ** NETHERLANDS ** ANFIELD
Match 801 ** QF ** CROATIA 1 - 2 ** GERMANY ** OLD TRAFFORD
Match 802 ** SF ** CZECH REPUBLIC 0 - 0 ** FRANCE ** OLD TRAFFORD
Match 803 ** Final ** CZECH REPUBLIC 1 - 2 ** GERMANY ** WEMBLEY STADIUM