Have Celtic scored 13 goals in a game before? No. The club’s record win in a competitive match before yesterday was, we reckon, an 11-0 win against Dundee on 26 October 1895. Essentially, Fran Alonso’s Celtic FC Women’s side broke the record after beating Aberdeen with 13-0 at Airdrie yesterday afternoon.
And on Friday afternoon The Celtic Star’s Jessica Elliott suggested to Fran Alonso at his media conference that with Kit Loferski out until the new year, he might want to look at signing TWO new strikers in the January transfer window. Fran laughed off the suggestion, but admitted he intends to sign a striker in the window and hopefully that still holds true even after that stunning result yesterday.
Here is the most crowded Unique Corner of all time and you will surely lose count as you watch this….
EXCLUSIVE ANGLE from Celtic TV…
MATCH REPORT by Jessica Elliott Women’s Soccer Writer at The Celtic Star…
Rogue Women of Celtic FC He showed no mercy to Aberdeen this afternoon as we recorded a heavy 13-0 win over the visitorssecuring a record-breaking win that could have a season-ending impact on what looks like a tough title race.
Celtic got off to the perfect start seven minutes into the game as Colette Cavanagh found the back of the Paula Partido net, playing down the right, cutting back Amy Gallacher who was unable to clear her shot. The ball fell to the feet of Kavanagh, who made no mistake to slot past the keeper.
Two goals in two minutes for the Celtics as Partido crossed into the box for Murphy Agnew, who was waiting at the back post to nod in from close range. Once again, Partido showed her skill by beating defenders before crossing again into the box for Agnew, who glanced her header wide of the near post.
Partido got their name on the scoresheet afterwards as they got a deserved goal. Sen sent a corner into the box and Partido’s fantastic positioning in the box put her in an ideal position to score her header. Cavanagh was the creator for our fifth as she played a cross into a dangerous area. Natalie Ross took her chance and smashed a header past the keeper.
Ross almost had her second as she was one-on-one with the keeper just minutes later. He shot into the back of the net but the flag went up for offside. However, we were determined to get a sixth before half-time as a corner found the head of Chloe Craig, who slotted past the keeper for her 10th goal of the season.
After struggling to score in the first half, Amy Gallacher found her boots for the second 45. Five minutes into the second half, Shen Mengyu cut in Gallacher, who shot straight into the face of an Aberdeen defender. Gallacher pounced on the rebound and made no mistake this time, slotting it into the corner of the net.
With just over an hour, Ross took the second afternoon. She received the ball on the edge of the box and took her chance, with an unstoppable strike past the keeper and into the corner.
Another quick attack from Celtic as Murphy secured her hat-trick a minute later. Ross played the ball through the Aberdeen defense and Agnew got back to slot past the keeper with a first-time shot. A brilliant move from Partido allowed Mengyu to play a ball across goal. The play found Gallacher, who tapped it into the net with ease.]
With the tension still high, a header was scored and Caitlin Hayes thought she had scored a goal. An Aberdeen player blocked it from crossing the line but Celtic were quick to attack again. Agnew found herself one-on-one with the keeper but decided to pass to Claire Goldie, who had the easy task of smashing it into the net. Second league goal for the 18-year-old!
After letting her header clear the line minutes earlier, Caitlin Hayes headed in off the back post to get the goal she deserved.
And to cap off a fantastic display, Gallacher slotted it into the corner of the net for her hat-trick.
What a game! This is Aberdeen’s heaviest defeat ever in the SWPL, and they will be hoping to put up a fight today as a point at the Excelsior would help them on their journey to the top half of the table.
Their most dangerous and knowledgeable player, Bayley Hutchison, who Fran Alonso described as a threat in his pre-match press conference, was frustrated with the lack of service she received this afternoon. It looked like the Dons were determined to defend rather than try to attack against the Hoops.
Murphy Agnew and Amy Gallagher will both be buzzing after scoring hat-tricks today. Agnew spoke to Celtic TV after the match, saying: “I feel really excited and happy. I always like to get on the scoresheet and a first hat-trick is a really big milestone.”
Fran Alonso was very impressed by the performance. He said: “Very impressive. We knew how difficult the opponent can be. To be fair, we prepared very well all week. The girls worked very hard and very well.
“I am completely pleased. It was a very impressive performance. I don’t think I would be exaggerating if I said it was one of the best this season.”
No doubt this will send a message to other teams in the league. We are a very capable team and Fran is still looking to improve it. As it looks like a new striker will be walking out the doors in January, I fully believe we will continue and be more relentless than ever.
Are we on our way to a first SWPL league title? If anyone can do it, this team can. With the Rangers beating Montrose means we’re still a point behind them in the league table. But don’t let that put you off because we have to play them again this season and I’m sure we’ll get our revenge.
Jessica Elliott
MANAGER’S VIEW – Fran Alonso’s thoughts after the race…
“It was very impressive. We knew how difficult the opponent can be and we prepared well all week for the game. The girls worked very hard, but I did not expect such a performance or result. It was absolutely incredible. We could have scored even more.
“Aberdeen could only manage one or two shots in the game, which means our concentration levels and the way we pressed were fantastic. So I’m absolutely delighted because it was a very impressive show. I don’t think I would be exaggerating if I said it was one of the best, if not the best since I’ve been here. It’s almost 10 out of 10.
“So I’m very proud and happy. What we have to focus on is that we haven’t won anything, so we have to make sure we take that and put it into training.” If we continue with this pattern, I think we will have a very successful season. It was very impressive.
“At half-time, we talked about the incredible first-half performance. We have to commend them for that, but in the past, we’ve sometimes done this and it flattens performance.
“I think after the first goal in the second half, the team started to play at that very, very high level. It was very difficult to play against us. The game we connected was fantastic, along with the spins and the constant movements.’
“Our unselfishness as well, not just the players giving the ball to someone in a better position, but also the unselfish running to make space for someone else. I thought it was all fantastic. That’s what we’ve been working on all week and I think the girls executed it to perfection today.
“From my point of view, it’s been very enjoyable, where everything you do in training comes to near perfection on match day. This is a very rewarding feeling, and the girls are also rewarded for their hard work. So it was great.”
PLAYER VIEW – MURPHY AGNEW one of the hat-trick stars…
“I feel really excited and very happy! We had a great week of training, a great warm-up and that led to a great first half. So we were very excited to continue in the second half, to score a lot of goals.
“In general, I feel very happy. It felt really good to get a hat-trick. I always like to contribute to the score sheet. My first hat-trick for the club is obviously a very big milestone.
“Goal difference will probably be a huge factor towards the end of the season. So we always aim and are happy to score as many goals as possible. That’s always the message at halftime. As good as we played in the first half, we want to go on and score.
We are treating the game as if it is 0-0. So it was a great result in the end. We are all really proud of all the girls who have been called up for their national team. I’m really excited to see what they do next week.
“Now we’re looking to have a good recovery week before we play the Spartans. So we’re looking forward to that.”