O’Neill delight as Celtic ease to Europa League playoff with win over Utrecht

• Celtic race into 3-0 lead inside 19 minutes and win 4-2

• O’Neill’s side now face either Stuttgart or Ferencvaros

This was only briefly a little more fraught than it needed to be and looked as if it would be for Celtic. Martin O’Neill can focus on the most important factor in that he has guided the Scottish champions into the Europa league’s playoff phase. Job done, once again, for the effervescent O’Neill. Ferencvaros or Stuttgart lie in wait after Celtic closed in 21st place.

Celtic were fully deserving of their win in what unexpectedly developed into an entertaining clash with Utrecht. O’Neill, thought to be a managerial yesterday’s man not so long ago, continues to do his bit for 70-somethings everywhere. The Irishman will know Celtic must improve to make meaningful, further progress in this competition but such detail can wait. Even continuation in the Europa League had looked a long shot at one point. Utrecht will be delighted to see the back of a tournament which yielded just a single point from eight grisly fixtures. Continue reading...