Moi Elyounoussi scored two brilliant goals in Celtic’s 2-2 Europa League draw with Lille on Thursday night, leaving Glenn Hoddle and Martin Keown to marvel over the winger’s finishing masterclass on BT Sports (29 October, 10.30pm).
It is fair to say the Southampton loanee has had a mixed start to the season.
Elyounoussi frequently struggles to find a place in Neil Lennon’s favoured 3-5-2 formation, scoring just once in 10 Scottish Premiership games in his second year in green and white Hoops.
But it was no coincidence that, as soon as the under-fire Lennon reverted to a 4-2-3-1 system away at Lille, the Norway international looked a man reborn in his preferred left-wing role.
Elyounoussi scored twice inside half an hour at the home of one of Europe’s most well-drilled sides, bending home a glorious curling shot from outside the box before fizzing a Jeremie Frimpong cross past a helpless Mike Maignan a few minutes later.
“He was outstanding. (The first goal) is an absolutely wonderful finish, real quality. Lille were playing in the Champions League last season and they wouldn’t have conceded a goal better than that. Beautiful, the way he took it,” said former Arsenal defender Keown.
Ex-England, Tottenham and Chelsea boss Hoddle, meanwhile, was more impressed about the way Elyounoussi found space in a crowded penalty area to put Celtic two up in Lille.
“(The second goal) is a really good run. He pulls away from the defender and he just gets enough on it to pull it wide of the keeper. A really clever goal, that was,” Hoddle explained.
Elyounoussi’s stunning brace was not enough to earn Celtic a first win of the group-stage, however.
The Hoops found themselves camped on the edge of their penalty area in the second half, inviting a barrage of pressure from a wounded Lille side who cancelled out a two-goal advantage thanks to Zeki Celik and Jonathan Ikone’s close-range strikes.
It could have been worse too. Thankfully, Scott Bain did his best Fraser Forster penalty to claw away a Jonathan David penalty.
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