Celtic finished their pre-season preparations with a 5-3 win on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Asian Champions League winners Al-Ahli in the Como Cup third/fourth play-off.
The Scottish champions had been humbled 5-1 in their semi-final by Ajax, while the side who finished fifth in Saudi Arabia’s Pro League lost 3-1 to the pre-season tournament’s Italian hosts.
Having put Celtic’s second-half collapse against the Dutch down to fatigue of pre-season training, manager Brendan Rodgers named a completely fresh starting XI.
Al-Ahli took the lead after 23 minutes through former Porto and Braga winger Galeno’s acrobatic hitch-kick from 12 yards.
Celtic levelled when Luke McCowan’s corner to the back post was volleyed back into the six-yard box by James Forrest and centre-half Auston Trusty prodded home.
New striker signing Shin Yamada thought he had scored the winner after making his first Celtic appearance as a substitute but was ruled offside.
McCowan came close to a winner three minutes from time, but his strike came off a post and the match went into a shoot-out in which the Glasgow side prevailed.
