American International Alejandro Bedoya takes a shot (Getty Images)
This is going to be an interesting season for Celtic. Their eternal Old Firm rivals, Rangers, have been sent tumbling down the Scottish football ladder after their financial crisis, leaving everyone who's anyone to predict that Celtic will have the SPL wrapped up early and easily. This leaves them free, for the moment, to concentrate on getting into the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. Not only do they want to fly the Scottish flag in Europe's premier club tournament, but the huge money they'd get just for qualifying for the group stage would go along way toward solving their own financial woes.
Coming into qualifying play on Tuesday, Celtic sat one step away from their group stage dream. Standing in their way was Heslingborg from Sweden. The Swedish champs should be of interest to US Soccer watchers as they recently signed former Rangers man and US International Alejandro Bedoya, who featured in this one for the home side.
Celtic took immediate action to help lock up their place among Europe's elite. In just the second minute of the match Georgios Samaras sent a gorgeous cross to the top of the penalty area at the far post. Kris Commons was there and met the ball with a picture perfect volley that drilled into the Swedes' goal to make it 0-1.
Unfortunately for the Scottish faithful, that was the lone offensive highlight for Celtic in the first half. Helsingborg seemingly woke up after conceding the away goal and went into all out attack mode to try and equalize. Their first big chance came on 16 minutes when Celtic shot stopper Fraser Forster made a nice kick save to keep a shot from Bedoya out of the net. Then in the 24th minute, a defensive miscue on a counter attack seemed to give May Mahlangu a 1v1 chance at the Cetic goal, but Adam Matthews rushed back and made a nice tackle to end the threat and redeem his mistake.
Celtic looked better in the second half as they continued to nurse their 0-1 lead. Helsingborg continued to threaten though, as Forster was once again called upon to save a Bedoya header in the 73rd minute. However, Celtic were able to ice the match after Samaras scored off of a Commons corner in the 75th minute, making the score 0-2, which easily held until the full time whistle.
Perhaps it wasn't Celtic's best game as they looked vulnerable on several occasions. However the two away goals will give them a nice advantage when they return to Scotland for the second leg of the tie. That match will be in Glasgow next Wednesday, and it's really hard to see a way back for the Swedes. Well played to Celtic.
