1972-10-25: Celtic 2-1 Ujpest Dosza, European Cup

Glasgow Herald, Thursday 26 October 1972

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By Ian Archer

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Celtic 2, Ujpest Dosza 1

Celtic lived up to their legend last night. They aroused the passions and attacked the brave and noble Hungarians of Ujpest Dozsa until it hurt.

They scored only two Kenny Dalglish goals and that remains a slender lead to take to Budapest when this European Cup tie goes into its second gripping instalment next month.
But even if the small advantage they gained in front of 55,000 noisy, desperate fans at Parkhead proves not to be enough, they will go out of this, the best competition of all, with honoured dignity.

COMPLICATIONS
Every one of those dread­ful football coaches who believe that the game is now too complicated for the average person to under­stand should have been made to stand under the brilliant floodlights of Celtic park and forced to watch this tie.
Scotland’s champions abandoned all pretence at modern method and instead gave a fair impression of the Light Brigade's contribution to the Battle of Balaclava. They rode into the valley of death. They just about sur­vived.
It is an easy cliché to say that this match brought together the immoveable force and the irresistible object — but it remains a description that can hardly be bettered. Ujpest came to defend, Celtic ran out to bash and batter their way past the barrier.

INSPIRATION
After 90 minutes both clubs could take some pride in their achievements. Ujpest had defended without bitter­ness, Celtic had attacked with inspiration. The slight lead that Celtic gained was due to the man who sat on the bench and watched the action — and then rubbed his own thumbprint over the outcome.
It was Jock Stein's con­tribution that was crucial as Celtic gained the two second-half goals that rescued them from imminent extinction from the tourna­ment they won in 1967. It was ironic that the outcome was, in fact, settled by a tactician when every player had given so much.
He waved his magic wand for the first time in the dressing room at half-time, pulling Harry Hood out of the tie and moving George Connelly into the vacant midfield position. It took just four minutes for that decision to reap a rich reward.

LOW BALL
In 49 minutes, with yet another of Celtic's incessant attacks floundering on the mass of Hungarian legs which rarely left their own penalty area, Connelly swung across a low ball that curled round the outstretched thighs and over half a dozen pairs of raised boots.
Dalglish dropped his foot on it, paused, and froze this Parkhead scene for a split second. Szenthihalyi was surprised at this cheek and could not stop the Celtic player from coolly side-footing the ball into the net. Calm had triumphed where so much frenzy had failed throughout the long diffi­cult first half.
But Stein's master stroke was still to come. In 74 minutes he decided to pull Jimmy Johnstone, who had started quietly but risen to a game of twisting runs and outrageous passes, back into the dressing room. From the Park head terraces came weird unfriendly noises—and for once the Celtic manager was not the most popular man in this part of the city.

MISTIMED
Lennox arrived on the pitch to pick up his first pass almost before Johnstone had disappeared into the obscurity of the tunnel. He swung over another curling cross, and for once the Hungarians mistimed their leaps. The ball passed over the heads to the far post, where Dalglish, dipping his head almost in salute, glanced the ball over the line.
There remained precious 15 minutes in which Celtic could have extended their lead and given themselves a little time to admire the scenery when they arrive for the return in Budapest. It was a period of sustained attack, but Ujpest survived it with a kind of mid-European panache that spoke volumes about that nation's character as well as their football.
They had come here under stress, but suddenly they found powers of diligence that surprised Celtic. Their defensive display was never sterile; it merely moved the place from which they launched their own lethal breakaways a little deeper.
They might have taken the lead after only four minutes when Antal Dunai opened up a clear path for himself through an unguarded defence. Williams was beaten, but suddenly the Ujpest striker stumbled over the ball and the empty goal escaped. But when Bene took over the major striking role later, all sorts of unpleasant things began to happen to Celtic.
After 19 minutes Bene missed another similar chance. Sixty seconds later he made no mistake at all when Toth gave him another free run, and this time Williams was dragged off his line beyond recall before the ball was placed firmly into the net. Hungarians from all over the pitch descended upon him and it remains the goal that will count double in the event of a tie.
It took Celtic time to rouse themselves. It was not until the fortieth minute that they tested the Hungarian goalkeeper again. Callaghan, whose strength throughout the match finally helped to kill Ujpest's defiant resistance, crossed high to the far post. McNeill, who spent half the night under his opponents' crossbar, headed back strongly, but somehow Szenthihalyi scrambled away Hood's sliding shot.
This climaxed Celtic's insistent challenge in the first half — a time in which Macari needed only a little better close support to have won the match. It also set up the great gambles taken by the manager.
Celtic rolled forward and forward — but Horvath and Harsany marshalled Ujpest's central defence so that only tiredness among the Hungarians could give Celtic any real hope. In the end they were very tired men indeed — forced into substitutions to find fresher lungs— but they remained as adamant in their resistance as ever.

