Celtic teenager Karamoko Dembele made history last night when, at 16 years and 293 days old, he became the youngest-ever player to feature for the club in a major European competition. [via Sky Sports]
The winger was introduced as a 72nd-minute substitute for Mikey Johnston in last night’s 0-2 Europa League defeat away to CFR Cluj, a match which saw Hoops boss Neil Lennon make nine changes to his starting line-up with his team already guaranteed to top the group.
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Dembele was making just his second senior competitive appearance for Celtic, having played for the second half of the 2-1 win over Hearts on the final day of the 2018/19 Premiership season and been an unused substitute against the same opposition in the following week’s Scottish Cup final.
The teenager had 11 touches of the ball and five passes during his 18 minutes on the pitch against CFR Cluj (as per WhoScored). The Scotsman‘s Angus Wright said that he “brought more urgency to the attack” and Ryan Brown of Read Celtic felt he “could have been brought on earlier”.
That latter sentiment was something plenty of Hoops fans on Twitter shared, having called for Dembele to be introduced long before his eventual introduction, with one fan feeling that Scott Sinclair was otherwise being wasted:
Get karamoko on the pitch. Wasting Sinclair with no service from the midfield.
— MB is Green & White (@MBBawdeep) December 12, 2019
Get Karamoko on now this is painful.
— wizardofbaws🍀 (@delbhoy0077) December 12, 2019
Just get Karamoko on. At least it gives us all something to watch.
— Jacob Toland (@JacobToland97) December 12, 2019
Get Karamoko on…he’ll score a hat-trick.
— 3rdFrame (@The3rdFrame) December 12, 2019
UNLEASH KARAMOKO SO WE CAN EQUALISE
— MikeyJohnstonCSC (@csc_johnston) December 12, 2019
All I want for Christmas is a Karamoko cameo
— Seaniee-Oh my days (@Seaneeee01) December 12, 2019
Think I’d rather see wee Karamoko take Morgan’s place in the 2nd half.
— DavieMurraysLegs 🍀 (@BoldFenian79) December 12, 2019
Get karamoko dembele on at half time so he has a lot of time
— Rossybhoyyy1967 (@mclauchlan_ross) December 12, 2019
Do you think Lennon should have brought Dembele on earlier in the match against CFR Cluj? Share your views in the comments section below!
