Champions League - Toothless Celtic frustrated

Eurosport - Thu, 18 Sep 09:18:00 2008

Celtic were left to rue Barry Robson's first-half penalty miss as they stuttered to a disappointing 0-0 draw with Champions League newcomers Aalborg in their Group E opener.

Andreas Johansson and Georgios Samaras - 0

Gordon Strachan's men dominated possession against the Danish champions, but lacked a cutting edge in front of goal and wasted their best opportunity to secure all three points when Robson struck his spot-kick straight at Karim Zaza in the Aalborg goal.

It was a night that began with high expectations for the home side, who have reached the last-16 of Europe's premier competition for two years running, and returned Shunsuke Nakamura to the line-up to increase attacking options.

But Bruce Rioch's visitors were far better than their league form this season would suggest, and held on bravely for arguably the biggest result in club's history - despite being reduced to 10 men in the closing stages after Georgios Samaras was tripped running through on goal.

In a moment reminiscent of Graham Poll's famous blunder at the 2006 World Cup, however, referee Luca Maggiani sent off the wrong player - punishing the wholly innocent Michael Beauchamp when the perpetrator was in truth Michael Jakobsen. The Italian is surely unlikely to oversee further Champions League matches this season.

Celtic started the match brightly, with Samaras and Nakamura linking well and Scott McDonald buzzing effectively in midfield. Despite their territorial advantage they struggled to find the final ball.

Fifteen minutes in the unfancied visitors almost grabbed a breakaway goal against the run of play, when Thomas Augustinussen found Jeppe Curth with a sublime through-ball. The striker managed to get a shot away, but it slipped just wide.

On the half-hour mark Celtic finally had an opportunity to convert their superiority into goals, when Shaun Maloney drew a trip from Steve Olfers by virtue of a neat drag-back just inside the box.

Zaza was on hand to deny Robson from 12 yards, however, and his heroics served to invigorate the visitors and instill the belief they could compete on a level footing with the Scottish champions.

With the second half came changes from Strachan. Aiden McCready and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink were both introduced and the game became increasingly stretched.

On 77 minutes, Samaras linked up superbly with Nakamura and Celtic finally had the ball in the Aalborg net - only to be denied by a tight offside decision, which on reflection was proved to be correct.

Soon after Samaras was felled by the incredibly fortunate Jakobsen, and Nakamura stepped up to send a curling free-kick heading for the top-right corner from 25 yards, only to see Zaza dive acrobatically to pull off another fine stop.

As the clock ran down, and the discontented hoards left in their droves from the stadium, Celtic tried without success to find a late breakthrough.

The final whistle saw the home side met with whistles and boos, and with Villarreal and Manchester United to come, Celtic will need to improve dramatically if they are to make to the knock-out stages for the third year in succession.

Will Tidey / Eurosport

Comment 27 - 46 of 46

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  1. strap on must go david moyes is still to sign a new­ contract with everton get him b4 its to late

    From Paddy, on Sun 21 Sep 3:20PM

  2. Paul G even yir writing and spelling would'nt pass­ furra jock,you see son we are educated up here second­ to none,so stop making us all cringe wae yir daft­ comments and put a sock in it yir maw must be awfully­ embaressed she kept the afterbirth.

    From peter, on Thu 18 Sep 2:29PM

  3. COMMENT 39 YOU TALK ABOUT RANGERS WIPED THE FLOOR WITH­ US DO YOU MIND A FEW YEARS AGO THE SCORE WAS 6-2 TO­ CELTIC WHAT DID YOU CALL THAT.

    From THE HOOPS, on Thu 18 Sep 1:40PM

  4. LOL!!.. Ok, STIXNOLAN, I concede!! But, I was a damned­ sight closer to the correct spelling!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Thu 18 Sep 1:13PM

  5. Cén saghas Gaeilge é sin??
    Is é "Póg mo­ thóin" an ráiteas ceart!

    From stixnolan, on Thu 18 Sep 12:49PM

  6. WILLFLET - re: comment 26.. I think you'll find­ it's POG MATHIONE!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Thu 18 Sep 12:23PM

  7. DID I HEAR THE CELTIC FANS SINGING NO HUNS IN EUROPE­ LAST NIGHT?
    OH MY GOD,HOW DARE THEY!
    MUST RUN CRYING­ AND WAILING TO POLICE,UEFA,GOVERNMENT etc,etc
    AYE­ RIGHT! CFC-MOPE`S SINCE 1888.

