A 70th minute strike from Teemu Pukki earned Celtic a 1-1 draw with Rapid Vienna in the second match of the club’s pre-season tour of Austria.
The hoops looked fit and impressive in the searing heat of Vienna but a first minute injury to Scott Brown will be Ronny Deila’s biggest concern tonight.
With the trip to Iceland to face KR Reykjavic just nine days away the possible loss of Brown with a hamstring injury is something that the new manager could do without.
In the final match at the Gerhard-Hanappi before the stadium is fully redeveloped the Rapid fans turned out in force with flares being released throughout the ground as the teams came onto the pitch.
It was a fairly experienced side that Ronny Deila sent out in the club’s new all white kit with Filip Twardzik and Dylan McGeouch given another chance to impress, Twardzik at left-back and McGeouch on the right of an attacking trio alongside Anthony Stokes and Derk Boerrigter.
New signing Craig Gordon was on the bench alongside Leo Fasan, Fraser Forster also watched the match from the Celtic bench having joined up with the official party this morning.
Rapid started the match strongly and took advantage of uncertainty in the hoops defence in the seventh minute when Virgil van Dijk headed the ball into his own net from an inswinging free kick.
After that double blow Celtic began to settle down and pass the ball around without creating any outstanding chances.
That changed in the 28th minute when a great ball from Kris Commons opened up the Rapid defence, Stokes raced onto the ball, squared it to Boerrigter but with the goal gaping the Dutchmen sent his shot wide of the post.
Dropping a heavy hint that the starting XI is close to the manager’s preferred selection there were no changes at the break, in Thursday’s opening friendly against Krasnodar Deila made 11 half time changes.
In the 53rd minute Commons forced the Rapid keeper into a save with a speculative 25 yard drive after the ball had been dropped over his shoulder.
There were signs throughout the match that Deila’s high intensity pressing game is making it’s mark on the squad with the first real test just nine days away in Iceland when the hoops take on KR Reykjavic.
Just past the hour mark Deila rang the changes with Leo Fasan, Adam Matthews, Callum McGregor, Liam Henderson, Leigh Griffiths, Teemu Pukki and Amido Balde all introduced with Griffiths playing in an advanced right midfield role.
In the 70th minute Celtic equalised through Pukki. Griffiths sent a great ball in from the right that was just too far in front of Balde but the pass fell invitingly for Pukki who slotted the ball home after the keeper parried his initial effort.
Eoghan O’Connell replaced Kayal in the 78th minute as Rapid held out for a draw with Celtic next in action against SK Linz on Tuesday.
CELTIC: Zaluska (Fasan 62); Lustig (Matthews 62), van Dijk, Mulgrew, F Twardzik; Brown (Kayal 3 O’Connell 78), Johansen (McGregor 62), Commons (Griffiths 62); McGeouch, Stokes (Balde 62), Boerrigter (Henderson 62)
SUBS: Fasan, Matthews, O’Connell, Waters, Findlay, Kayal, McGregor, Pukki, Griffiths, Atajic, Fridjonsson, Balde, Watt, Gordon, Fisher
