A second half double from Leigh Griffiths earned Celtic’s u-21 side a 2-1 win over Sunderland in the Premier League International Cup at The Stadium of Light.
After drawing their opener at Everton last month a win in the final match against Villarreal in the new year will ensure a place in the last eight of the competition.
The home side opened the scoring in the 17th minute through a David Ferguson header but it was the visitors that dominated the second period after levelling through a well taken Griffiths strike in the 51st minute with the over-age striker sealing the win ten minutes from the end.
There was a good lively start to the match with Kieran Tierney down the left the biggest threat to Sunderland.
Carl Lawson of the home side caught the eye with his pace testing the hoops out with some early searing runs from the centre of the park.
Sunderland had threatened Leo Fasan’s goal a couple of times before they took the lead in the 17th minute with a close range header from Ferguson following a corner from the Celtic right.
There was some good passages of play from the visitors but despite some activity around the Sunderland penalty box there was only a couple of long range efforts from Liam Henderson to trouble Marksymilian Stryjek in the home goal as the first half ended with the home side in front.
Six minutes into the second half Celtic were back on level terms with Tierney playing Griffiths in with the striker sliding a low left foot shot past Strykek into the net.
The young hoops found an extra gear after the break, passing the ball with purpose and playing with the belief that they had lacked a little in the first half.
Griffiths goal brought an edge to Celtic’s play with the hoops using the full width of the park to stretch the Sunderland defence with Henderson, Joe Thomson and Jamie Lindsay dominating the middle of the park.
Ten minutes from the full time whistle Celtic took the lead that their play deserved. Lindsay harried a Sunderland player out of possession laid the ball off to Griffiths and although Stryjek pushed the strikers shot onto the post it rolled along the line and into the net.
Sunderland failed to threaten Celtic’s lead with the young hoops, plus Griffiths looking the more likely to add to the scoring.
SUNDERLAND: Stryjek, Cartwright, Robson, Oliver, McNamee, Ferguson, Gooch, Agnew, Mandron, Honeyman, Lawson.
SUBS: Smith, Talbot, Greenwood, Harrison, Blinco, Sukar, Robson.
CELTIC: Fasan, Fisher, Waters, O’Connell, Findlay, Henderson, McMullan, Lindsay, Griffiths, Thomson, Tierney (Nesbitt 64).
SUBS: Hart, Kelleher, McCart, Breslin, Donnelly, McIlduff.
