| Match Pictures | Matches: 1972 – 1973 | 1972-73 Pictures | European Cup |
Trivia
- Celtic flew out with an injured Macari and no Murdoch.They trained at the ground on the Tuesday and with a hard and fast ground Stein prayed for rain. The Hungarians watched the training and dismissed it as light weight.
- Afternoon kick off of 4pm.
- STV coverage of the game live from Budapest failed when the link between Budapest and Vienna went down leaving many Celtic TV fans fuming after leaving work early. BBC radio coverage was all that the fans had to listen to.
- STV obtained film from Hungarian TV and showed highlights on Thursday evening at 11.05 (after Late Call !) although not many fans were keen to watched a 3-0 defeat.
- Ujpest lost in the quarter finals to Juventus on the away goals rule.
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Report
Celtic were beaten by a much better side. Bene and Anton Dunai did the damage pulling the Celtic defence all over the field and three goals in the first 16 minutes killed the tie.
As the match went on Williams became Celtic's busiest and best player and had it not been for him then Celtic could have been facing a humiliating defeat.
Celtic were arranged tactically to fight a semi defensive battle and could not reshape after the shocking opening although Dalglish and McNeill hit the woodwork late on. Had they scored then it may have been different but Ujpest were still attacking at the end and Williams was still defying them.
Murdoch and Macari were badly missed by Celtic as the team then lacked poise in midfield and energy in attack.
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Teams
Ujpest Dozsa:
Borbély, Noskó (Kolár), Hársanyi, Tóth, E. Dunai, Horváth, Fazekas, Juhász (Nagy), Bene, A. Dunai, Zámbó
Goals: Bene 2 (8,22), Fazekas (pen 16)
Celtic:
Williams, McGrain (Deans 70), Brogan, Hay, McNeill, McCluskey, Johnstone, Connelly, Dalglish, Callaghan, Lennox (Hood 64) Subs: Connaghan Davidson
Goals:
Referee:- Bent Neilsen (Denmark)
Attendance: 13,012
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Articles
Evening Times 9th November 1972
Glasgow Herald Thursday November 9 1972
Hungarian magic finds courageous Celtic wanting in Budapest
By Ian Archer
Ujpest Dozsa 3, Celtic 0 (Aggregate 4-2)
BUDAPEST, Wednesday,
Celtic will be mere bystanders as teams from other countries contest the last hard rounds of this season’s European Cup. They were found wanting here in the suburbs of Budapest tonight. Ujpest Dozsa, with a series of sweeping attacks that recalled the memories of the very best days of Hungarian football, defeated and destroyed them.
It was a bitter lesson for a team who rank alongside Ajax, Real Madrid, and Inter Milan in any roll call of the world's great clubs, and this defeat will hurt them hard at Parkhead.
But it certainly happened. Celtic, who have taught so many other clubs the value of positive football, had to stand aside and receive instruction from these thrilling and composed Hungarians.
MISFIRED
To say that Celtic's tactical plan misfired, is rather to miss the point. They were, quite simply and honourably, beaten by a much, much, better side.
And it took Ujpest just 22 minutes to secure their place in the quarter-finals, pulling back their single-goal deficit from the first- leg and moving to a position of absolute strength in the overall tie.
Ferenc Bene and Antol Dunai did the damage, pulling the entire Celtic defence all over the field, working for the spaces, and then killing them with lethal shooting from inside the penalty area.
During that period Billy McNeill and Pat McCluskey, the two men chosen to contain this menace, looked like players who had lost their way. They were given the impossible task and they were found to be only human.
All the hints that Ujpest gave at Parkhead that they could break other men's hearts were confirmed. To a neutral, it represented a wonderful exhibition of hitting on the break, but Celtic were too close to admire it all.
The effect on the crowd packed into the concrete terraces was dramatic. The Hungarians, by virtue of their remarkable history, have a straight-faced, almost dour attitude to life.
Suddenly they were all smiling and may be they too did not believe that Ujpest could be this good. Certainly, with bold strokes, they painted a clear picture. Three times within the first 90 seconds Celtic brought the twin strikers to the floor with heavy tackles, but Bene and Dunai rose to give their reply.
Then, for the next quarter of the match, they were touched with magic. After eight minutes they took the lead when Dunai, chasing a long Toth pass, dragged McNeill wide before beating him on the turn. His low cross was aimed sharply into an empty six-yard box, and Bene had only to sidefoot the ball into the net.
They had too much pace for Celtic and eight minutes later this quality allowed them to score again. McGrain could only trail in the wake of Zambo, the sprinter on the left wing. As the Hungarian closed in to shoot, the full back pushed him from behind and the Danish referee, who wore glasses, could see well enough that it was a penalty. Fazekas hit it to the left of Williams, and although the goalkeeper read it right, his dive was too late.
WILLIAMS SAVES
Consistently, Ujpest carved the defence apart, and Brogan cleared desperately before the Hungarians scored their third and last goal after 22 minutes. This time there could be some debate about its validity. Another Toth pass placed Bene clear and possibly a yard offside. But he was moving so fast that it had to be a marginal decision and he ran on with no worries at all and shot past Williams.
