Champions League - Celtic claim Villarreal scalp

Eurosport - Thu, 11 Dec 10:37:00 2008

Goals from Shaun Maloney and Aiden McGeady gave Celtic a 2-0 home win over Villarreal in their final match of Champions League Group E.

FOOTBALL McGeady - 0

The result meant nothing to the Hoops, who finished bottom of the pool and had no prospect of coming third and qualifying for the UEFA Cup even before Aalborg held Manchester United in the other group match.

The implications for the Spanish side could be big, though, as they finish second and will therefore face a group winner in the last 16 of the competition.

Celtic took the lead 13 minutes into a bright opening that saw Thomas Hinkel save his side with a last-ditch tackle on Chile playmaker Mathias Fernandez, who almost set up Guillermo Franco a minute later.

Franco could not make contact with Fernandez's pass and the miss was a turning point in a game that the Yellow Submarine were expected to win.

On 13 minutes Scott Brown lofted a ball into the area and Shaun Maloney arrived with a header to put the hosts in front.

Edmilson should have levelled a quarter of an hour later but headed a corner over the bar and things went from bad to worse on 34 minutes when Franco was shown a straight red card for elbowing Gary Caldwell.

McGeady could have doubled the lead soon afterwards with a shot that went just wide, but he managed to get his side's second in first-half injury time after Villarreal allowed him the freedom to run through their defence and fire past Sebastian Viera.

Georgios Samaras missed a host of second-half chances to further humiliate last season's Liga runners-up while Caldwell and substitute Paul McGowan went close with late headers.

Reuters

Comment 75 - 94 of 94

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  1. Point 86 - Paul, I can think of one celtic player that­ gets a game regularly. His name is KENNY MILLER!!­ GIRFUY!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Fri 12 Dec 1:22PM

  2. Point 77 - Is this a best-selling book in the Rangers­ Shop you are talking about, by any chance? I hear you­ borrowed a blue movie from yer mates. You thought it­ was a @#$% film, coz it was about 11 fannies getting­ pumped - turns out it was rangers' latest dvd!!­ LOL!! GIRFUY!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Fri 12 Dec 1:20PM

  3. Point 62 - Ah'm shitin' masel'!! Gonnae­ pass us the andrex?? You clowns couldnae fight sleep!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Fri 12 Dec 1:14PM

  4. Haigy (point 57) - I think YOU are the one in need of­ an E D U C A T I O N !! Learn to spell!! Oh, and by the­ way, as a proud tarrier, I am prepared to do you a good­ discount on a new driveway to your house as a gesture­ of goodwill at this time of year!! LOL!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Fri 12 Dec 1:11PM

  5. 51 - Rangers were the scottish club that were knocked­ out of TWO European competitions in one season (or­ should I say ONE MONTH?.)

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Fri 12 Dec 1:08PM

  6. paul g maybe rangers should have played some of the­ celtic team they might have got into europe you scummy­ bluenose f***
    regards 1965

    From paul, on Thu 11 Dec 10:42PM

  7. paul g maybe if you did pick some of the celtic players­ you might have got into europe or did you not think of­ that you sad pathetic bluenose scumbag
    regards 1965

    From paul, on Thu 11 Dec 10:37PM

  8. well paul you are entitled to your opinion and they­ same goes for us we dont rate any of the rangers­ players to be good enough for celtic

    From simonk, on Thu 11 Dec 10:34PM

  9. I still cant think of a smellic player who would get a­ game for the Gers. I wouldnt pick any of them. Not one.­ Dont rate any of them.

    From Paul G CHAMPIONS, on Thu 11 Dec 10:20PM

  10. ah the orderly must have came and gave him his nightime­ medicine .
    as per usual when he is asked a question he­ goes into hiding back under his rock

    From simonk, on Thu 11 Dec 10:04PM

  11. Poor poor haiggis Poor poor haggis Sad sad sad­ deluded wee man .May i suggest euthinasia instead of­ torturing yourself . Its going to be a long hard­ struggle to live with the mighty hoops success NOW AND­ YEARS TO COME

    From thetwotoedsloth, on Thu 11 Dec 9:51PM

  12. why is he a bigot ???
    because he is a irish catholic­ with different views to yours ????
    for fecks sake most­ of the normal world has a different veiw to you .
    are­ we all bigots ???

    From simonk, on Thu 11 Dec 9:49PM

  13. you know the really funny thing if you were to meet­ neil lennon up a dark alley on your own you would @#$%­ yourself
    and no they were not mouthing off it was the­ other way around as usual .
    scum like that should be­ locked up for good . but then it has come to be­ expected that some of the rangers fans behave this way­ all the time .
    are you one of them ???

    From simonk, on Thu 11 Dec 9:44PM

  14. NEIL LENNON THE BIGGEST BIGOT ON THE PLANET AND DONT­ SAY HE IS NOT OTHERWISE U WILL BE MORE DELUDED THAN I­ THOUGHT U WERE

    From n.haig123, on Thu 11 Dec 9:42PM

  15. PT 81 DIDNT IMPROVE THEIR LOOKS EH AND THEY WERE PROB­ MOUTHING OFF BUT THEN AGAIN WORKING WITH LENNON AM NOT­ SURPRISED

    From n.haig123, on Thu 11 Dec 9:40PM

  16. hag see comment 74 and when you realise your sad­ question has been answered then come back with another­ little trivia that can be rammed back down your neck
    4­ and more

    From simonk, on Thu 11 Dec 9:35PM

  17. THICK MICK AND U KNOW U ARE GO AND PICK SOME TOTTIES OR­ EAT SOME PORK WHOEVER U NICK THAT OFF YA SAD LOSER LIKE­ YOUR LOSING TEAM. HA HA

    From n.haig123, on Thu 11 Dec 9:34PM

  18. ANOTHER SAD COMMENT PLS WILL ANYBODY RESPOND BOUT­ BRAZILS BOOK OR THE OTHER PTS.MMMM THOUGHT NOT. U LOT­ HATE FACTS AND ALWAYS MENTION SOMETHING ELSE SAD @#$%

    From n.haig123, on Thu 11 Dec 9:31PM

  19. your right i must be a thick mick i am trying to even­ my wit with a feckin halfwit .
    and no i am not­ embarrased by celtics away record if we only got three­ points in a group well then i might be .
    let alone­ twice
    and the more i think nah i am not a thick mick­ cos if i was i would have ended up supporting your­ manky mob

    From simonk, on Thu 11 Dec 9:31PM

  20. PT 75 ANOTHER DELUDED MICK WILL U LOT EVER LEARN OR­ PLEASE COME OUT WITH SENSIBLE COMMENTS BUT U CANT I­ SUPPOSE YA SHOWER OF UNEDUCATED DELUDED IDIOTS. SEASON­ OVER THAT IS HOW DELUDED U LOT REALLY ARE

    From n.haig123, on Thu 11 Dec 9:29PM
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