2006-10-17: Celtic 3-0 Benfica, Champions League

Trivia

• Two-goal Kenny Miller inspired Celtic to a fine victory over Benfica in the Champions League in Glasgow.
• The great Eusebio was welcomed to Parkhead by Billy McNeill and the Lisbon Lions.

Review

Celtic started brightly and Quim was tested as early as the second minute when he tipped over an acrobatic effort from Shaun Maloney with one hand. Maloney drove into the box again soon after but was denied by a last-ditch block as Celtic's quick passing on a rain-soaked surface caused problems for Benfica.

Left-back Lee Naylor was the next player to try his luck, linking with Maciej Żurawski deep inside the penalty area before another timely intervention averted the danger.

On 56 minutes. Naylor whipped a ball in from the left and Miller was first to react to Shunsuke Nakamura's ****** to divert the ball past the wrong-footed Quim.

Benfica were almost level within a minute, Assis cutting in from the flank before unleashing a shot that beat Boruc and crashed back off the crossbar. Benfica were having a period of sustained pressure when Celtic broke away and doubled their lead on 66 minutes.

Miller picked up a clearance on the halfway line and fed Maloney who promptly returned the favour for the Scotland striker to slot the ball past Quim.

Pearson added a third in the final minute, converting a loose ball after Quim could only parry Nakamura's attempt to give Celtic an emphatic victory.

Teams

Celtic (4-4-2):-
Boruc, Telfer, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura, Lennon, Sno (Pearson 87), Maloney, Zurawski (Jarosik 84), Miller.
Subs Not Used:- Marshall, Balde, Thompson, Riordan, O'Dea.
Goals:- Miller 56, 66, Pearson 90.
Booked:- Sno.

Benfica:-
Quim, Alcides, Luisao, Ricardo Rocha, Leo, Katsouranis (Nelson 72), Nuno Assis, Petit, Simao, Miccoli, Nuno Gomes (Fonseca 78).
Subs Not Used:- Moreira, Anderson, Miguelito, Beto, Karyaka.
Booked:- Katsouranis.

Att:- 58,313
Ref:- Eric Braamhaar (Netherlands).

KStreet

• Pre-match
• Match Thread
• MOTM Voting
• Winner – Kenny Miller – (Link to MOTM Winners 2006-07)
• Post-match

Pictures

• Match Pictures

Articles

• BBC Match Report
• UEFA Match Report
• UEFA Statistics
• Ricky Swan Match Report (excellent!)

STATS

Benfica run riot as tame Celtic collapse in front of Lisbon Lions

Ewan Murray at the Estadio Da Luz
The Guardian, Thursday 2 November 2006

Celtic's previous two trips to Lisbon had been indelibly etched in the minds of their supporters for positive reasons, but their defender Gary Caldwell will want to erase memories of this game at the earliest opportunity after scoring an own-goal and being at fault for Benfica's second as Celtic's dismal run away from home in the Champions League continued.

Gordon Strachan's side, with nine defeats and one draw in their past 10 away games in the tournament, were comprehensively defeated here after Nuno Gomes and Andrei Karyaka added to Caldwell's early aberration. Celtic must now receive tangible reward from their games against Manchester United and FC Copenhagen or their advantage in second place will be fatally eroded.

Worryingly for Strachan, the competition's head-to-head rule means this result cancels out his side's victory by the same scoreline over Benfica in Glasgow, and United's defeat in Copenhagen ensures there will be no charity from Sir Alex Ferguson's side at Parkhead on November 21. "That was a poor performance by the group, including myself," Strachan said. "We now have to analyse it and be honest about it. It's a learning process. There are three teams going for second place now."

The Scottish champions lifted the European Cup in this city in 1967 and won a tie against Benfica two years later on the toss of a coin but sentiment was never likely to feature last night.

Celtic began the match nervously and Caldwell had already been fortunate not to concede a penalty after a tackle on Fabrizio Miccoli before he turned a tantalising cross from Nelson beyond Artur Boruc. Then, after 22 minutes, he inexplicably failed to deal with a routine ball from the home goalkeeper, Quim, and as the ball rebounded from the defender's face, Nuno Gomes was on hand to strike home a well deserved second goal.

