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 7 - 26 of 46

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  1. * 22

    ANOTHER ENGLEISH TRYING HIS BEST SCOT (IS THAT YER BEST FELLA?)

    YER 'YA' DOESNA SOUND SCOT... MMMM

    TRY AGAIN... here we go ... whit: BLAH BLAH

    A WEE BIT OF GAELIC?

    POG MO HOIN!

    From willflet, on Thu 18 Sep 12:31AM

  2. * 22

    YOU are not SCOTTISH man... YOU are another english posting sh*it from a weaxy engleish cyber...
    One just canna tell how many engleish are swallowin their bitter @#$% in this forum ...
    Is there anyway to prove they are TRUE SCOTS? HA...Nae!
    Get a life

    C'moan C F C

    From willflet, on Thu 18 Sep 12:05AM

  3. could someone translate that gibberish?

    how do you sign a song? your grammar is atrocious and i bet you're a real looker too, aren't you? i'm surprised you can count to four.

    bugger off.

    From cityofmillions, on Wed 17 Sep 11:48PM

  4. whit are yous aw aboot yous didnae even make the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE YOU PILE OF SHXT
    AWAY AND SIGN SOME SONGS YA BAMS ANY WAY WHERES YOUR PASSPORT OR ARE YOUS GONAY SAVE UP FUR NEXT YEAR SHOWER OF GREETIN FACED BASTXRDS WERE GONE FUR 4 IN A ROW IT AINT OVER TAE THE END AS YOU FONUD OUT LAST YEAR

    From brian, on Wed 17 Sep 11:44PM

  5. i'm scottish, but i'd rather support an english team than celtic. even man united.

    how long til the scum are calling for strachan's head on a platter?

    From cityofmillions, on Wed 17 Sep 11:41PM

  6. Hope 36 isnt your age robbie HA HA CELTIC seems abit advanced for a 36 year old rangers fan

    From thetwotoedsloth, on Wed 17 Sep 11:13PM

  7. As for paul i doubt if he has a house .

    From thetwotoedsloth, on Wed 17 Sep 11:10PM

  8. Own house in order first bluebells ?.

    From thetwotoedsloth, on Wed 17 Sep 11:09PM

  9. HA HA CELTIC

    From robbiehunter36, on Wed 17 Sep 11:07PM

  10. shake hands with you wilflet.

    Waulk on Celtic!

    From P M, on Wed 17 Sep 11:00PM

  11. It,s great to be optmistic striker.

    From thetwotoedsloth, on Wed 17 Sep 10:59PM

  12. Bluebells, they signed wonder boy malony, lol Idiots. He's no mendes thats for sure

    From Paul G CHAMPIONS, on Wed 17 Sep 10:56PM

  13. When will Barry Robson change his type of penalty......everyone in the stadium, including the Danish keeper, knew it would be blasted straight down the middle! Nae brains, nae idea! Celtic were shocking, what an advert for Scottish Football! ALL the SPL teams are light years behind other national leagues!

    From Striker, on Wed 17 Sep 10:52PM

  14. * 10 thetwotoedsloth

    Well said fella but don't waste yer time.. all these engleish cr*p
    wouldna support any Scottish team ...NEVER.
    If they're not engleish they're Gers... well... the same @#$% anyway.

    YNWA

    C'moan CELTIC!

    From willflet, on Wed 17 Sep 10:50PM

  15. I've said it so many times, I'm not getting at Celtic, more some fans. What is making you think you are going to run away with everything this year. You have spent very little, have much the same team as the one that was knocked out early in the domestic cups and was pushed to the very last game by a tired, overworked but still poor rival. You did manage a last 16 in europe. So far this season only a run of poor descions kept you with us untill you were hammered by Rangers at home in the league. If I was a Celtic fan I would be very concerned right now. Don't get me wrong I hope not but if we can hammer 4 past you what is Man U going to do to you.

    From Bluebells, on Wed 17 Sep 10:41PM

  16. Its not looking good for them. Away from home the real problem lies. There was bad luck involved tonight too

    From Dean O, on Wed 17 Sep 10:34PM

  17. May i suggest as the only team in scotland left in the group stages you support them stuart , swallow your bitter pill and get out abit ?.

    From thetwotoedsloth, on Wed 17 Sep 10:30PM

  18. what game were you watching sleepy a wee run of the ball and it would have been 5/6 -0

    From thetwotoedsloth, on Wed 17 Sep 10:18PM

  19. The final whistle saw the home side met with whistles and boos! LOL!
    Surely not by The Greatest Fans In The World!
    CFC-MOPE`S SINCE 1888! GIRFUY!

    From stuart, on Wed 17 Sep 10:17PM

  20. I hope they do suffer a Man u backlash ther @#$%

    From hugh, on Wed 17 Sep 10:06PM
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