Celtic’s 2-1 win over Lazio in the Europa League was down to a few things. Neil Lennon’s bravery in changing his formation to three at the back. Ryan Christie’s non-stop running. Christopher Jullien’s towering header.
However, one man who deserves more credit than most is Hoops goalkeeper Fraser Forster. His save from Danilo Catadi in injury time helped the Hoops secure the Hoops secure the three points.
So good was Forster’s save that even Scott Brown was shocked. He was spotted by Football on BT Sport’s Twitter account congratulating Forster at the end of the game using only one word – ‘wow’.
Brown’s reaction sums up what Celtic fans must have felt about the save. It must go down as one of the best of Forster’s career.
Timing of save was vital
Not only because of how good it was, but also the timing. Catadi’s shot came in injury time. If it had found the back of the net, Celtic would probably have had to settle for a point. That would have put a completely different complexion on the battle to make the last 32 of the Europa League.
Thankfully Forster made the save, and the Hoops are in an excellent position to make the next stage of the competition.
Forster’s performance for Celtic against Lazio was probably his best since returning to the club on loan from Southampton.
Previous save kept Hoops in the game
Not only did he make that wonder save from Catadi’s effort, but he made a great save when the score was 1-1 to prevent Marco Parolo giving Lazio the lead.
When Forster made his return to Celtic there might have been concerns about his form. After all, he hadn’t played much football in the past season. He had lost his place in the Southampton team.
However, his performance against Lazio was similar to those he put in during his first spell at Celtic. It is no wonder that Scott Brown was impressed with his performance.
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