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Trivia
- First time we'd played Porto since the UEFA cup final in 2003.
- Testimonial for Vitor Baia, not a popular pt with many Celtic fans
- We won, and seen by the uber-elements as revenge, but is nothing really!
- For some ridiculous reason, this high-profile game was not shown on the satellite TV and only on C67!!!!!!!
Review
Our first game v Porto since the UEFA Cup Final in 2003, and we won this time unlike last. A good victory after 3 dirge games in the past week.
Teams
PORTO:- (4-5-1)
Helton; Sapunaro (Nuno 46), Pedro Emanuel (Tomas Costa 46), Bruno Alves (Farias 46), Lino (Rolando 46); Mariano, Raul Meireles (Bolatti 46), Guarin (Benitez 46), Lucho, Rodriguez (Fucile 46); Lisandro (Fernando 78).
Subs not used:- Ventura, Candeias.
CELTIC:- (4-5-1)
Boruc; Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Wilson; Robson (Caddis 62), Hartley, Donati (Balde 68), S Brown (O’Dea 85), McGeady (Vennegoor of Hesselink 62); Samaras (McDonald 62).
Subsnot used:- M Brown, McGowan.
Goal:- (Vennegoor of Hesselink 88)
Estadio do Dragao, Oporto
Attendance: 42,308
Ref:
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
KStreet
Articles
jan strikes again with late winner GREGOR KYLE in Portugal
CELTIC bade farewell to Portugal with an impressive victory in the final game of this brief pre-season jaunt to foreign soil, with Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink grabbing the conclusive late strike.
It was an impressive performance from Celtic, with the players looking strong and committed, particularly in a second half where the game gained a real competitive edge.
Having come on as a late substitute the big Dutchman popped up, unmarked inside the box and headed home a perfectly placed cross from Paul Hartley to win the match.
Having spent five days in the Algarve heat most of the players actually welcomed the heavy rainfall and a low cloud covering that shrouded the tops of the city’s buildings when they arrived in Oporto.
The temperature also differed considerably from that in the southern reaches of the country and by the 9pm kick-off at the spectacular Estadio do Dragao, the light, cool breeze made for comfortable playing conditions.
With the game billed as ‘FC Porto’s Party’ on the club website there was a celebratory mood inside the stadium beforehand, but for Celtic it was a pre-season exercise, albeit a valuable one and an opportunity to build players’ fitness with three friendlies remaining before the August 10 Premier League kick-off.
Having fielded a raft of fringe players in the final Algarve Challenge Cup match against Cardiff City, Gordon Strachan fielded an almost full strength side which included Artur Boruc and the manager also implemented a 4-5-1 formation, with tactics for the club’s European away matches at the forefront of his mind.
Celtic started the first half well, with the central midfield trio of Scott Brown, Massimo Donati and Paul Hartley moving well and showing an eagerness to cover the ground. It was Brown who was deployed as the midfield runner, supporting Georgios Samaras who looked particularly good when holding up and laying off the ball.
The defence also looked solid, allowing Porto little room to manoeuvre and it took Porto until the 16th minute to find their first opening with Sapunaro sending a header from a free-kick over the bar.
This chance however seem to rouse the host side and in the ensuing few minutes, Celtic had to withstand a concerted attack on goal, with Porto carving out a number of half-chances.
It didn’t take long for Celtic to settle though and with just under ten minutes remaining in the half Aiden McGeady stepped onto a Samaras knockdown 25 yards out and saw his shot deflected narrowly wide.
Stephen McManus came even closer with a header from a Barry Robson free-kick and minutes later both players bravely charged down a couple of powerful shots at the opposite end of the park.
The manager would have been happy with the performance of the players and the way they had fitted into the system, although at the start of the second half they found themselves under the cosh with Porto benefiting from the fresh legs of seven substitutes.
To counter this Celtic brought on Vennegoor of Hesselink and Scott McDonald, switching to a familiar 4-4-2 and immediately began to look more settled and gradually, as the half wore on, the game began to gain a competitive edge.
Brown became the villain of the piece, with the home fans perhaps a bit perturbed to see Celtic stealing the limelight and while the opportunities were not forthcoming, Gordon Strachan will again have been pleased to see the way his players adapted and succeeded in nullifying Porto’s attacks.
Then, with just a few minutes remaining the Celtic players picked their moment and struck the winner. It was Paul Hartley who broke down the left flank and delivered an excellent ball which was headed home by the Dutch number 10, making for an enjoyable end to an entertaining friendly.
At the final whistle the players immediately made for Oporto airport for the return flight home, looking forward to further training at Lennoxtown before next weekend’s round of friendlies in the Feyenoord Jubilee Tournament.