| Match Pictures | Matches: 1966 – 1967 | 1966-1967 Pictures |
Trivia
- Joe McBride, who had been struggling to recover from a knee injury finally went for a knee operation to Killearn Hospital, at that time a known centre of excellence for neurosurgery and orthopaedic surgery. The injury was thought to be a cartilage problem but required further investigation (see Player Profile for more information.)
- On the previous night Rangers had beaten Airdrie 1-0 to go above Celtic in the League table on goal average alone. They were equal on points and Celtic had a game in hand now. Also on the same night Dundee Utd went out of the Fairs Cup beaten by Juventus, winning 1-0 on the night but going out 3-1 on aggregate.
- Tommy Gemmell and Willie Wallace were included in the Scotland party to tour the Far East in the summer.
- The Vojvodina squad flew into Glasgow on Monday night. Stein refused to allow Vojvodina to play on the Parkhead pitch 24 before kick off due to concerns about the condition of the pitch. A Reserve game which had been due to be played at Celtic Park the previous weekend had been postponed as the pitch was waterlogged then and continued to be a cause for concern.
- Steve Chalmers fought against a shoulder injury he had picked up inh the first leg all week. He played, though was only 70% fit. Wallace was ineligible as he had been in the first leg. Bertie Auld, who had limped off before the final whistle in the previous game at Love Street was said to be untroubled by the injury but did not play, with Hughes reverting back to the left and Jimmy Johnstone restored on the right.
- Jock Stein had called for a ‘special effort’ by the Celtic fans to inspire the team. He made a point in saying that this was the game that so far had required the most thought and preparation that Celtic had yet undertaken. Both Boskov and Stein were top drawer strategic managers who tried to out-think and out-play the opposition through superior and changing tactics.
- Celtic played in an all green change strip. 75,000 tickets said to have been sold in advance for this all-ticket game. Kick off was at 8pm.
- If the tie had finished level then a third game would have taken place in Rotterdam.
- The referee, Mr Carlsson from Sweden, only had one hand.
- McNeill’s last minute goal was the most dramatic ever scored at Celtic Park and saw Celtic through to the semi finals.
- First time Celtic win a tie in Europe after losing the first leg.
Review
In 5 minutes the Vojvodina forward Pusibric missed an absolute sitter from only six yards out in front of goal. For the next 40 minutes Celtic attacked constantly but could not break through the strong Slav defence.
After half time Stein moved Hughes to inside right and this unsettled Vojvodina and cracks began to appear. In 58 minutes Chalmers scored after Pantelic had fumbled a cross from Gemmell.
Celtic attacked thereafter and Vojvodina held out desperately until the 90th minute. Johnstone made a burst down the right and won a corner. Gallagher swung over the cross and McNeill rose gloriously to head past the despairing Vojvodina defence.
For a moment the crowd and player stood still until they realised the ball was in and the Parkhead crowd exploded with noisy celebration. In contrast the Vojvodina players sank to the turf in agony and some complained to the referee that McNeill had barged his way forward but to no avail.
At the other end of the ground Ronnie Simpson turned cartwheels on the field and swung from the crossbar with delight as the delirious supporters, still celebrating the goal, realised that the referee had blown for time up.
This was the most dramatic ending ever to a game at Celtic Park and the is said to have caused the greatest roar ever when McNeill scored.
There was to be no play off in Rotterdam after all.
Teams
Celtic:
Simpson,Craig, Gemmell ,Murdoch, McNeill, Clark, Johnstone, Lennox, Chalmers, Gallagher, Hughes.
Scorers: Chalmers (58), McNeill (90)
FK Vojvodina:
Pantelic, Aleksic, Radovic, Sekereš, Brzic, Netišcki, Rakic, Dakic, Radsosav, Trivic, Pusibric
Referee: Hans Carlsson (Sweden)
Attendance: 69,374
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
Evening Times 9/3/1967
Match report from The (London) Times, March 9th 1967
