Match Pictures | Matches: 2008 – 2009 | 2008-2009 Pictures |
Trivia
- Two Aberdeen goals scored by Charlie Mulgrew, ex-Celtic youth player! Scored a cracker naka-esque free-kick.
Review
Games like this one are worth the season ticket alone. Frustrating in many ways but you can't dismiss the entertainment value with the Aberdeen fans creating a great atmosphere as well at the game.
Anyhow, first half was a bit of a walkover and we should have been further than just one nil up at half-time, with Samaras putting in a great shift. As happens, we were penalised for this and Aberdeen went two one up with two good goals early in the second half. McGeady coming on for Maloney changed the game for us and wave after wave of attack saw us somehow come back to level the game and then on the 90min mark win the game with a goal created by McGeady for Jan to score with some good footwork. Aberdeen should have drawn in injury time but the one on one with the goalkeeper didn't work out (thankfully), the shot just rolling past the post.
Will be hard to beat this game this season.
Teams
Celtic
Boruc
Wilson, Loovens, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura, Crosas (McDonald 72), Scott Brown, Maloney (McGeady 61), Vennegoor of Hesselink, Samaras (Hartley 90).
Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, Donati, O'Dea, Caddis
Booked: Boruc
Goals: Vennegoor of Hesselink 14, McDonald 78, Vennegoor of Hesselink 90
Aberdeen: Langfield, Hodgkiss (Aluko 90), Diamond, Severin (Mulgrew 27), Foster, Young, Kerr, Mair, Duff, Mackie, Miller (Wright 86).
Subs Not Used: Bossu, McDonald, Maguire, Stuart Smith
Goals: Mulgrew 57, 65.
Att: 58,565
Ref: E Smith
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
KStreet
Stats
CELTIC ABERDEEN
Possession
58% | 42% |
Shots on target
8 | 4 |
Shots off target
5 | 5 |
Corners
7 | 2 |
Fouls
10 | 7 |
Articles
Celtic 3-2 Aberdeen
By David McDaid
BBC
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink scored a last-gasp, close-range winner to take Celtic top of the SPL after a fantastic match with Aberdeen in Glasgow.
The Dutchman scored his first of the season as he swept the home side into the lead after 14 minutes.
Charlie Mulgrew drove home an equaliser 12 minutes after the break then scored a second with a great free-kick.
Substitute Scott McDonald headed Celtic level on 78 minutes before Vennegoor of Hesselink sealed the points.
Both sides started slowly as they struggled to get going on a gloomy afternoon in Glasgow.
However, an early flicker of light was Georgios Samaras, whose power and pace with the ball at his feet caused problems for Aberdeen all afternoon.
And the Greek was assisted by some poor Dons defending as Celtic opened the scoring.
Samaras drove forward but lost control of the ball only for Mark Kerr and Richard Foster to get in each other's way in an attempt to clear.
Scott Brown picked up the loose ball and laid it back to Vennegoor of Hesselink, who slotted his first goal of the season inside goalkeeper Jamie Langfield's far post.
Despite leaking four first-half goals in midweek, the Dons went on the offensive, Zander Diamond's having a header cleared off the line by Marc Crosas.
Lee Miller chased a through-ball into the Celtic area, but the danger was averted as goalkeeper Artur Boruc raced off his line for the first of several times in the half.
Under-fire Aberdeen boss Jimmy Calderwood was forced to make an early change when Scott Severin left the field injured after only 27 minutes.
On came Mulgrew and the former Celtic player's first task was to strike a free-kick that Borc held with ease.
Langfield was tested early after the re-start, diving low to push a Samaras shot past the post, and then scrambling to reach a Shunsuke Nakamura free-kick.
But the Dons got back level as Mulgrew punished his former club.
Charlie Mulgrew
Mulgrew scored two but it was not enough for a Dons victory
Lee Miller flicked on Jared Hodgkiss' cross and the substitute had time and space to drill the ball under Boruc from 14 yards.
And, moments later, the former Parkhead prodigy stepped up to curl a trademark free-kick over the wall and past Boruc as Aberdeen went 2-1 up.
The home side immediately injected more urgency, with Glenn Loovens coming close twice from headers.
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan then sacrificed Marc Crosas in midfield and threw on striker McDonald.
And a game of inspired substitutions continued as Aiden McGeady curled in a cross that McDonald nodded over the line from a yard out.
Aberdeen defended desperately and looked to have secured a priceless point.
But at the death Vennegoor of Hesselink bundled the ball over the line as the Celtic fans erupted.
Darren Mackie had the chance to score an injury time leveller for Aberdeen but put his shot narrowly past the post when one-on-one against Boruc, and the Dons went home empty-handed.
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:
"I think everybody enjoyed that apart from the coaching staff on both sides.
"But, I really do feel sorry for Jimmy Calderwood as they played terrific today.
"It's a bit embarrassing when you see a team that's put so much work into a match getting beaten.
"I've no idea where Aberdeen would find someone who can produce a team like that with no money.
"When Aiden McGeady came on he was fantastic, and he won a tackle to drive on and cross for our second goal.
"That was a turning point in the match.
Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood:
"It is a very very difficult place to come to and they are a good team who are on form, but we were more than a match for them.
"Performance-wise, I am delighted. Obviously, I'm very, very disappointed with the result.
"It was a wonderful game. We could have won it and we certainly did not deserve to lose.
"If we produce performances like that every week, we will be okay.
"Charlie Mulgrew did brilliantly. But he was trying to play too much football for the third goal and lost possession."
Celtic: Boruc, Wilson, Loovens, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura, Crosas (McDonald 72), Scott Brown, Maloney (McGeady 61), Vennegoor of Hesselink, Samaras (Hartley 90).
Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, Donati, O'Dea, Caddis.
Booked: Boruc.
Goals: Vennegoor of Hesselink 14, McDonald 78, Vennegoor of Hesselink 90.
Aberdeen: Langfield, Hodgkiss (Aluko 90), Diamond, Severin (Mulgrew 27), Foster, Young, Kerr, Mair, Duff, Mackie, Miller (Wright 86).
Subs Not Used: Bossu, McDonald, Maguire, Stuart Smith.
Goals: Mulgrew 57, 65.
Att: 58,565
Ref: E Smith
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:
"I think everybody enjoyed that apart from the coaching staff on both sides.
"But, I really do feel sorry for Jimmy Calderwood as they played terrific today.
"It's a bit embarrassing when you see a team that's put so much work into a match getting beaten.
"I've no idea where Aberdeen would find someone who can produce a team like that with no money.
"When Aiden McGeady came on he was fantastic, and he won a tackle to drive on and cross for our second goal.
"That was a turning point in the match.
Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood:
"It is a very very difficult place to come to and they are a good team who are on form, but we were more than a match for them.
"Performance-wise, I am delighted. Obviously, I'm very, very disappointed with the result.
"It was a wonderful game. We could have won it and we certainly did not deserve to lose.
"If we produce performances like that every week, we will be okay.
"Charlie Mulgrew did brilliantly. But he was trying to play too much football for the third goal and lost possession."
Celtic snatch last-gasp win over Aberdeen
Provided by: The Irish Examiner