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Trivia
- Celtic set another record as the first Scottish Champions to reach 103 points, 18 points clear of Rangers.
Review
Both sides looked fired up for the game from the off and in four minutes, Russell Anderson was booked by referee Stuart Dougal for a clumsy challenge on Boyd.
Celtic looked comfortable despite several changes in their team, but Ben Thornley gave them a scare in the 12th minute when he curled a free-kick just over the crossbar.
Celtic should have gone ahead five minutes later when Steve Guppy swung in an inviting cross, which was met by the head of Sylla, only for Esson to pull off a great save.
Esson saved well again shortly afterwards from a shot by before tempers flared again – Jamie McAllister clashing with Maloney and Sylla.
Seconds after the restart, Celtic had another good chance to break the deadlock. Sylla beat the offside trap to run onto Maloney's through-ball, but Esson again did well to deny him with a save to his left.
Balde then wasted an excellent chance to put Celtic ahead when he rose unmarked in the box to meet Guppy's corner, but his glancing header went wide.
Tempers rose again in the 69th minute when Thornley reacted angrily to a challenge from Sylla, with referee Stuart Dougal having to intervene. He awarded the free-kick to Celtic and Maloney stepped up to curl a brilliant right-footed effort into the top corner from 30 yards.
Sylla could have wrapped up the points in the 77th minute when he rose to meet Guppy's cross, but he headed just over the bar.
Teams
Aberdeen:-
Esson, Anderson, McGuire, Whyte, McAllister (Rutkiewicz 65), Derek Young (Tiernan 78), Darren Young, Bisconti (Clark 81), Thornley, Mackie, Mike.
Subs not used:- Peat, Michie.
Booked:- Anderson, Thornley.
Celtic:-
Douglas, McNamara, Balde, Boyd, Sylla, Weighorst, Petrov, Guppy, Maloney, Smith, Healy.
Subs not used:- Gould, McGovern, Fotheringham, Wallace, Kennedy.
Goal:- Maloney 69.
Booked:- Petrov, Sylla.
Att:- 15,332
Ref:- S Dougal.
Articles
Pictures
Sunday, 12 May, 2002, 15:51 GMT 16:51 UK
Celtic get back to winning ways
BBC
Aberdeen's Jamie McAllister and Celtic's Colin Healy
The match was played in heated circumstances
Aberdeen 0-1 Celtic
A Shaun Maloney free kick settled a bad-tempered game in the visitors' favour.
Both sides had several chances before the deadlock was finally broken with 20 minutes remaining.
The result means Aberdeen slip back into fourth position behind Livingston.
Both sides looked fired up for the game from the off and in four minutes, Russell Anderson was booked by referee Stuart Dougal for a clumsy challenge on Boyd.
Celtic looked comfortable despite several changes in their team, but Ben Thornley gave them a scare in the 12th minute when he curled a free-kick just over the crossbar.
The visitors should have gone ahead five minutes later when Steve Guppy swung in an inviting cross, which was met by the head of Sylla, only for Esson to pull off a great save.
Esson saved well again shortly afterwards from a shot by before tempers flared again – Jamie McAllister clashing with Maloney and Sylla.
Aberdeen ought to have scored in the dying seconds of the half as Darren Mackie squared to Darren Young in the area, but Boyd made a vital block to keep the scores level at the break.
Seconds after the restart, Celtic had another good chance to break the deadlock.
Sylla beat the offside trap to run onto Maloney's through-ball, but Esson again did well to deny him with a save to his left.
Balde then wasted an excellent chance to put Celtic ahead when he rose unmarked in the box to meet Guppy's corner, but his glancing header went wide.
Tempers rose again in the 69th minute when Thornley reacted angrily to a challenge from Sylla, with referee Stuart Dougal having to intervene.
He awarded the free-kick to Celtic and Maloney stepped up to curl a brilliant right-footed effort into the top corner from 30 yards.
Sylla could have wrapped up the points in the 77th minute when he rose to meet Guppy's cross, but he headed just over the bar.
Aberdeen: Esson, Anderson, McGuire, Whyte, McAllister (Rutkiewicz 65), Derek Young (Tiernan 78), Darren Young, Bisconti (Clark 81), Thornley, Mackie, Mike.
Subs not used: Peat, Michie.
Booked: Anderson, Thornley.
Celtic: Douglas, McNamara, Balde, Boyd, Sylla, Wieghorst, Petrov, Guppy, Maloney, Smith, Healy.
Subs not used: Gould, McGovern, Fotheringham, Wallace, Kennedy.
Booked: Petrov, Sylla.
Att: 15,332
Ref: S Dougal
Aberdeen v Celtic
11th May 2002
SPL
http://www.100megsfree3.com/celticcrazy/rep2/11may2002.html
Douglas, Balde and Petrov were the only regulars in the team for today's game, with Sylla and Maloney starting up front.
Petrov was to pose the first serious threat to the Aberdeen goal, whipping in a free kick from the left that the keeper had to look sharp to catch. 2 minutes later Thornley tried his luck from a free kick 40 yards out, but curled it over the bar as Douglas appeared to have it covered.
In 17 minutes Guppy sent in a beautiful cross from the left and Sylla rose to meet it with a powerful header, but the alert Essen made an instinctive save, diverting the ball for a corner.
Thornley had a chance for Aberdeen as he cut inside to shoot after a poor Smith clearance had given away possession but Douglas's handling was good.
Smith and Guppy swapped sides and Smith tried a curling shot from the left in an attempt to beat the keeper at his far post and was unlucky to see it go wide.
A strange moment in the half was when Essen took a goal kick from the right and tried to find his defender on the left and ended up kicking the ball out of play near the corner flag.
A mix-up in defence saw McNamara knock the ball away from Balde and into the path of Darren Young who ran into the box and laid on a chance for Mackie. Fortunately for Celts Boyd was quick to get in the way and the danger was cleared.
Celtic had a great chance at the start of the second half. Maloney played a neat ball to Sylla, beating the offside trap. The keeper did well, however to block the shot.
On 56 minutes Balde rose to get a touch on a corner with his head but saw the ball go just wide of the left hand post.
Smith had switched back to the right and he went off on a pacy run going past 2 men before crossing in front of goal. Maloney was a few inches away from giving Celtic the lead.
An altercation between Sylla and Thornley which led to them both getting booked gave Celtic a free kick 35 yards out in 70 minutes. Maloney lined up with Petrov and produced a beautiful dipping shot that cleared the wall and gave the keeper no chance.
Another good move from Celtic saw Healey play the ball to Maloney inside the box. Shaun's cross was heading for Sylla and the defender's attempt to clear it narrowly missed producing an own goal. Fortunately for Aberdeen the ball went just past the post.
After Maloney's superb free kick he looked sure to score when he was one on one with the keeper after beating the offside trap. Instead of the early chip, Shaun went for a bit of trickery to confuse the keeper but ended up losing the ball.
Another victory sealed a great championship run. Only one defeat and 4 draws and a massive 103 points. Also the least number of goals ever achieved by Championship winning team. A tribute to Martin O'Neill and the players. Roll on next season.
Aberdeen: Esson, Anderson, McGuire, Whyte, McAllister (Rutkiewicz 65), Derek Young (Tiernan 78), Darren Young, Bisconti (Clark 81), Thornley, Mackie, Mike.
Subs not used: Peat, Michie.
Celtic: Douglas, McNamara, Balde, Boyd, Sylla, Wieghorst, Petrov, Guppy, Maloney, Smith, Healy.
Subs not used: Gould, McGovern, Fotheringham, Wallace, Kennedy.