| Match Pictures | Matches: 2001 – 2002 | 2001-2002 Pictures |
Trivia
- First match played after events in New York, Sep 11th terror attacks on World Trade Centre.
- Approx 2000 killed in attack. RiP
- Minute silence held before game.
- Banner held by Celtic fans stating 'America – you'll never walk alone'.
- The home match v Rosenborg in the Champions League having been rearranged to a future date in respect to the global political & social environment at present.
Review
In light of events in the past week, without even it needing to be said, football has taken a back seat understandably. The attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York has seen 2000 killed, and our thoughts are with all affected.
Celtic fans had a banner of "America – You'll Never Walk Alone".
This was the first game since those events, with the home match v Rosenborg in the Champions League having been rearranged to a future date in respect to the global political & social environment at present.
After a tough first half, Celtic were dominant and won comfortably with Larsson scoring a double.
Teams
DUNDEE:
Langfield, Smith, Marrocco, Khizanishvili, Romano, Del Rio, Nemsadze, Rae, Garrido, Robertson, Milne.
Subs: Mathers, Boylan, Caballero, Robb, Coyne.
CELTIC:
Douglas, Mjallby, Balde, Valgaeren, Agathe, Lambert, Lennon, Thompson, Moravcik, Sutton, Larsson.
Subs: Kharine, Hartson, Petrov, Maloney, Crainey.
Goal: Larsson 45, 59, Petrov 70, Maloney 88
Attendance: 9,842
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
September16, 2001, Sunday
CELTICENJOY TAY-TIME FEAST
BYLINE:Paul Forsyth
THIS is surely not what Martin O'Neill means when he says thatCelticmust learn to play without the ball. His team, who will seek to sit back and pick off their opponents in Turin this week, exhibited a less sophisticated version of that strategy in a bizarre curiosity of a match at Dens Park last night.There were never four goals in this one. There weren't even three in it. In fact, ifCeltichad made off with maximum points on the strength of a solitary strike, it would barely have reflectedDundee'swholesome contribution to an unusual encounter which leaves Rangers seven points behind their city rivals.
Henrik Larsson scored twice, Stilian Petrov marked his continued recovery with a majestic blow and Shaun Maloney struck his first forCeltic, but it was the hosts, in the opening half at least, who behaved as though they were about to play Juventus in the Champions League.Only whenDundeewere two down and demoralised by the injustice of it all did the league leaders take a grip of themselves. A red card in the 75th minute for Walter del Rio, whose foul on substitute John Hartson was a second bookable offence, enabledCelticto accelerateDundee'sunseemly collapse. Juventus ought not to be fooled by the scoreline.
O'Neill can point out, with unarguable logic, that his team were ruthless when it counted, butDundeemanager Ivano Bonetti was in no mood to be charitable.
"If they play like that in Turin, it will be very hard for them," he said. The Italian, whose frustration about the result was understandable, seemed intent on taking it out on referee Alan Freeland.
He was adamant that the official had no business awarding the free-kicks which led toCeltic'sfirst two goals. "We expect respect even if we are not a big team. This is not the first time this has happened and it probably won't be the last. Every week, we work hard to do our job but sometimes he doesn't see that we are playing too. I can't believe it."
Although adversity forcedDundeeinto fielding a makeshift line-up, their unusual shape had an unsettling effect onCeltic. Steven Milne was the home side's only recognised striker after a twisted ankle restricted Fabian Caballero to a place on the bench, while Juan Sara and Beto Carranza were also unavailable. Their problems served only to confuse Celtic.
Dundeedominated the first half, flooding the midfield with gushing enthusiasm and pushing forward their wide men, Alessandro Romano and Mark Robertson, in an effort to exploitCeltic'sthree central defenders. Georgi Nemsadze was the chief beneficiary. The Georgian playmaker, overshadowing Neil Lennon and Paul Lambert in the middle of the pitch, prodded and prompted his opponents into a panic that somehow remained unpunished.
Rab Douglas can take a large share of the credit for that. When Nemsadze delivered a textbook free-kick with his instep, swerving it round the wall and on to the turf in front ofCeltic'sgoalkeeper, a sublime left hand appeared from nowhere to flick it past the post. That was only an introduction to his heroics.
Nemsdaze's gentle ball, threaded through the defenders with artistic precision, would have enabled Robertson to celebrate his surprise selection with a goal had it not been for the advancing Douglas who somehow blocked and did enough in the subsequent scramble to avert the danger. "We have him to thank for keeping us in the game," said O'Neill.
