Striker William Akio has recovered ahead of schedule and is added to Ross County’s squad for Wednesday’s Premier Sports Cup showdown against holders Celtic.
The Hoops, who charged to their record competitive away win on Sunday when they thrashed Dundee United 9-0 in the Premiership, are the midweek second-round visitors to Dingwall.
The sides met just a few weeks ago in the league when late goals from Moritz Jenz and Liel Abada helped Ange Postecoglou’s team edge to a 3-1 victory.
Akio, who signed in the summer from Canadian outfit Valour FC, suffered a knee injury in the Staggies’ 7-0 Premier Sports Cup rout over East Fife, which was his debut appearance.
He was expected to be out for months, alongside defender Connor Randall, who was sidelined at a similar time.
However, the good news is 24-year-old front-man Akio is a shock, and welcome, inclusion in Malky Mackay’s squad as the Highlanders seek to respond to their 4-0 weekend league loss to Rangers at Ibrox.
Three miss out…but Akio returns
Defender Jack Baldwin and midfielder Ross Callachan will serve the second of their two-game bans and midfielder Yan Dhanda is also suspended, but having the powerful Akio in the frame is a real boost.
The manager said: “We’ve lost Yan Dhanda from his two bookings in the group, inexplicably they follow through into the later rounds.
“Ross and Jack are obviously suspended as well, but we’ve got William Akio back in the squad.
“He will join us, and that’s a bonus to get him back.
“It’s very ahead of schedule, so it’s a real kudos to him and a big up to our two physios Tadhg O’Carroll and Gareth Partridge who have worked tirelessly with the boy.
“Dylan Smith (academy defender) will stay in the squad as well.”
Mackay ready for Hoops’ challenge
Celtic were in devastating form against Dundee United on Sunday as Kyogo Furuhasi and Liel Abada netted trebles, with Jota, Josip Juranovic and Carl Starfelt all chipping in to their record rout on the road.
County are the only team to even have scored against Celtic so far this season.
Mackay acknowledged his former club were a class apart and believes Celtic and Rangers qualifying for the group stages of the Champions League must be applauded all round.
He said: “It was an outstanding result for them to beat a Premiership team by so many goals.
“They are in a fabulous vein of form, both of the Old Firm are to get into the group stages of the Champions League.
“People maybe don’t realise the standard Celtic and Rangers are at after Rangers had four or five years of working their way back up, and Celtic changed their manager.
“Rangers got to the Europa League final last year, and both teams getting to the group stage now is an incredible achievement for Scottish football.
“It’s good for our rankings, it’s good for our pride as a nation and it’s good for solidarity payments for the other clubs.
“For Ross County to be going up against a Champions League team is an incredible achievement.
“We don’t take it lightly, and I don’t think our fans do either. We won’t stop pushing forward as a football club, and I love hosting the Old Firm up here. It’s a great situation that shouldn’t be glossed over.”
County want to progress in cup too
While he appreciates his midweek opponents’ strengths, he knows what to expect, having been in competitive matches against them last and this season.
He added: “So far we’re the only team that’s scored against Celtic in the league.
“We’re looking forward to it. It will undoubtedly be a tough game, and I’m sure that Celtic will come up here and want to progress in the cup as well, so we’ll both want to do well.
“We played them two weeks ago, so we know exactly what the full force of Celtic is.
“I’m looking at our game two weeks ago more than anything else.”
No more signings expected – Mackay
Mackay, meanwhile, doesn’t expect to add any more signings to his squad ahead of the transfer window closing on Thursday unless they are of a standard to play immediately in his starting 11.
Akio was County’s 10th summer signing and will be eager to show what he can do against the Scottish champions.
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