| Match Pictures | Matches: 2004 – 2005 | 2004-2005 Pictures |
Trivia
- Celtic move to within a point of Scottish Premier League leaders Rangers.
Review
Celtic, who still have a game in hand over Rangers, had been forced into a late change, Stephane Henchoz coming into cental defence after illness struck Stanislav Varga.
Stilian Petrov headed wide at full stretch after a fine cross from Aiden McGeady. Caley Thistle came close on the half hour after Bellamy and McGeady had combined superbly down the left flank. Then Bellamy pulled the ball back from the byline and Grant Munro bravely charged down an initial shot before John Hartson let fly over the crossbar from eight yards.
Celtic came closer still early after the break, a curling Thompson free kick striking the face of the Inverness crossbar.
Inverness were caught after one of their own attacks broke down. McGeady showed neat footwork at the edge of the box before setting up Bellamy to drive home from six yards, beating goalkeeper Mark Brown at his near post.
Bellamy again broke clear as Inverness left space at the back while trying to push for an equaliser, but this time drove into the side netting.
Any hopes of a comeback died when Tokely clipped Bellamy in the box and Thompson sent Brown the wrong way with his penalty kick.
Teams
Inverness CT:-
Brown, Tokely, Dods, Munro, Golabek, Hart, Duncan (Black 89), McBain, Wilson, Bayne (Fatai 78), Juanjo (Prunty 72).
Subs Not Used:- Fraser, McCaffrey, Hastings, Proctor.
Celtic:-
Douglas, McNamara, Henchoz, Balde, Laursen, McGeady, Petrov, Lennon, Thompson, Hartson (Beattie 79), Bellamy.
Subs Not Used:- Marshall, Valgaeren, Pearson, Fernandez, Wallace, McManus.
Goals:- Bellamy 63, Thompson 84 pen.
Att:- 7,045
Ref:- H Dallas.
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
Inverness CT 0-2 Celtic
BBC
Celtic eventually broke stubborn Inverness Caley Thistle resistance to edge to within a point of Scottish Premier League leaders Rangers.
In-form Inverness had matched the champions in a first half of tough tackling but few chances.
But a curling free-kick from Alan Thompson struck the crossbar before Craig Bellamy stroked the ball home after good work by Aiden McGeady.
Thompson scored from the spot after Bellamy was felled by Ross Tokely.
It meant Caley Thistle were unable to cause another upset after their recent draw with Rangers at Ibrox as they attempt to secure a top-six finish before the Scottish Premier League splits into two.
Celtic, who still have a game in hand over Rangers, had been forced into a late change, Stephane Henchoz coming into cental defence after illness struck Stanislav Varga.
Inverness player-manager Craig Brewster also missed the game with a knee injury, his place up front being taken by Graham Bayne.
But that did not prevent the home side being positive, with Roy McBain testing Rab Douglas with a 30-yard drive within a minute of the kick-off.
Stilian Petrov headed wide at full stretch at the other end after a fine cross from Aiden McGeady.
Douglas looked uneasy despite being told this week he will be Scotland's number one under new boss Walter Smith.
He dropped one cross and missed another, but Inverness could not capitalise on his nervousness.
The visitors came close on the half hour after Bellamy and McGeady had again combined superbly down the left flank.
Bellamy pulled the ball back from the byline and Grant Munro bravely charged down an initial shot before John Hartson let fly over the crossbar from eight yards.
Celtic came closer still early after the break, a curling Thompson free kick striking the face of the Inverness crossbar.
Caley Thistle were under pressure, but they were dangerous on the break and a curling Barry Wilson drive flew a few yards over from the edge of the box.
But they were caught after one of their own attacks broke down.
McGeady showed neat footwork at the edge of the box before setting up Bellamy to drive home from six yards, beating goalkeeper Mark Brown at his near post.
Bellamy broke clear as Inverness left space at the back while trying to push for an equaliser, but this time drove into the side netting.
Any hopes of a comeback died when Tokely clipped Bellamy as the Welsh striker stumbled in the box and Thompson sent Brown the wrong way with his penalty kick.
Inverness CT: Brown, Tokely, Dods, Munro, Golabek, Hart, Duncan (Black 89), McBain, Wilson, Bayne (Fatai 78), Juanjo (Prunty 72).
Subs Not Used: Fraser, McCaffrey, Hastings, Proctor.
Celtic: Douglas, McNamara, Henchoz, Balde, Laursen, McGeady, Petrov, Lennon, Thompson, Hartson (Beattie 79), Bellamy.
Subs Not Used: Marshall, Valgaeren, Pearson, Fernandez, Wallace, McManus.
Goals: Bellamy 63, Thompson 84 pen.
Att: 7,045
Ref: H Dallas
O'Neill hails side's gritty win
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill
Inverness 0-2 Celtic
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill praised his side for their persistence after two second-half goals defeated Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
"We were doing okay in the first-half, but we perhaps just lacked the final ball," he told BBC Sport.
"The second half was just a case of keeping playing and waiting to take our chances – and that's what we did.
"Craig Bellamy has been brilliant for us and came up trumps for us with the opening goal."
Brewster bows to Celtic's class
BBC
Inverness manager Craig Brewster
Inverness 0-2 Celtic
Inverness Caledonian Thistle boss Craig Brewster admitted he never thought his side would score against Celtic as the champions left with a 2-0 victory.
"We competed will in the first half, but in the second we got a bit of a lesson," Brewster admitted.
"Celtic knocked the ball about for fun and we could not get near them and that just shows you their class.
"I said to the guys that that was the first time since I took over that they have not created a single chance."
Bellamy keen on Celtic Park stay
BBC
Celtic's on-loan striker Craig Bellamy says he will do everything he can in order to stay at the club beyond the end of the season.
The Welshman's future at Newcastle looks bleak after a fall-out with manager Graeme Souness.
But having found his form in the last couple of games, he hopes to extend his stay at Celtic Park.
"Whatever I need to do to make Celtic want to sign me and be able to, I'll try to do it," he told the Celtic View.
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has admitted he has his doubts over the club's ability to come up with the fee Newcastle are likely to demand for the player.
But Bellamy says if that was possible, he would welcome a permanent move to Glasgow.
"If I can do so well that the fans are clamouring for me to stay, brilliant. That's the position I want to be in," he added.
"This is a great opportunity for me here. I will obviously have to weigh up my options during the summer, but, if I continue to enjoy it here and play really well between now and the end of the season, it would be a fantastic option for me.
"We will cross that bridge when we come to it, but I certainly hope the club will at least want me at the end of the season.
"It has been a tough time in a lot of respects because of everything that's happened off the field and the treatment I have had from the media and certain people who've never even met me.
"But this is a chapter of my career that, now I have got my head round what happened at Newcastle, I'm really relishing."
No fourth operation for Kennedy
BBC
Celtic defender John Kennedy will not require a fourth operation on his shattered left knee.
And the club suggest that he could return to first-team football "as early as the start of next year".
Doctor Roddy Macdonald told his club website: "Big John has delighted Dr Steadman and his team to such an extent that no further surgery is required.
"There's enough stability in the leg for John to now start a proper rehabilitation soon."
The 21-year-old suffered a cruciate ligament injury in a tackle by Vio Ganea while making his Scotland debut against Romania last March.
He has since undergone three operations in Colorado.
"He wil stay on here for a further four or five days, working with the physios and Tim Williamson, our physio, will join him later in the week before they both return home to start the rehab process," said Macdonald.
"But we are all very pleased with the news."