Then it was Milne's turn to be denied. After Romano's cross had been flicked into the youngster's path by Gavin Rae, the keeper combined with defender Bobo Balde in the six-yard box to chuck it over the bar as though it were a hot potato. Had Bonetti not been wearing a cap to the evening sun he would have been tearing his hair out in frustration.
Celticthen had the audacity to venture upfield and snatch a lead that left them almost embarrassed at half-time as they slouched past their celebrating supporters to head for the dressing-room. Lubomir Moravcik, down by theCelticdugout, swirled a free-kick on to the penalty spot and Larsson outjumped Zurab Khizanishvili to glance a downward header into the far corner. The words daylight and robbery spring to mind.
Celticwere better in the second half, although not enough to merit the ease with which they ultimately cruised to victory.
However effective the introduction of Petrov in place of the out-of-touch Moravcik, the Bulgarian had nothing to do with the goal that put the points beyondDundee'sreach.
When Alan Thompson's corner descended on the six-yard line, the home defence was so static that Larsson barely needed to jump as he flopped a simple header over the line.
Only whenDundeewere reduced to a despondent bunch didCelticrelax and settle into the kind of rhythm that was expected of them from the start. The nature of their third goal underlined the extent to which it had been their night.
Some 35 yards out, Larsson tapped a short free-kick to Petrov and, like everyone else in the ground, was surprised when the Bulgarian sent a thunderous effort sailing over the defence and high into the rigging behind Jamie Langfield.
By the time substitute Maloney had grabbedCeltic'sfourth, skipping on to a Lambert pass in the closing minutes and sliding it under the goalkeeper,Dundeehad long since fallen out with the Gods.
September16, 2001, Sunday
FOOTBALL: LARSSON DRAWSDUNDEE'SSTING
BYLINE:Phil Gordon
This was a real Italian lesson. Ivano Bonetti's report card to his former club, Juventus, will highlight how a side with flair and creativity were tamed at Dens Park last night.Sadly for theDundeeplayer-manager, it was his team who filled that role.Celticunderwent fierce examination before their Champions' League test in Turin yet ruthlessly broke through on four occasions. Henrik Larsson struck twice with headers and Martin O'Neill would love a carbon copy from Europe's top scorer against Europe's most glamorous club on Tuesday.
The only time a frenetic tempo at Dens Park halted all evening was for the minute before kick-off when a raucous crowd ignored Bill Shankly's maxim about football being more important than life and silently remembered those who died across the Atlantic.Aptly, high in the stand named after the Liverpool legend's brother Bob, who tookDundeeto the European Cup semi-final in 1963, was aCelticbanner which read simply: "America – You'll Never Walk Alone".
The stillness was a memory by half-time, thanks to an absorbing contest in whichDundeeput O'Neill's side under severe scrutiny. Had it not been for Robert Douglas, returning to the club which sold him 11 months ago, thenCelticwould have been staring at a two-goal deficit. The goalkeeper first reacted superbly after just eight minutes to sprawl and push Giorgi Nemsadze's low curling free-kick past the post.
It became one-way traffic towards Douglas asDundeedisrupted the champions by closing them down quickly in midfield and offering support to their lone striker Steven Milne.
Nemsadze is one ofDundee'smany players with Serie A experience and the Georgian captain's deft pass carvedCelticopen after half an hour. Mark Robertson was poised to go round Douglas until the keeper bravely blocked at his feet.
Yet another reprieve was issued by Douglas before half time, as Gavin Rae's flick threatened to beat him. The keeper flipped out an arm to parry the ball and, with Milne poised to finish, Bobo Balde arrived with a flourish to scoop the ball over the bar to safety.
And yet, when the deadlock was broken, it wasDundee'sJamie Langfield who had to pick the ball out of a net. Chris Sutton won a foul in first- half stoppage time, which allowed Lubomir Moravcik to deliver the ball. Giants like Balde and Johan Mjallby were lined up to attack it, but somehow Larsson materialised at the front of the queue and thumped a downward header pastDundee'skeeper.
Just before the hour, Larss
on struck again. The Swede has an extraordinary ability to leap and when Alan Thompson delivered a corner which raked across the face of goal, it was Larsson who outjumped Romano and buried another header beyond Langfield.
Celticthen rubbed salt into the wound with a third goal in the 64th minute after Larsson had been brought down by Walter Del Rio – who was booked – as the striker threatened to escape. Larsson rolled the free- kick into the path of Stilian Petrov who clubbed a venomous effort that soared into the roof of the net from 35 yards. It completed a remarkable return for a player who suffered a badly fractured leg just six months ago.
