Adam Idah’s pre-season preparations took an unwanted turn tonight after the striker was forced off at half-time during Celtic’s friendly against Sporting Lisbon in the Algarve.
The decision to withdraw him during the interval looked precautionary, but the forward didn’t re-emerge for the second half, raising concerns about a potential injury issue at this stage of the build-up.
Before being substituted, Idah had featured prominently in Celtic’s attack and was presented with two big opportunities to score. The first came early in the match when he found space inside the box but dragged his effort wide of the post.
Later in the half, he again found himself in a promising position only to be denied by the Sporting goalkeeper. While he failed to convert either chance, his movement and positioning offered positive signs that he’s getting into the right areas, which has been one of his strengths since arriving at the club.
However, those glimpses of attacking threat were quickly overshadowed by his early exit. During the break, Idah was seen in conversation with the medical and fitness staff, who were clearly assessing a groin complaint.
The fact he walked off unaided might suggest the issue isn’t serious, but with three more friendlies still to play before the competitive action begins, any knock at this stage is less than ideal for Brendan Rodgers.
The club will assess Idah in the coming days to determine the extent of the problem. If the injury proves to be minor, he could return before the end of the tour, but any sign of a strain or muscular issue could see the striker miss out on valuable minutes.
Rodgers will be wary of being left short in the forward department. Supporters will now wait for official confirmation on Idah’s condition, with the hope that the decision to take him off was simply to avoid any unnecessary risk rather than the start of a setback.
