| Match Pictures | Matches: 1999 – 2000 | 1999-2000 Pictures |
Trivia
- In a carefully worded letter sent to the SPL in mid December Celtic had objected (quietly and carefully) to Dallas refereeing this game given the previous between Dallas and Celtic, particularly in Glasgow derby games.The objection was over-ruled and Dallas duly refereed.
- Immediately prior to Christmas Celtic tried to sign a Polish midfielder then with Bastia by the name of Piotr Swierczewski. He was known to Lubo Moravcik.
- Marc Rieper put back a decision on his future for a further two months after consultation with his Danish specialists. The prognosis though did not look good.
- Rafael Scheidt’s work permit was duly granted on 22/12/99 and he became a full Celtic player with a 3 year work permit (though his contract was for 4 ½ years – he could apply for an extension which would be rubber-stamped providing he played enough Celtic first team games, the required number of games would be worked out later).
- For the game Tottenham Hotspur’s manager, George Graham and Director of Football, David Pleat, were in the stands to watch Mark Viduka.
- Wieghorst was dropped for the game and Riseth came back into the side, Petta dropped out of the squad but Boyd made the bench for the first time since back surgery in August.
- This was Celtic's lat game of the decade.
- A special commemorative strip was worn for the occasion.
Review
Less blood-n-guts than the last derby game at Celtic Park and less humiliating than the first one of the season at Ibrox.
Teams
Celtic: Gould, McNamara, Petrov (Blinker 73), Mjallby, Stubbs, Tebily, Riseth, Lambert, Berkovic (Wright 83), Viduka, Moravcik.
Subs Not Used: Kerr, Burchill, Boyd.
Goals: Viduka 18.
Rangers: Charbonnier, Moore, Amoruso, Numan, Ferguson, Van Bronckhorst, Wallace (Amato 88), Albertz, Reyna, Vidmar,Dodds.
Subs Not Used: Myhre, Kanchelskis, McCann, Nicholson.
Goals: Dodds 27.
Booked: Moravcik, Lambert (Celtic) Amoruso, Moore, Numan. (Rangers)
Referee: Hugh Dallas (Scotland).
Attendance: 59,722
Articles
YOU WOODEN BELIEVE IT
Daily Record 28/12/1999
JAMES TRAYNOR
CELTIC 1
RANGERS 1
A CENTURY of often violent and turbulent Old Firm confrontation ended without fireworks or scintillating play last night but the dazzling wattage of Rangers' smiles at full-time told the entire story.
Although honours were even when the lights were finally dimmed over Celtic Park, the players from Ibrox made their way back from the east end of Glasgow knowing the advantage will lie with them when the ball starts rolling again in the new era.
They emerged from a tense and fraught game with their four-point advantage still intact and that, allied to a match in hand, should be enough to allow Rangers a relatively stress-free winter break in Florida.
Celtic, however, head for Portugal where they will fret over missed opportunities and some peculiar judgements from Hugh Dallas, who did nothing to endear himself to Parkhead's regular customers.
There were times when the referee appeared to make decisions more in hope of being right than any obvious certainty but it was fate more than anything else that conspired against Celtic who struck the wood in which Lionel Charbonnier was framed not once, not twice, but three times.
Mark Viduka, scorer of the first goal, hit the base of Charbonnier's right-hand post and Lubomir Moravcik, who was allowed far too much space by a Rangers defence which was unwilling to move in close for fear of being made to look foolish, hit the bar at both ends of the pitch.
With just a shade more good fortune Celtic would have closed the gap to only one point but they had to settle reluctantly for a share of the spoils, while Rangers' players and their fans looked as though they were happy enough to stagger towards the millennium with the draw.
Yet if they are being honest with themselves they will admit they were lucky not to lose a game which could have become an embarrassment for them if Celtic hadn't been denied a fair share of the breaks.
Had Moravcik's shot from Jackie McNamara's right-wing cross not hit the bar seven minutes after Viduka had scored, Celtic could have gone on to dominate the match completely but Rangers are nothing if not resilient and Billy Dodds marked his Old Firm debut with a goal that may well prove crucial in the final analysis.