    From stuart, on Thu 18 Sep 12:09PM

  8. Me Man U are euro champs cause they can do well on or­ off form. Celtic need to be at thier very best to­ compete against these teams and im afraid your not.­ Look at what kanus done against a complacent uefa cup­ finalist. Don't take these teams for granted. we­ are not that big really

    From Bluebells, on Thu 18 Sep 10:47AM

  9. your team is the same as you fans of Celtic you talk a­ good game but you haven't got a clue how to play­ one rangers wiped the floor with you so will man u and­ villa R the only place that Celtic can survive is in­ your substandard scottish league

    From paulanderson921mackenzie, on Thu 18 Sep 9:28AM

  10. If the "discontented hoards (sic) left in their­ droves" who was left to deliver the whistles and­ boos? The Aalborg fans seemed pretty happy with their­ lot!

    This is a @#$% report of a game that Celtic­ dominated. The penalty miss was awful, the goal was­ onside and Boruc had bugger all to do all night. I can­ only assume it was written by an English Hun - perhaps­ one of the ones that were blamed for destroying­ Manchester (you know the ones who allegedly disguised­ themselves in Rangers tops and draped their fat torsos­ in Union flags . . . sounds like your average BNP­ fascist to me!).

    By the way, the worde is horde! a­ hoard is a hidden fund or supply stored for future­ use! And another thing, they cannot have left in their­ droves unless it is some sort of Glasgow transportation­ machine that I have not come across. I think they left­ in droves!

    Hail Hail!

    From scotspine9, on Thu 18 Sep 9:04AM

  11. Not a good result but it's only one game. No need­ to panic yet.Man u slipped up at home too.Keep the­ faith

    From Dean O, on Thu 18 Sep 8:11AM

  12. CITYOMILLIONS WERE THE HUNS NOT SHOUTING FOR WALLIES­ HEAD ON A PLATE LAST YEAR WHEN YOU'SE WERE PLAYING­ @#$% SO GET A LIFE, I THINK YOU ALL HAVE SHORT­ MEMORIES.

    From THE HOOPS, on Thu 18 Sep 8:05AM

  13. STUART K THE HUNS WERE BOO'ED OF THE PARK LOT'S­ OF TIMES LAST SEASON SO YOU CANT TALK.

    From THE HOOPS, on Thu 18 Sep 8:01AM

  14. PAUL G IF YOU WATCHED CORRIE HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW BAD­ CELTIC WERE.

    From THE HOOPS, on Thu 18 Sep 7:57AM

  15. PAUL G BIT OF THE GREEN EYED MONSTER THERE, CELTIC WERE­ POOR ON THE NIGHT, BUT WHERE WERE THE HUNS PLAYING.

    From THE HOOPS, on Thu 18 Sep 7:56AM

  16. BLUEBELL DID YOU WATCH MAN U LAST NIGHT THE WERE RANK­ ROTTEN, BUT FAIR PLAY TO CELTIC THEY ARE THERE, AND­ THEY CAN PLAY BETTER.

    From THE HOOPS, on Thu 18 Sep 7:54AM

  17. Scotland have had a poor start to the world cup and no­ scottish team has won a game in europe lets all argue­ as the teams from eastern europe overtake us.If we dont­ shake off our complacency in six years time our­ champions will go into the uefa cup

    From iancampbell11, on Thu 18 Sep 6:35AM

  18. Scotland have had a poor start to the world cup and no­ scottish team has won a game in europe lets all argue­ as the teams from eastern europe overtake us.If we dont­ shake off our complacency in six years time our­ champions will go into the uefa cup

    From iancampbell11, on Thu 18 Sep 6:35AM

  19. Congratulations to Celtic. A bit lucky to get the draw­ perhaps. But it must have struck fear into Kilmarnock­ ahead of the week-end.

    From Paul, on Thu 18 Sep 6:21AM

  20. cityofmillions

    Are ye posting from that pimpy cyber­ near Soho SQ. City of Londinium?

    oooopps

    From P M, on Thu 18 Sep 12:46AM
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