Celtic 2-6 West Ham: Michail Antonio hits brace and Liverpool-linked Jarrod Bowen scores as David Moyes' side continue unbeaten start to pre-season

  • Michail Antonio scored twice as West Ham won 5-2 away to Celtic in a friendly 
  • Mark Noble, Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen were also on the scoresheet 
  • Youngster Armstrong Oko-Flex scored for West Ham against his former club 
  • Callum McGregor put Celtic in the lead while Ryan Christie managed to score 

Celtic's preparations for their crunch midweek Champions League qualifier against Midtjylland took a knock with a 6-2 friendly defeat by West Ham at Parkhead.

Hoops skipper Callum McGregor curled in an early opener before Hammers striker Michail Antonio scored a quick-fire double and captain Mark Noble netted from the penalty spot.

Ryan Christie pulled a goal back for Ange Postecoglou's side five minutes after the break but Said Benrahma replied for West Ham and Celtic then made 10 substitutions before Jarrod Bowen and substitute Armstrong Okoflex, signed from Celtic this summer, added two more.

Michail Antonio scored twice as West Ham secured a 4-2 victory against Celtic in a friendly

Michail Antonio scored twice as West Ham secured a 4-2 victory against Celtic in a friendly

Said Benrahma is jubilant after his goal made it 4-2 to West Ham in the clash at Celtic Park

Said Benrahma is jubilant after his goal made it 4-2 to West Ham in the clash at Celtic Park

Mark Noble, who is entering his final season at the club, scored with a penalty in the first half

Mark Noble, who is entering his final season at the club, scored with a penalty in the first half

MATCH FACTS

Celtic: Barkas (Bain 46), Murray, Ralston, Taylor, Welsh, Soro, McGregor, Turnbull, Christie, Abada, Edouard

Subs not used: Doohan, Bitton, Griffiths, Rogic, Bolingoli, Urhoghide, Connell, Shaw, Robertson, Forrest, Henderson, Montgomery, Hjelde 

Goals: McGregor 8, Christie 50 

West Ham : Fabianski (Randolph 46), Fredericks, Dawson (Alves 77), Ogbonna, Cresswell, Noble, Lanzini (Coventry 66), Bowen (Holland 87), Fornals (Forson 87) Benrahma (Oko-Flex 77), Antonio (Johnson 72)

Subs not used: Martin, Diop

Goals: Antonio 23, 32, Benrahma 54, Bowen 74, Oko-Flex 85 

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Postecoglou now has to get his players ready for the second leg of their second qualifier on Wednesday night after a 1-1 draw against the Danish side during the week, and the tightening of defence will be a priority.


West Ham, managed by former Hoops defender David Moyes, looked sharp, particularly on the counter, and will carry on preparing for their Premier League opener away to Newcastle next month.

It was not a positive start to the game for the Londoners.

Issa Diop replaced Angelo Ogbonna, who limped off injured just before McGregor easily brushed Manuel Lanzini off the ball and guided a shot from the edge of the box past goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.

Antonio was in good form as West Ham continued their pre-season preparations with a win

Antonio was in good form as West Ham continued their pre-season preparations with a win

Jarrod Bowen is reportedly a target for Liverpool and scored after being brought on v Celtic

Jarrod Bowen is reportedly a target for Liverpool and scored after being brought on v Celtic

Shortly afterwards at the other end, Celtic keeper Vasilis Barkas foiled Bowen when one-on-one.

West Ham levelled when Dane Murray's pass out from the back was intercepted by Noble who quickly moved the ball on to Antonio and he skilfully side-stepped defender Stephen Welsh and Barkas and rolled the ball into an empty net.

Pablo Fornals then sent the striker clear for a breakaway second when he split the Celtic defence with a pass and Antonio steered his shot from 12 yards past Barkas at the near post.

Noble scored a third from the spot in the 38th minute after referee John Beaton felt Antonio had been barged in the box by Celtic midfielder Ismaila Soro.

Both teams changed their goalkeepers at the start of the second half, Scott Bain replacing Barkas and Darren Randolph on for Fabianski, and the former Motherwell keeper failed to keep out Christie's close-range prod from a Liel Abada cross.

Callum McGregor celebrates after his goal put Celtic into the lead early on versus West Ham

Callum McGregor celebrates after his goal put Celtic into the lead early on versus West Ham

Youngster Armstrong Oko-Flex came off the bench to score for West ham versus his old club

Youngster Armstrong Oko-Flex came off the bench to score for West ham versus his old club

He did tip a Christie effort over the crossbar moments later before the visitors countered again and restored their two-goal lead through a composed Benrahma finish.

Postecoglou changed all of his outfield players and one of them, Leigh Griffiths, recently cleared by police over allegations of sending inappropriate messages to two schoolgirls, was initially booed by a section of the home support.

Some fans then cheered Griffiths but attention soon turned back to the game and how easily Bowen was able to flick a cross past Bain before Okoflex wrapped up the scoring with a low drive into the corner of the net.