While we are all about to enter a new time, it quickly became apparent we will have to do so with the usual foul attitudes and beliefs which tend to manifest themselves in song and chant when the Old Firm come together.
For the first half at least the teams managed to lift themselves above the madness which can often scar these encounters. This time, while there was no shortage of crunching tackles, the game was free of the kind of wild displays of temper which can incite the fans.
Four players, Paul Lambert and Moravcik of Celtic and Rangers' Lorenzo Amoruso and Arthur Numan, were booked but Dallas didn't have to wave his red card at anyone although Celtic's fans will believe for a long time to come that he should have dealt more severely with the Ibrox players. Goodwill to all men? 'Fraid you won't find too much of that around an Old Firm arena, especially if your name is Dallas.
Rangers were first to threaten yesterday when, in only two minutes, Craig Moore powered into Celtic's box to connect with Giovanni van Bronckhorst's delivery but the downward header was easily blocked by Jonathan Gould.
However, Celtic could have scored in eight minutes after Dodds had gifted possession to Vidar Riseth. He supplied Viduka and the Australian striker veered to his right across the edge of Rangers' box before Lambert arrived in support.
The midfield player took a short pass and then back-heeled his return through Moore's legs allowing Viduka, using the outside of his right foot, to curve the ball around Charbonnier but against the post.
This signalled the beginning of a good spell of play for Celtic and Viduka didn't fail when given another opportunity in 17 minutes. Eyal Berkovic took the ball from Claudio Reyna and even though Amoruso seemed to be doing a decent job in nudging his opponent away from goal the big striker turned suddenly and smacked a low shot across Charbonnier and into his right-hand corner.
Celtic's fans were delirious and taunted their stunned rivals, who sat in utter silence in their little corner of the vast ground.
Before they were given voice again they had to watch their keeper spill an Olivier Tebily long-range shot. Then they had to endure something close to horror when Moravcik's effort hit the bar but even though they still lacked composure and control, Rangers did manage to equalise in 26 minutes.
Tony Vidmar played a pass down the right which snaked through to the feet of Dodds. There didn't appear to be too much danger but Dodds's predatory instincts surfaced and he thumped a powerful, low shot which took a slight, but kind, deflection off Alan Stubbs beyond a surprised Gould and into the net.
After that the match was much more evenly contested and some of the football was neat and clever even if Berkovic failed to impose himself.
Unlike Moravcik he found himself closely marked and most of his work had to be done too far away from the dangerous areas.
It should be said at this point that Reyna, who had just returned from injury, put in a powerful shift and never stopped running in midfield where he acted as both a destroyer and a creator of moves.
He has shown himself to be a tremendous player who clearly believes in the work ethic and even though Rangers again lost their way in the second half Reyna was always willing to backtrack and slide in with telling, timely tackles.
Several times he chased down opponents as they galloped menacingly forward but it would be wrong to suggest Rangers were without threat entirely in the second period.
In fact, only seconds after the break Dodds was put through by Vidmar. Dick Advocaat's latest signing chipped the ball over Riseth and then fired in a volley that drifted wide of Gould's left-hand post.
Moravcik also was denied a goal when his header hit Charbonnier's bar in 65 minutes and the little genius went down with a mixture of dismay and pain.
As he connected with McNamara's cross from the right he also made contact with the skull of Johan Mjallby and came off second best, which was hardly surprising.
Rangers could have scored a second goal themselves when Rod Wallace's shot was swiped off the line by Stubbs and before the end Celtic tried to up the pace by taking off Stilian Petrov. His place was taken by Regi Blinker, who again was greeted with derisory cheers from Rangers supporters.
They were almost silenced again when Blinker's first cross almost deceived Charbonnier who had to slap the ball away.
Ian Wright also entered the contest, taking over from Berkovic, and Rangers took off Wallace to accommodate Gabriel Amato near the end but the game ended even and that will be much more to Rangers' liking.
