Hatem Abd Elhamed and Nir Bitton were selected for Celtic tonight primarily on the strength of their training performances recently, manager Neil Lennon told BBC Radio Scotland prior to kick-off (live match page, 19:25).
Kristoffer Ajer and Jeremie Frimpong could only find a place on the bench for the visit of 2019 Icelandic champions KR Reykjavik.
So far, things are going well, with the Hoops currently 3-0 up and absolutely dominating the fixture.
Bitton and Elhamed haven’t had much defending to do but it’s great match practice for them ahead of stiffer challenges on the horizon.
Lennon explained their selection before the match, also hinting that Albian Ajeti could get action in the second half.
As quoted by BBC Scotland (live match page, 19:25), he said: “The two boys Hatem and Nir have been training very, very well. It’s a good opportunity to give them a chance to play. We’ll start with a back four but we can be flexible.
“I’ve got a very strong bench tonight as well. Albian Ajeti’s only been training for two or three days. If we can give him some game time, it’ll be a massive bonus for us.
“We want to get some rhythm to our play.”
Mohamed Elyounousssi got the scoring underway tonight with the second an own goal after great work from the selected man Elhamed.
The Israeli international duo looks ready to play more matches and as the manager notes, offer great versatility and flexibility.
Bitton is capable of playing in a two or three-man defence, as well as in his natural position further forward.
Likewise, Elhamed offers robust defending on the right flank, a bit of attacking ambition and the ability to slot in at central defence.
They’ve almost been forgotten men in the early stages of the season but should be right in amongst the competition for starting spots going forward.
As for Ajeti, if you’re reading this at half-time, the time of publishing, you’ll be looking forward to a debut later tonight like I am.
In other news, Celtic target Ivan Toney is reported to have rejected the opportunity to join an English Championship club.
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