And so it went on with Williams increasingly becoming Celtic's busiest and best player. He saved once more at Zambo's feet to stop a fourth goal.
But Celtic's courage in adversity, was also admirable and they managed a brief flourish before half-time when Dalglish's swerving shot was turned on to the bar by the substitute goalkeeper, Bobbely, and when McNeill came up for the corner that followed, Juhasz cleared his header off the line amid strong appeals that the ball was already halfway into the net.
BRIEF REVIVAL
Celtic’s brief revival could not be sustained after the interval. Celtic were arranged tactically to fight a semi-defensive battle and, when the Ujpest goals demanded that they attack there were not enough men to spare.
Hay could not produce the kind of intricate passing required, and Callaghan could make few of his powerful runs. Connelly, although he fought until the end, had little support. So too had Dalglish who ran selflessly all night only to find that Johnstone lost his concentration and Lennox was unable to outpace the defence.
Jock Stein recognised the need for change in the second half when he sent on Hood and Deans in place of Lennox and McGrain — but by then it was too late.
Celtic in fact, had to rely upon Ujpest squandering many, many chances to win this tie by a wide, humiliating margin. Four times Dunai and Bene strode clear down the middle. Twice Williams made good brave saves. On the other two occasions the Hungarians just abused the sight of an open goal. Toth went off, his work done, and Ujpest sat tight on their commanding lead towards the end.
LAP OF HONOUR
And eventually it was all over. Johnstone buried his head in his hands while the other playes left the field quietly. The Hungarians conducted a joyous lap of honour led by the incomparable Bene, their captain.
Stein conducted the inquest. "Those early goals crucified us." he said. Celtic now return to the confines of Scotland, their dream shattered and their spirit, tonight at least, wilted.
UJPEST DOSZA—Borbely; Nosko and Harsany; Juhast, E. Dunai and Hovrath; Fazekas and Toth; Bene, A. Dunai and Zambo. CELTIC – Williams; McGrain and Brogan; Hay, McNeill and McCluskey; Johnstone and Connelly; Dalglish, Callaghan and Lennox.
Referee – T. Nielsen (Denmark).
The Scotsman Thursday 9 November 1972
Stein’s plan to mark Bene misfires
By John Rafferty
UJPEST DOZSA 3, CELTIC 2 (aggregate 4-2)
There was no Hungarian night of melody for Celtic in Old Budapest. Instead two modern flashes of speed cut the middle of their defence like a laser beam and before they had a case- hardened defence organised for it they had lost three goals and were eliminated from the European Cup.
Afterwards Jock Stein admitted what had gone wrong. He said: “We paid dearly for what had happened in those first 20 minutes. That spell crucified us. I thought though that if we had got a goal in the second half when they were tiring we might have done something.”
At Celtic Park in the first leg it had been shown amply how Ferenc Bene, the hero of two World Cups, could disturb the Celtic defence with ease and panache. Then in this second leg Ujpest added to him Antal Dunai, an even faster runner. Billy McNeill with young Pat McCluskey beside him could not cope.
No matter what theorising is indulged in Celtic lost solely and simply because they could not control these two talented players. Latterly, McCluskey did dig in with courage and intelligence and he was a magnificent player in the second half.
A pleasant crowd gathered for the game on a spring-like evening and produced a happy atmosphere. This was a great reception but these happy spectators brought no joy to the Scots and indeed they gloried in Celtic’s misery as within 15 minutes their one goal lead vanished as a dream with a rude awakening. And then Celtic went a goal behind on aggregate from a penalty kick and soon were another down.
It was Dunai who made the first goal to the eighth minute. He had taken McNeill wide to the by-line and then, somehow, managed to get the ball across the goal. It eluded the defenders but found Bene and he, with a crisp turn of the foot, sent it, to the net. It was such a goal as should not be lost at this level of football.
In the 15th minute this harassed Celtic lost another goal. George Connelly gave the ball away to Zambo. He charged straight into Celtic's centre defence and seemed to be barging through when Dan McGrain bundled him. A penalty kick was immediately given and Fazekas scored from it. Evan Williams, to his credit, got very near to the ball.
And that was Ujpest in a lead on aggregate and playing with fervour and great glee. Meanwhile Celtic struggled to find a pattern and to harden the middle of their out-speeded defence. Before they managed this they lost another goal. McNeill and McCluskey allowed a long pass to go them and that was fatal with the shrewd Bene around. He was quickly on to the ball, taking it up to Williams and then nipping it past him. Celtic were deep in trouble.
Ujpest had to substitute Polai for Nosko, who injured himself trying to pull down Bobby Lennox.
Then Celtic found a bit of form but had no luck with it. The midfield men began to find one another and a few passes were strung together. Ken Dalglish had a powerful shot but struck the bar. The ball was knocked for a corner and when it came over McNeill got his head to it and seemed to have scored but Juhasz was on the line of flight and cleared. One felt that if Celtic were going to score they would have done it in that situation.
And soon the game settled into a pattern. Celtic strung passes together and Dalglish showed much promise in linking the attack but always the Hungarians could release their strikers and then there was trouble. The pattern carried right through the second half and then McCluskey found increased stature as he spoiled these speedy terrors by doing something useful with the ball when he took it from them.