Individual Player Ratings:
| Jonathon Gould | 7 | The keeper was left helpless by the deflection for Rangers' goal but otherwise comfortable. Made a fine save from Numan. |
| Jackie McNamara | 7 | Most of Celtic's best work came down the right flank and the wing-back played a big part. His crossing was a constant threat. |
| Stiliyan Petrov | 4 | Out of position and, at times, out of his depth on the left side of the defence, Rangers exploited the gaps. Subbed by Blinker. |
| Johan Mjallby | 7 | A typically solid performance from the big Swede who, despite his disciplinary record, kept calm. |
| Alan Stubbs | 7 | Shoulders part of the responsibility for Dodds's goal but put in a fine shift, including the goal-line clearance from Wallace. |
| Olivier Tebily | 3 | Caught napping at Rangers' equaliser and on the wrong side of Dodds and Wallace when they created clear-cut chances. |
| Vidar Riseth | 7 | The Norwegian hardly put a foot wrong at the back and his temperament, questioned in the past, didn't let him down. |
| Aul Lambert | 8 | A classy performance from the Scotland midfielder, who intercepted countless passes. Booked for a cynical foul on Dodds. |
| Eyal Berkovic | 6 | A subdued performance, in spite of the superb ball he threaded through for Viduka's opener. Contributed little else and was eventually replaced by Ian Wright. |
| Mark Viduka | 8 | A tower of strength up front, he took his goal well and his strength and close control posed problems throughout. Unlucky to hit the post with the outside of his right foot, he would have done even more with a better supply and support. |
| Lubomir Moravcik | 8 | Yet again the Slovakian displayed why Celtic should make every effort to keep him at Parkhead. Hitting the bar with a shot and a header, the only blot was his booking for dissent. |
| Substitutes: | ||
| Regi Blinker | 5 | Cheered on again by the Rangers fans, 18 minutes wasn't long enough for him to make an impression. |
| Ian Wright | 5 | Given just seven minutes, the striker failed to make an impact. |
- Managers Comments
John Barnes post match:
"We do have more games at home now in the second half of the season and that is to our advantage but we realise that if we are to win the title then we must look for help from some of the other teams.
"Rangers have more away matches and we know how hard it is to win when you are going away from your own stadium.
"I thought we showed this afternoon that we have improved from last month when we lost to Rangers. I always knew that we were a good side but we had to let people see that and we did so today. They are a very good team and we matched them. We struck the woodwork three times and I think that tells we were able to penetrate their defence.
"However, the game finished 1-1 and that is what we have to look at. It was always more important for us not to lose this game – we did not want to see Rangers go seven points ahead when they have a game in hand. That would have made life very difficult for us. But we went out looking to win the match, and we could have done that.
"We were in control for the opening spell then, after they scored against the run of play, they took over. I thought they dominated the last 20 minutes of the first half but we were always able to limit their chances. They are a very good team when they are in possession but when they did have the ball today we were able to handle them.
"We had the better chances and struck the woodwork three times and you have to be disappointed at that. However, we were better than we were the last time we met. We have progressed. I wanted the team to show that and I think they did. We're not far away from them and we have proved that."
Dick Advocaat, Rangers manager:
"It is a good feeling going into the shutdown four points in front and with a game in hand. I believe Celtic were up for this game, and the way they started showed that. But we still have our lead and that is important.
"I was happy Billy Dodds scored and it was encouraging how well he played alongside Rod Wallace. But I think we always had a slight edge by having an extra man in the midfield. They had to keep someone back to look after our two front men and then when it came to the middle we had more of the game.
"After all the games we've had in the Champions League and the UEFA Cup this season, it was good for me to see the players work for each other as a team and get this important result. It was good, too, to see some good individual performances."
Stats
| Celtic | Rangers | |
| Bookings | 2 | 3 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Fouls | 21 | 11 |
| Shots on Target | 6 | 4 |
| Corners | 3 | 4 |
| Offside | 0 | 2 |