| Match Pictures | Matches: 2001 – 2002 | 2001-02 Pictures |
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Review
Teams
Celtic:-
Douglas, Sylla, Balde,Mjallby, Tebily,Petrov (Healy 90),Lambert, Petta, Thompson, Larsson (Maloney 82), Hartson.
Substitutes:- Kharine, Sutton, Moravcik.
Celtic scorers:- Larsson 65, Petrov 81
Aberdeen:-
Esson, McGuire, Whye, Solberg (Dadi 87), McNaughton, Tiernan, Darren Young, McAllister (Anderson 60), Mackie, Zerouli, Winters (Thornley 69)
Substitutes:- Derek Young, Peat
Referee:- Michael McCurry
Attendance:- 59,197
Articles
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Articles
THE INDEPENDENT By Phil Gordon
The Turin clouds were lifted for Celtic as Henrik Larsson and Stilian Petrov reprised their Champions' League goals against Juventus to break down Aberdeen's stubborn resistance at Parkhead yesterday, in a valuable dress-rehearsal for FC Porto's visit here on Tuesday.
The Turin clouds were lifted for Celtic as Henrik Larsson and Stilian Petrov reprised their Champions' League goals against Juventus to break down Aberdeen's stubborn resistance at Parkhead yesterday, in a valuable dress-rehearsal for FC Porto's visit here on Tuesday.
Celtic returned from defeat in Italy in mid-week to find themselves confronted with a catenaccio-style barrier – perhaps understandably, as Aberdeen had given away 31 goals in just seven encounters in the two years since Ebbe Skovdahl took over. The Dane employed a 5-4-1 formation, in which his five defenders relied on a zonal system that soaked up everything Celtic threw at them in a frustrating first half for the champions.
When Larsson pierced the armour, Ryan Esson denied the Swede's angled shot. Then, when John Hartson thought he had broken his duck at Parkhead, as he powered Alan Thompson's 10th-minute corner towards goal, Darren Mackie knocked the Welshman's header off the line. Four minutes later, a carbon copy move ended in another downward header from Hartson being bundled away by Kevin McNaughton, with Esson beaten.
The Celtic manager, Martin O'Neill, no doubt felt that Thompson let the visitors off the hook by failing to finish Larsson's cross when he headed wide. Larsson then rattled the post eight minutes before the interval, when he met Momo Sylla's cross.
But, as Aberdeen rode their luck, Hicham Zerouali, their lone frontman, induced nervousness around Parkhead when he twice wriggled away from Olivier Tebily, only for the composed Johan Mjallby to deny the Moroccan.
Celtic's frustration was epitomised by Hartson, who has looked too laborious for Celtic's fluid play. The £6 million signing's wretched finishing since arriving in Scotland from Coventry was summed up just two minutes into the second half, when Thompson delivered a superb ball behind the Aberdeen defence, only for the striker to stab his shot wide.
Hartson wisely stuck to his role in setting up Larsson, with a deft header down into the Swede's path from Sylla's cross which Larsson hitched just over the bar.
Sylla, who was signed on the same day as Hartson and Steve Guppy, was enjoying only his second outing as O'Neill chose to rest several key players before the meeting with FC Porto, but the over-enthusiastic wing-back collided with the back of Jamie McAllister's head in a duel which resulted in the Aberdeen full-back being taken off with a neckbrace supporting his injury.
However, Sylla's thrusts down the right finally paid off in the 65th minute, when he earned the free-kick, from substitute Russell Anderson, which broke the deadlock. Thompson's kick only had one destination, as Larsson gained a half yard on Philip McGuire and outjumped his marker to power a header into the roof of the net.
Celtic killed off the contest with nine minutes left, as Petrov, found the net with a replica of the free-kick routine which provided him with his third goal in eight days. Thompson was brought down on the edge of the box, Larsson rolled the ball to Petrov and his shot was so fierce that it almost took the net away.