Matt O’Riley hasn’t scored a competitive goal this season but he showed that his scoring instinct is in good shape with two goals in today’s friendly against Rennais in the Portuguese sunshine.
The midfielder made an instant impact at the turn of the year when he took the step up from MK Dons in his stride as he played a key role in Celtic’s title triumph.
Eleven months later the Danish u-21 internationalist is among the first picks in Ange Postecoglou’s side, today he was reunited with Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate for the first time in more than two months.
With the captain restored to his role anchoring the midfield O’Riley had scope to push further forward- taking full advantage of that to ping in an 19th minute half volley to level the scores at 1-1.
With two minutes left to play the scoreline had rattled along to 4-2 for the French side but from the edge of the penalty box O’Riley curled a left foot shot round the keeper but strangely there was no scoring in the second half.
CELTIC: Hart (Siegrist 60). Ralston (Ideguchi 78), Starfelt (Kobayashi 78), Jenz (Lawal 45), Taylor (Bernabei 60), McGregor (Vata 78), Hatate (Abildgaard 69), O’Riley (Turnbull 60), Abada (Haksabanovic 45), Jota (Forrest 60), Kyogo (Giakoumakis 60)