Both teams played better football in the second half but it was centred in the midfield by Hungarian design. Ujpest were content to play the ball around there and sit on their comfortable lead.
With 25 minutes to go Stein tried to break out of that area by sending on Harry Hood for Lennox and then soon afterwards substituting Dixie Deans for, McGrain to give Celtic another attacker. The situation called for desperate measures.
It was all to no avail. Celtic attacked but lived dangerously in their thinned defence as they sought a goal which might turn the game. Three times Dunai was sprung, but each time Williams foiled him. It could have been a humiliating score-line.
UJPEST DOZSA Borbely; Nosko, Harsanyi; Juhasz, Ede Dunai, Horvath; Fazekas, Toth (after 72 Nagy) Bene, Antal Dunai, Zambo.
CELTIC Williams; McGrain (after 79 Deans) and Brogan; Hay, McNeill and McCluskey; Johnstone, Connelly, Dalglish, Callaghan and Lennox (after 64 Hood).
Referee B. Neilsen (Denmark).
The Scotsman Friday November 10 1972
Celtic’s defeat exposes Scots weakness
JOHN RAFFERTY COMMENTS ON LESSONS OF BUDAPEST
The three goals which Ujpest sliced out of the Celtic defence had relevancy far beyond the elimination of Celtic from the European Champions Cup. They indicated a weakness in the Scottish game which is disturbing to have exposed during the campaign for qualification for the finals of the 1974 World Cup.
Celtic were beaten because, for a fatal 20 minutes, their defence could not cope with the searing speed of the Hungarian forwards. That simple fact has to be studied in the context of the Scottish game.
This same Celtic side are at present leading the Scottish League championship by two points, and in Scotland they are noted for the speed of their play, which at times overpowers opponents. That was the Celtic which was found wanting in Budapest; and if they were out-speeded, then what is to be said for the other Scottish clubs?
Of course, this season they have not been so clearly ahead of the others as they have been in the past seven seasons when they won the league championship, and Dundee particularly have been successful against them; but they are not so far gone that any team here is going to be odds-on to beat them, and the bookmarkers ask prohibitive odds if they are asked to quote on the league championship.
Our home game has been shown to have lost something and this must be borne in mind to rid us of any complacency before the World Cup, and particularly before Scotland meets Denmark next week.
That could be a fine occasion for complacency if, coupled with Celtic's defeat, it is not noticed that the Danes are bringing in men from some of the top clubs in Europe.
DIFFERENT WORLD
It does not seem to be fully appreciated here that the European Champions’ Cup is a different world from any other tournament. An indifferent team could not win it. A team which wins it, such as the Celtic team of 1967, must have many players of European class, and some of world class.
The trouble with the Celtic team this season is that they have good players by Scottish standards but not by those of Europe and the world. Some of the established men have dropped below that class and some of the new ones have failed to reach it.
Indeed the only player to come out of Budapest with an enhanced reputation, and bearing the badge of class, was Kenny Dalglish. There need now be no dubiety about his worth. He is of the class which wins European Cups, but Celtic need more. Young Pat McCluskey showed, when he settled, that he has qualities of courage and skill which could bring him to the required standard.
The Ujpest team was well sprinkled with such players, from the powerful defence to the speedy forwards, and they showed us a quality which has been missing in recent years from Hungarian football, the lack of which has had them beaten by teams of inferior skill. In Hungary they give as a reason for the failure of the football of the 1953 team, to persist in their neglect of the new doctrine of speed.
Antal Dunai, going through the Celtic defence, showed acceleration and speed fit to match that of the great Real Madrid winger Gento. Ferenc Bene was as fast over the first few yards. Throughout the team there was an abundance of speed which was up to the best modern standards.
There was another new element which was not as satisfying. The defence was more rough than we would ever have expected any Hungarians to be. The two six-footers in the middle of the defence were almost brutal in their destruction and there was a lot of hard kicking and wild lunging which, though deplorable, was more realistic in a competitive sense than the niceties which used to win the Hungarians nothing but admiration. Ujpest Dozsa will be difficult to eliminate from this club championship of Europe.
VULNERABLE
Meanwhile, it must not be assumed that Celtic are going to be walked all over in Scotland. They are creaking a bit, and falling short of European standards, but they are still going to be the team to beat in Scotland and perhaps it will be to the good that they have been shown to be vulnerable.
Perhaps now more teams will have a go at them and that would be to the good of spectating and of the game. Jock Stein has taken them through an unbelievable run of success, but problems heap on him as he tries to replace the greats of 1967 and finds new ones just short of their class. He could, of course, content himself with a team which would win in Scotland, but ambition has a wider sway than that. He has tasted football at this exalted level and is hooked on it. He must have it, and that is to the good of the game here for he set a high standard.
He has had ill-luck with injuries because Macari and Murdoch were missing from Budapest. He had to play defenders such as David Hay too far forward, but surmising what might have happened is irrelevant, and it would only hide the essential fact that more class will have to be brought into the team.
