Watch Celtic star open his international account with classy goal
Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Celtic v St Johnstone - Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - April 9, 2022 Celtic's Matt O'Riley celebrates scoring their fifth goal REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Matt O’Riley was on the scoresheet tonight as Denmark’s u-21 side beat Turkey 3-2 to book a place in the play-offs for the finals of the European Championships.
The Celtic midfielder equalised an early goal from the visitors in the 17th minute with the Danes going on to win, finishing the group as runners-up to Belgium to go into the play-off draw.
?? | Matt O’Riley
Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley scores his first goal in a Denmark shirt vs Turkey.
Congratulations @mattoriley8 ???pic.twitter.com/OsWhboRu9r
— Everything Celtic (@aboutceltic) June 14, 2022
Perhaps taking some inspiration from the goals of team-mates Liel Abada, Daizen Maeda and Giorgos Giakoumakis- today’s goal rounds off a brilliant spell for the former MK Dons man who has the realistic target of World Cup and Champions League football to look forward to in the second half of 2022.
Celtic’s place in the Champions League is assured but O’Riley has some work to do to break into the full Danish squad that won their group to book a place in Qatar.
That would have been near impossible with MK Dons but with six Champions League ties running into the World Cup Finals O’Riley has the perfect platform to force his way into the Danish squad.
If Demark win their play-off tie they will go forward to the finals next June and July which will be hosted by Romania and Georgia.