Back With A Bang: A Celtic-Brechin City Match Report

SCOTTISH CUP FOURTH ROUND: SATURDAY 20TH JANUARY; CELTIC 5 (FORREST 2’, SINCLAIR 11’, NTCHAM 49’, BOYATA 56’, EDOUARD 86’) BRECHIN CITY 0

Celtic returned from the winter break with a comfortable Scottish Cup win over Brechin City, to book our place in tomorrow’s last sixteen draw.

Brendan Rodgers picked almost his strongest available team, with Odsonne Edouard in for Moussa Dembele perhaps the only exception to the rule.

The Celts had the perfect start to the game, after good work by Scott Sinclair on the wing his cutback found James Forrest who sidefoot home his 13th goal of the season to make 1-0 after only two minutes.

Nine minutes later it was 2-0, Scott Sinclair taking advantage of Brechin’s ill-advised decision to try and play out from the back to score his 16th goal of the season.

The third didn’t arrive until the 49th minute, the excellent Olivier Ntcham getting on the end of a Lustig cross to nod home the goal.

Seven minutes later Dedryck Boyata was left unmarked at a corner to head home Celtic’s fourth.

With an eye of Tuesday’s trip to Partick Thistle, Brendan Rodgers made some changes, taking off Brown, Boyata and Sinclair, replacing them with Kouassi, Bitton and Johnston.

The fifth and final goal arrived in the 83rd minute, Odsonne Edouard rifling the ball into the net from inside the penalty box.

Brendan Rodgers will be pleased to see his team return from the break with a convincing win, although the result was expected.

Olivier Ntcham was once again excellent, and he really should have a run of games between now and the end of season. Further forward, Edouard managed a goal but I would imagine that Moussa Dembele will be back in the side for Tuesday’s match against Partick Thistle.

We’ll have news of who Celtic draw in the next round of the cup on the site tomorrow.