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

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  1. I do feel sorry for n.haig295839275561 (or something­ like that) as have you seen his efforts at trying to­ spell? My wife teaches children from the ages of 3 up­ to 7 and she was not happy with his homework for­ tonight, really must do better young man!

    From Alan R, on Thu 11 Dec 9:28PM

  2. I guess n.haig calls himself 123 as that's all he­ can count up to. I feel sorry for him in a sympathetic­ sort of way, as Huns need all the support they can get,­ and after all it is Christmas and the season of­ goodwill (even to tossers like him)

    From Alan R, on Thu 11 Dec 9:25PM

  3. i have not read alan brazils book so i cannot comment .­
    but what about aiden ma geady getting attacked quite­ often , darren o dea , scott brown , scott mc donald ,­ neil lennon on numerous occasions all attacks carried­ out by rangers fans .
    and a lot worse than spitting or­ scatching someones car .
    as for fernando ricksen well­ he was hardly whiter than white himself he caused­ plenty of bother with alan thompson . facts each and­ every one ......

    From simonk, on Thu 11 Dec 9:25PM

  4. U ARE @#$% IN EUROPE TIMMY. 3PTS TWICE WHO CARES AND­ LEAST WE KNOW HOW TO WIN AWAY.ONLY OLYMPIACOS WORST­ AWAY RECORD HOW EMBARRASING THAT MUST BE FOR U YA THICK­ MICK

    From n.haig123, on Thu 11 Dec 9:25PM

  5. n.haig123 = complete fuckwit - FACT.

    From Alan R, on Thu 11 Dec 9:22PM

  6. RESPOND TO MY PT. NO COS U CANT IDIOT. 4PTS BEHIND­ SEASON OVER U ARE THE ONE WHO KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT­ FOOTBALL

    From n.haig123, on Thu 11 Dec 9:21PM

  7. with eejits like yourself about haiggis tis hard to­ give credit to anything you support

    From thetwotoedsloth, on Thu 11 Dec 9:20PM

  8. and you go on and on and on about the fact celtic cant­ win away . but it sort of puts things into perpective­ when even though we cant win away we have never­ finished with 3 points in a group let alone twice

    From simonk, on Thu 11 Dec 9:20PM

  9. you are the only rangers fan on here spouting bile and­ it seems to me that you are on every celtic story maybe­ cos you have nothing to say on the rangers stories .­ your season is over why dont you go home

    From simonk, on Thu 11 Dec 9:18PM

  10. paul le guen spitting incident mcgregors car ricksen­ injury getting planes diverted to cardiff. alan­ brazils book read it. ALL FACT AND NOT ONE RESPONSE­ SURPRISE SURPRISE

    From n.haig123, on Thu 11 Dec 9:17PM

  11. hey hag do you know anything about football ???
    seeing­ as you are a football forum here lets have some of your­ vast knowledge instead of your usual bile .
    that is if­ you are capable of putting forward a case for yourself­ without having to drag yourself up into the gutter

    From simonk, on Thu 11 Dec 9:16PM

  12. pt 63 u have not gave one rangers fan any credit for­ saying anything clown and when i come out with facts u­ DONT like it idiot. u are a typical tarrier with your­ sad comments bout us. i say facts u dont like it. go to­ school or go and shoot up ya thick @#$%

    From n.haig123, on Thu 11 Dec 9:15PM

  13. uphill killcool and stevie b must all be related cos­ its the same comments from the lot a them. not one­ braincell between the lot of you and your teams r @#$%.­ roll on 27th when the bears r gonna rip u apart be­ afraid very afraid

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

  14. i see the scumbag hag is back here spouting his usual­ bile . my advice to you winda licker is keep taking the­ pills cos if you think what is human is to be seen in a­ rankers top well you are seriously screwed up .
    the­ worst thing of it all is you are giving genuine rangers­ fans a terrible name .
    and as for us not being able to­ drop into uefa cup i did not see you team there this­ season .
    here is a fact for you rangers worst record­ in champions league in britain with 3 points on 2­ occasions
    put that in you pipe and smoke it you racist­ monkey

    From simonk, on Thu 11 Dec 9:09PM

  15. uphill hibs fan my arse tarrier with tarrier comments u­ are a complete @#$%

    From n.haig123, on Thu 11 Dec 9:07PM

  16. the chapels full the nite timmy eh. go and get pumped­ by a priest

    From n.haig123, on Thu 11 Dec 9:05PM

  17. uphill gardner you are a complete tossbag go get an­ educatoin or take a long walk of a short pier idiot

    From n.haig123, on Thu 11 Dec 9:03PM

  18. uphull at it again ya mick in disguise. go and get­ pumped uphill wot a stupid name eh

    From n.haig123, on Thu 11 Dec 9:02PM

  19. pt 55 and proud of it timmt. go get a job ya fenian­ @#$%

    From n.haig123, on Thu 11 Dec 9:00PM

  20. dont insult the haggis mate
    regards 1965

    From paul, on Thu 11 Dec 8:07PM
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