HOLD UPS

Jock Stein was not too displeased after the match, but he had some hard words to say about West German referee Biwersi. "I don't normally comment about officials," he said. "But I thought that he was not able to keep up with the pace of the match. There were too many hold-ups, and I thought the whole game was just too fast for him."
It was a telling point —but it would have needed a sprinter in full training to follow a tie that was quick and compelling. Budapest awaits, if we can all pull ourselves together in time.

CELTIC — Williams; Hay and McGrain; Connelly, McNeill and CalIaghan; Johnstone and Dalglish; Deans, Macari and Hood.
UJPEST DOSZSA—Szenthihalyi; Kolar and Harsany; Toth, F. Dunai, and Horvath; Fazekas and Juhasz; Bene; A. Dunai and Zambo.

Referee— F. Biwersi (West Germany).

The Scotsman, Thursday 26 October 1972

Two-goal Dalglish keeps hopes alive

By John Rafferty

Celtic 2, Ujpest Dosza 1

Celtic still have to do it all in Budapest. In a magnificently contested European Cup-tie they pressurised the Hungarian champions and scored two goals, but the one they lost in the first half is an embarrassing one. It was scored away, and could count double. Of course, the Hungarians go home happy.
How they lost only two goals from such sustained, exhilarat­ing, purposeful pressure as Celtic crushed on them, they would not know. Latterly, as the defence started to collapse and began clearing with despera­tion, they could have been swamped with goals. In that spell the Hungarians had to substitute two players who took cramp.
The 55,000 crowd had shown much enthusiasm when it was announced that Jimmy Johnstone would play; and they were right to hail him in advance, for he played with such trickery and courage as had the left defence scrambling and floundering. The crowd disapproved when he was taken off; but they were unreasonable —he had done his bit.
It was a game in which Kenny Dalglish found full stature. His work in midfield was reminiscent of Murdoch; his close work in front of goal was typified in the coolness, approaching nonchalance, with which he scored the two goals.
It was a magnificent game of football, and maybe Celtic's best display this season. They were convincing and exciting everywhere, except in the middle of the defence. McNeill found Bene, the superb Hun­garian captain, troublesome with his slick speed.
Twice before Bene scored in the 19th minute, the Hun­garians might have had goals from the ball flighted beyond the defenders. Dunai was stopped with some bother, then Bene was halted only when Connelly got back.
Then in a repeat, the ball dropped beyond the defence, and Bene, already running, was clear. He drew Williams, beat him and ran the ball into an empty goal. That was hard for Celtic to bear; but every time Ujpest broke from defence, they were dangerous.
Stein rearranged his team at half time. He took off Hood. McCluskey went on to cover McNeill, and Connolly moved into the midfield. In three minutes, that formation scored. Connelly got the rebound from the defensive wall; he placed a superb pass to Dalglish and he, with astonishing composure, flicked the ball through a gap in the goal-line crush.
There was ecstatic excitement as Celtic went for the lead and Ujpest were harried and tortured. Jimmy Johnstone was going flat out on the right and in one run he beat five men. Callaghan ran on to his pass, and hit his shot perfectly. It seemed it must be a goal but, incredibly this lanky goalkeeper saved.
Then Johnstone was taken off, and Lennox went on. With his first touch he sent the ball across the goalmouth. Dalglish stooped and steered the ball to the net.
It was fierce then. A couple of Hungarians took cramp, and were substituted. The bill was being cleared anywhere. Macari and Deans worried away at the tottering defence; but the ball would break anywhere but to a Celtic foot.

Stein was entitled to be happy with the goal lead. It will be difficult to maintain in Budapest, but this an improv­ing Celtic should manage.

CELTIC—Williams; Hay and McGrain; Connolly McNeil and Callaghan; Johnstone, Dalglish, Deans. Macari and Hood.
UJPEST DOZSA — Szenthihalyi; Kollar and Harsanyi; Toth, E. Duasi and Horvath; Fazekas, Juhas, Bene, A. Dunai and Zambo.

Referee—F. Bewarsi (West Germany) .