Brendan Rodgers has showered praise on Celtic defender Liam Scales after the Bhoys earned a 2-1 victory over Feyenoord in the Champions League on Wednesday night (13 December) at Parkhead.
The Hoops finally broke their Champions League hoodoo after they secured a win at home for the first time in ten years.
Goals from Luis Palma and Gustaf Lagerbielke earned victory for the Bhoys who finished bottom of their group. Liam Scales was superb at the back, and Brendan Rodgers hailed him as “outstanding” after the game.
Scales, 25, was wrestled by Ramiz Zerrouki in the area in the first half and that Celtic a spot-kick. In general, they have been very solid at the back.
“Gimenez is a very talented player and he’s scored a lot of goals in Holland this season, but Stephen having not played for a while and Scalesy outstanding, so both of them were very good,” said Rodgers after the game.
Great win
Celtic have not won a home game in a decade. When Feyenoord pulled one back with 10 minutes on the clock, it felt like a familiar story would unfold again for the second season running.
But the Bhoys found an extra bit of quality to grab the winner in the extra time and they have got an unlikely hero in Gustaf Lagerbielke who has proved to be an underwhelming signing thus far.
He has only managed four starts in the Scottish Premiership thus far, and the goal will give him loads of confidence.
It was an inconsequential game but for Rodgers and Celtic, it meant a lot. For so long they have struggled to get a win at home. They managed a 2-2 draw against Atletico but lost 6-0 away from home. They picked up red cards while in some games, they threw goals away due to lapses in concentration.
They have managed only four points, but they could have picked up a lot more than that. Hopefully, they will come back stronger next time.