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- Celtic showed more fragility at the back before overcoming a spirited fightback.
Review
Celtic were ahead after little more than a minute. One-touch passing from Jackie McNamara, Petrov, Hartson and Sutton sent the Bulgarian midfielder clear inside the box and he slotted the ball under goalkeeper Roddy McKenzie. Livi should have gone further behind when Sutton was given a free header inside the box following a free-kick, but the English striker headed straight into McKenzie's arms.
The second goal was only delayed until the 14th minute, when Camara this time beat the offside trap to collect a through ball from Hartson and slot the ball into the far corner of the net.
Celtic went further ahead four minutes later, when Emmanuel Dorado and Goran Stanic both held off from challenging Camara inside the box and the striker's low ball across the six-yard box was slotted home by Hartson.
McManus was stretchered off after 25 minutes after he injured himself sliding into the advertising hoardings. The loss did not prevent Celtic going further ahead on the half-hour, when Sutton backheeled to Hartson, took the return and drove the ball between the goalkeeper and the near post.
O'Brien gathered a Jim Hamilton through ball on the stroke of half-time and stepped aside from a group of Celtic defenders before driving low past David Marshall from 15 yards.
The Livi midfielder struck again in the 52nd minute, cutting in from the left flank before firing low through a ruck of players and past the despairing dive of Marshall.
Teams
Livingston:-
McKenzie, McNamee, Rubio, Dorado, Stanic (Libbra 85), McLaughlin, Easton, Lovell, O'Brien, Snodgrass (Brittain 45), Hamilton (Lilley 77).
Subs Not Used:- McMenamin, Snowdon, Bahoken, Meldrum.
Goals:- O'Brien 45, 53.
Booked:- Dorado, Stanic, Rubio, Easton.
Celtic:-
Marshall, McNamara, Balde, Varga (Lambert 45), McManus (Pearson 26), Petrov, Lennon, Sutton, Wallace, Camara (Juninho Paulista 37), Hartson.
Subs Not Used:- Hedman, Sylla, Beattie, McGeady.
Goals:- Petrov 2, Camara 14, Hartson 19, Sutton 32.
Booked:- Pearson, Hartson, Lennon, Lambert.
Att:- 7,695
Ref:- A Freeland
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
Livingston 2-4 Celtic
BBC
Celtic showed more fragility at the back before overcoming a spirited fightback from Livingston.
Stilian Petrov slotted the Scottish champions into an early lead and Henri Camara broke clear to score the second.
John Hartson and Chris Sutton completed neat passing moves from close range to put Celtic in cruise control.
But two solo runs and neat finishes from Burton O'Brien either side of the break gave Livi some hope as they started to dominate the nervy visitors.
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill had kept faith with Ross Wallace and Stephen McManus after the young pair came on during the 3-0 defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk and they replaced Juninho and the injured Didier Agathe.
Livingston head coach Allan Preston made one change, with Scott McLaughlin coming in for Jason Dair.
Preston had been pleased with last weekend's victory over Dunfermline Athletic, but his side were behind after little more than a minute.
One-touch passing from Jackie McNamara, Petrov, Hartson and Sutton sent the Bulgarian midfielder clear inside the box and he slotted the ball under goalkeeper Roddy McKenzie.
Livi should have gone further behind when Sutton was given a free header inside the box following a free-kick, but the English striker headed straight into McKenzie's arms.
The second goal was only delayed until the 14th minute, when Camara this time beat the offside trap to collect a through ball from Hartson and slot the ball into the far corner of the net.
Celtic went further ahead four minutes later, when Emmanuel Dorado and Goran Stanic both held off from challenging Camara inside the box and the striker's low ball across the six-yard box was slotted home by Hartson.
McManus was stretchered off after 25 minutes after he injured himself sliding into the advertising hoardings.
The loss did not prevent Celtic going further ahead on the half-hour, when Sutton backheeled to Hartson, took the return and drove the ball between the goalkeeper and the near post.
Camara limped off after 35 minutes, allowing Juninho a return to the action.
O'Brien gathered a Jim Hamilton through ball on the stroke of half-time and stepped aside from a group of Celtic defenders before driving low past David Marshall from 15 yards.
The Livi midfielder struck again in the 52nd minute, cutting in from the left flank before firing low through a ruck of players and past the despairing dive of Marshall.
Livi were now in charge and Dorado got on the end of substitute Richard Brittain's free-kick, but the defender's header was deflected wide.
Hartson had the chance to settle Celtic's growing nerves but shot against the legs of McKenzie.
Livingston: McKenzie, McNamee, Rubio, Dorado, Stanic (Libbra 85), McLaughlin, Easton, Lovell, O'Brien, Snodgrass (Brittain 45), Hamilton (Lilley 77).
Subs Not Used: McMenamin, Snowdon, Bahoken, Meldrum.
Booked: Dorado, Stanic, Rubio, Easton.
Goals: O'Brien 45, 53.
Celtic: Marshall, McNamara, Balde, Varga (Lambert 45), McManus (Pearson 26), Petrov, Lennon, Sutton, Wallace, Camara (Juninho Paulista 37), Hartson.
Subs Not Used: Hedman, Sylla, Beattie, McGeady.
Booked: Pearson, Hartson, Lennon, Lambert.
Goals: Petrov 2, Camara 14, Hartson 19, Sutton 32.
Att: 7,695
Ref: A Freeland
O'Neill praises injury-hit squad
BBC
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill
Livingston 2-4 Celtic
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill shrugged off a two-goal fightback by Livingston to describe his side as "magnificent" in winning 4-2 at Almondvale.
"I thought the first half was scintillating," he said.
"The four goals were absolutely fantastic, but we had to dig in during the second half after they hit back.
"I think it is a good time to play us as we have relatively few fit players. It is the worst injury situation since I came to the club."
O'Neill was unhappy at some of the "raw" challenges from Livingston players that led to Henri Camara, Stephen McManus and Stanislav Varga all going off injured.
Defender McManus was stretched off with a gash on his knee, striker Camara left with an ankle injury and centre half Stanislav Varga sustained a thigh problem.
Didier Agathe, Alan Thompson, Rob Douglas, Joos Valgaeren, Ulrik Laursen, David Fernandez, Shaun Maloney and John Kennedy were already missing.
"We had three or four unfit but they had to play the second half," said O'Neill.
"Five players are carrying injuries and, in normal circumstances, they wouldn't have played in this game.