Dundee'smisery was not finished. Del Rio brought down Larsson again to earn the second caution which saw him expelled. ThenCelticsubstitute Shaun Maloney inflicted a fourth goal with three minutes left, ghosting onto Paul Lambert's pass to steer a shot past Langfield.
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The Sunday Herald September16, 2001 Knockout Blows BYLINE:Natasha Woods At Dens Park THE jubilant visiting fans chanted "Bring on Juve" with a bravado encouraged by a four-goal dismissal of the closest thing Tayside has to offer to Serie A. Turin, on Tuesday night, will be a different proposition. In the build-up to this match, theCelticmanager had suggested their opponents were "gloriously inconsistent". It has become a cliche since Bonetti took charge at Dens Park. But it is not accurate. His side are more often predictable. Possession, and no little panache, too often fails to accrue the points it should. The first half, once the sombre formalities of a minute's silence were observed, highlighted the point.Dundee,despite having their line-up denuded by injuries and suspension, outplayed their opponents, delightfully stretchingCelticwith both their athleticism and vision. But they didn't score.The same man who invariably does do that accomplished the task in the dying seconds of the half. First chance for Larsson, first goal. A free-kick from Lubomir Moravcik, after Chris Sutton had fallen under the challenge of Marcello Marrocco, and the familiar sight of the Swede suspended in the air, neck arched, ball directed from shaven forehead to net. Bonetti was aggrieved, believing the free-kick that led to the corner should not have been given. Sutton was looking for "the swimming pool". Fourteen minutes later, his complaint was the same, as Europe's golden boot doubled his tally. "Dundeeare not playing just againstCelticand that is very disappointing. This was not the first time and it will not be the last. We deserve respect and I'm not happy with the referee," complained the Italian. He had reason for frustration, but the root cause of his side's problems are not officialdom, but their inability to apply a finish to impressive build-up play. ForDundeewere excellent in the first half, especially since injuries had denied Bonetti the chance to deploy his first choice striking partnership of Fabian Caballero and Juan Sara. Poor Steven Milne, went the theory, would find himself deployed up front alone, a young boy pitted against the muscular triumvirate of Valgaeran, Mjallby and Balde. In practice,Dundeeoffered a many -pronged attack, with Mark Robertson and Alessandro Romano scamping forward down either flank, prompted by the clever midfield machinations of Giorgi Nemsadze. The Georgian possesses exquisite vision and a thunderous shot. In the ninth minute he fired a fizzing free-kick goalwards. Robert Douglas dived low to his left and palmed it wide. It was a wonderful cameo of top class football. Nemsadze was instrumental in the chances that followed. He played in Robertson, only to see the Australian delay his shot for the fraction of a second which allowed Douglas to set himself and denyDundeeagain. Ten minutes later, it was his ball that encouraged Romano to gallop forward, his cross flicked goalward by Gavin Rae only forCelticto scramble it clear as Milne sought the killer touch. O'Neill was full of praise for his goalkeeper. "I'm delighted that Rab was so brilliant for us, because he kept us in the game without a doubt.'' The home side have a habit of not dealing with their frustrations positively. Increasingly, they badgered the referee as recklessness spilled over into their play.Dundee,like every other club, suffer bad decisions at the hands of officials, but they seldom handle that situation well. Yellow cards mounted, but it wasCelticwho accumulated the goals. The second half belonged to them, but only after Nemsadze had sent a long range drive inches over the goal, and Robertson had failed to apply the necessary power to a inviting header. Goalscoring, the Larsson-way, is a simple affair. Hence an Alan Thompson corner and far post header by the Swede. Two-nil on the hour mark. Points secured. Walter Del Rio had tripped Larsson to set up the free-kick which led to Petrov's goal, and within seven minutes of his first foul, the same offence earned him another yellow card and therefore a red. The home fans may have howled their abuse, but it was symptomatic of aDundeeside blessed with no little talent, but a self-destructive streak. O'Neill has no such problems. In the closing stages he was able to withdraw key men with one eye on Turin and relax as first John Hartson almost conjured his first goal for the club with an audacious lob, and then Shaun Maloney notch his first senior goal forCeltic. What the watching scout from Juventus made of it, who knows. He watched a low keyCelticbarely threaten in the first half. They already know enough about Larsson. But there were a couple of pointers if they needed any reminding. |