Celtic did enough to ensure a trip to Hampden at the first time of asking this season following a 5-2 victory over Falkirk in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final yesterday.
Despite John McGlynn’s side putting their best foot forwards, the Bhoys recovered a 2-1 deficit following braces from Adam Idah and Nicolas Kuhn after Paulo Bernardo’s initial equaliser.
Acknowledging Falkirk’s bravery at Celtic Park, Brendan Rodgers lauded their ability to play ‘through the phases’ despite the daunting task of playing in front of an expectant home support, who made their frustration known when the Bhoys were chasing the game.
Nevertheless, Celtic got the job done in the end as their game-changers rose from the bench to turn the course of the tie, setting up a mouthwatering clash against Aberdeen in November for a place in the showpiece final.
After getting himself on the scoresheet, Republic of Ireland international Idah made an honest admission on what he thought about proceedings.
Adam Idah’s honesty after Celtic triumph over Falkirk
Delivering his verdict on events, Idah admitted post-match that Celtic may have been guilty of underestimating Falkirk, which led to them fighting their way out of a tight spot.
Nevertheless, the Cork-born frontman was delighted his side rallied from a tricky position to reach Hampden in thrilling fashion.
He told Premier Sports: “It was a tough game. It was probably our worst start of the season (in the first half). To be fair, they started off great, and they blew us away a bit.
“Obviously, with the game last week on such a high, it’s always difficult to come and play these games. Fair play to them because they were excellent. We came in at half-time and said to ourselves, ‘This is what the best teams do: show a comeback.’ To be fair to the boys, we did it.”
Later, he added: “Look, it was a whole new squad. A lot of us haven’t played together, which is tough, but it was probably a small bit of attitude going into the game; we had a Champions League game the other day; it was a great win and probably that lack of respect for them, to be honest.
“We probably didn’t think they were going to be as good as they were; it blew us away a bit. It’s tough, but the big teams show what they can do, and I thought we did that in the second half.”
Adam Idah hammers home where Celtic’s mentality should lie
Taking the unconventional route, Idah has publicly acknowledged that Celtic may have underappreciated Falkirk’s ability to scare them on home soil.
These things can happen in football from time to time, but being reminded of this nature when you go on to win can be positive in the long run.
In the future, Celtic will be on their guard regardless of the opposition that lines up against them. No matter the task, vigilance is needed to combat the threat posed.
Realistically, you would rather learn this lesson in victory than in defeat. The Bhoys recovered from being pegged back twice in the end, with Idah leading the charge to the semi-final, showing why he is someone the manager can hang his hat on.
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