Strachan takes the positives from MLS defeat

Celtic had looked sluggish from the kick-off as they continued their pre-season preparations in this MLS showpiece fixture at Dick's Sporting Goods Park and they were made to pay as Colombian striker Juan Pablo Angel and his compatriot Juan Toja hit goals to settle the match in the first half.

"That was a great workout and I think the summer is officially over," manager Strachan declared after the match.

"I enjoyed it, especially the second half when we got things organised. The MLS can proud of themselves. They played well."

The MLS squad, featuring 15 internationals from the USA, Canada and Grenada as well as Colombia, even had the luxury of a missed penalty on the half hour from Eddie Johnson, and Strachan said: "They started brighter. There was an energy to them, an energy that comes I would think with being at home and playing quite a few games and being right on top of their game.

"Everybody's sharp, mentally sharp and competing in every game. We're not at that stage yet, we're still preparing, so the edge they had mentally helped and the energy they've built up over the season helped."

Strachan said giving his players the morning off before the match had also played a part.

"It took them a long time to warm up so preparation, we need to think about that. We didn't do anything this morning so maybe we could have been a bit sharper.

"But there you go, you take your choice in taking training and saying what's best for the players and maybe it wasn't right. But you can't take anything away from the MLS. I thought they were excellent.

"We gave them a better game in the second half because we got ourselves organised and they listened to the coach at half-time. The players got better."

The Celtic boss said they had also been taken by surprise by the 3-5-2 formation employed by All-Stars coach and fellow Scottish international team-mate Steve Nicol.

"Us not being prepared for that system didn't really help either. We didn't know what system they were going to play but once we watched them in the first half it got a lot easier. But they did very well."

Despite the result, Strachan said he did take many positives from the match, not least they way they adapted to the MLS formation.

Asked what he liked from the Celtic players, he said: "The fact that they could reorganise themselves, take physical and mental blows in the first half and come back and make a game of it.

"I liked their attitude that it was 2-0 and they weren't going to give up. Some clubs might say that's it and start keeping the ball and try to leave it at 2-0.

"This team tried to go and win the game. They tried to get those goals back. We left ourselves open at times but that's the way we are.

"So there were good things for us."