A warm reception for the surviving members of Celtic's 1967 side during the half-time break was welcome relief for the travelling fans but the class of 2006 failed to improve their mood further as they continued their error-strewn display in an equally disappointing second period.

Only a tackle from the quick-thinking Lee Naylor stopped Konstantinos Katsouranis from scoring a third but he was merely delaying the inevitable. In the end it was Karyaka, a Benfica substitute, who finished the contest as he side-footed past Boruc from 18 yards after a pass from the outstanding Nelson.

"The group is much more open now," said Benfica's manager Fernando Santos. "The 3-0 result in Glasgow a fortnight ago was not fair. We believed we could rectify that result and we did that tonight."

Celtic 3-0 Benfica

BBC
By Clive Lindsay

Kenny Miller celebrates against Benfica
Kenny Miller scored Celtic's first two goals
Two-goal Kenny Miller inspired Celtic to a fine victory over Benfica in the Champions League in Glasgow.

Benfica goalkeeper Quim had to pull out a superb save to prevent Shaun Maloney scoring with an overhead kick early on.

But Miller poked the opener home from six yards and then fired past Quim after a swift counter-attack.

And Miller set up Shunsuke Nakamura for a stinging drive pushed out by Quim but finished off by sub Stephen Pearson to give Celtic a thoroughly deserved win.

News conference: Celtic manager Gordon Strachan

Miller had been on the bench on Saturday against Dundee United, but Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink's failed fitness test ensured the Scot's starting place.

Maciej Zurawski came in as his striking partner, with Maloney dropping into midfield at the expense of Jiri Jarosik.

Teenager Evander Sno was given his Champions League debut in the continued absence of Aiden McGeady and Thomas Gravesen.

Have Your Say on 606: Give your thoughts on the match

And Celtic began confidently, with great tempo, almost taking the lead in their first attack against a Benfica side without the influential Rui Costa along with Paulo Jorge and Georgios Karagounis.

A Paul Telfer throw-in was flicked on by Zurawski and Maloney's acrobatic overhead kick was turned over the crossbar by goalkeeper Quim.

With Maloney, Miller and Nakamura probing, Benfica were on the back foot and defending desperately.

But the visitors started to look more dangerous on the break.

Stephen Pearson enjoys his moment with Kenny Miller
Stephen Pearson added Celtic's third goal

And, when Fabrizio Miccoli beat the offside trap, Artur Boruc was just quick enough off his line to intercept just inside his penalty box.

Leo played in a superb cross to the back post and Konstantinos Katsouranis ought to have done better than head over the crossbar from eight yards out.

Benfica made the better start to the second half and Simao sent a free-kick a couple of feet wide from 18 yards.

But, just as the visitors appeared to have doused Celtic's fire, the Glasgow side took the lead after 55 minutes.

Nakamura's attempt to steer a Lee Naylor cross towards goal was going wide until Miller stretched out to poke the ball home from eight yards.

Benfica responded immediately and a Nuno Assis drive from 25 yards crashed off the crossbar.

But Celtic made sure of the three points with an incisive break, started and finished by Miller.

He played the ball to Maloney and, after pulling wide of his marker, collected the inch-perfect return before deftly curling the ball past Quim from 16 yards.

Leo flashed a drive just wide of the Celtic post before Pearson ended Benfica's hopes after a move appropriately set-up by a lovely back-heel from man-of-the-match Miller.

Celtic: Boruc, Telfer, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura, Lennon, Sno (Pearson 87), Maloney, Zurawski (Jarosik 84), Miller.
Subs Not Used: Marshall, Balde, Thompson, Riordan, O'Dea.

Booked: Sno.

Goals: Miller 56, 66, Pearson 90.

Benfica: Quim, Alcides, Luisao, Ricardo Rocha, Leo, Katsouranis (Nelson 72), Nuno Assis, Petit, Simao, Miccoli, Nuno Gomes (Fonseca 78).
Subs Not Used: Moreira, Anderson, Miguelito, Beto, Karyaka.

Booked: Katsouranis.

Att: 58,313

Ref: Eric Braamhaar (Netherlands)