Ajax hand Celtic a lesson

Celtic were taught a painful lesson from Ajax in the final match of their continental tour with the Dutch champions running out 4-0 winners.

The visitors never got started in the match and found themselves 3-0 down after half an hour. After the break Celtic were reduced to ten men when Charlie Mulgrew was red carded with positives thin on the ground for Neil Lennon.

Adam Matthews and Emilio Izaguirre came in for their first appearances of the season and started the game as wing-backs around a midfield trio of Scott Brown, James Forrest and Joe Ledley.

Victor Wanyama, Thomas Rogne and Charlie Mulgrew started off in defence but as the goals started to flow Wanyama was pushed into midfield with Matthews and Izaguiire taking on more conventional full-back positions.

Ajax took the lead in the 13^th minute when Siem de Jong found some space down the right flank then sent a dipping shot across Fraser Forster into the top corner of the net.

Nine minutes later the Celtic defence were cut open by some slick Ajax passing that left Kolbeinn Sigthorsson with the simple task of rolling the ball into the net from six yards out.

A slip from Thomas Rogne in the 27^th minute was quickly pounced on with Thulani Serero dashing into the box to shoot under Forster.

Mikel Lustig, Filip Twardzik and Kelvin Wilson replaced Adam Matthews, Emilio Izaguirre and Thomas Rogne after 62 minutes but before the replacements had time to settle Celtic were four down when Daley Blind converted a penalty with Mulgrew sent off for handball.

Wanyama dropped back into defence to replace Mulgrew with Hooper going into midfield as Celtic attempted a damage limitation exercise.

Celtic: Forster; Rogne (Wilson 62), Wanyama, Mulgrew; Matthews (Lustig 62), Brown, Forrest (Commons 78), Ledley, Izaguirre (Twardzik 62); Hooper (Bangura 78), Stokes (Murphy 78)

Subs: Zaluska,  McGeouch,