| Match Pictures | Champions League | Matches: 2008 – 2009 | 2008-2009 Pictures |
Trivia
- Out of Europe!
- Champions League
- Our first away goal in the Champs League group stages for 6 games (or two years!).
- 18 away games in the Champs Lge group stages and no wins!
- McGeady, JVoH were out injured.
- Own goal by Caldwell, didn't deserve to be at the end of it as he had a fine game and has actually been a great player for us this season.
Review
So what do you say in these circumstances? We were playing a very poor side, and yet we lost. We dominated the game and let Aalborg have few chances. Within the first ten mins we had two great chances to take the lead, and Samaras & Naka respectively fluffed up the chances. Aalborg were well organised for set pieces but troubled us little. When Robson scored our goal via a wonderful header into the bottom corner of the goals, looked like we were all set for the UEFA Cup. Then a deflected goal let Aalborg equalise, only for a fluff up by Loovens to kick the ball off Caldwell to score an own-goal. In faireness, both players didn't have a bad game and it was one of those games. BUT it all continues our bad run in European football which is embarrassing us all.
WGS got some tactics wrong, and should have brought Maloney on a lot earlier (89.5mins!!!). We really missed Hartley and McGeady.
Out of Europe, and so we have to concentrate on winning the domestic league and cups now.
Teams
AaB:-
Zaza, Bogelund, Olfers, Jakobsen, Pedersen (Kristensen 81), Caca, Augustinussen, Johansson, Risgaard, Enevoldsen (Due 70), Curth (Saganowski 70)
Subs Not Used:- Kenneth Nielsen, Nomvethe, Braemer, Sorensen
Booked:- Johansson
Goals:- Caca 73, Caldwell 87 og
Celtic:-
Boruc
Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Wilson (Maloney 90)
Nakamura, Scott Brown, Robson, Loovens
Samaras (Sheridan 69), McDonald
Subs Not Used:- Mark Brown, Naylor, Hartley, O'Dea, Caddis
Goal:- Robson 53
Att:- 12,647
Ref:- Konrad Plautz (Austria).
Articles
Pictures
KStreet
Stats
| AaB | Celtic | |
| 2 | Goals scored | 1 |
| 4 | Shots on target | 4 |
| 5 | Shots wide | 7 |
| 0 | Shots blocked | 2 |
| 1 | Yellow card | 0 |
| 0 | Red card | 0 |
| 13 | Fouls committed | 14 |
| 7 | Corners | 4 |
| 3 | Offsides | 3 |
| 27' 12'' | Ball. Poss. (time) | 30' 37'' |
| 47% | Ball. Poss. (%) | 53% |
Articles
Aalborg 2-1 Celtic
By Colin Moffat
BBC
A late own goal from Gary Caldwell saw Celtic crash out of Europe after the visitors had taken the lead in Aalborg.
Shunsuke Nakamura shot over from the edge of the penalty box and Georgios Samaras twice made a mess of close-range chances in the first half.
Barry Robson powered in a great header to put Celtic in front on 53 minutes.
But Caca's long-range strike was deflected in and Glenn Loovens' attempted clearance ricocheted in off Caldwell to give the Danes victory.
The Scottish Premier League leaders looked to have ended their miserable Champions League run on the road when Robson scored but it is Aalborg who qualify for the Uefa Cup, while Manchester United and Villarreal progress from Group E.
And Celtic had numerous chances to overrun a poor home side, who failed to threaten until the closing stages.
Indeed, Samaras and Nakamura passed up fantastic opportunities to score for the visitors inside the first 10 minutes.
The Greek striker mistimed his lunging bid to connect with a wonderful cross from Nakamura right in front of goal and the Japanese star ballooned a shot over the crossbar when one-on-one with goalkeeper Karim Zaza.
The Danes struggled to make any early impression in attack but Artur Boruc had to make a smart save to push away a flashing header from Michael Jackobsen, who was left unattended at a corner on 35 minutes.
The tenacious Scott Brown robbed Steve Olfers to set up a promising break deep in the Aalborg half but poor passes from Nakamura and then Samaras allowed the outnumbered home defence to clear up.
Samaras was left with his head in his hands again when he glanced a Nakamura free-kick wide from six yards out.
Aalborg's Thomas Enevoldsen blazed a rising shot over the top soon after the interval and Celtic were claiming a penalty when Scott McDonald tumbled between two defenders and was clipped by the diving Zaza.
Any sense of injustice was soon forgotten when Robson stole across his marker to meet Wilson's cross and steer a strong header low into the bottom corner of the net from 15 yards.
Caldwell, impressive in a holding midfield role, ditched his defensive duties to dance into the Aalborg penalty but the angle for the strike was tight and Zaza managed to beat out the Scotland international's stinging effort.
With the home team pushing players forward, spaces were opening up for Celtic and Nakamura fizzed an angled shot wide from 20 yards.
However, luck deserted Gordon Strachan's side 20 minutes from time as parity was restored from Caca's speculative dig from long distance.
The Brazilian was given too much room to line his sights but the ball took a huge deflection off Stephen McManus and looped over the despairing Boruc.
Both sides threw caution to the wind for the final 15 minutes and Celtic lost out in cruel circumstances as a low cross from Andreas Johansson was cut out by Loovens but was diverted back into his own net by the knee of Caldwell.
AaB: Zaza, Bogelund, Olfers, Jakobsen, Pedersen (Kristensen 81), Caca, Augustinussen, Johansson, Risgaard, Enevoldsen (Due 70), Curth (Saganowski 70).
Subs Not Used: Kenneth Nielsen, Nomvethe, Braemer, Sorensen.
Booked: Johansson.
Goals: Caca 73, Caldwell 87 og.
Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Wilson (Maloney 90), Nakamura, Scott Brown, Robson, Loovens, Samaras (Sheridan 69), McDonald.
Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, Naylor, Hartley, O'Dea, Caddis.
Goal: Robson 53.
Att: 12,647.
Ref: Konrad Plautz (Austria).
Strachan rues defensive failings
BBC
Gordon Strachan was stunned to see Celtic's miserable away record in the Champions League continue in Aalborg.
"It was there to be won but our inability to keep a clean sheet has been our downfall," said the manager.
"We had great chances but I did think that one goal would have been enough as I didn't see any real threat to us, that's why it's so disappointing.
"I really can't explain it but it's happened again. It's unbelievable as it was one of our better performances."
The defeat in Denmark means Celtic have picked up just one point from 18 matches on their travels in the group stages of the competition.
Manchester United's goalless draw in Villarreal means they both qualify for the last 16, with Aalborg claiming third spot in Group E and the Uefa Cup slot.
Celtic have scored just twice and picked up only two points from home draws against Aalborg and Manchester United but, despite three losses on their travels, Strachan has seen improvement from his side.
It is probably the worst blow we've had to take over the years
Stephen McManus, Celtic captain
"Our performances away from home have been better this season," he continued. "We played well in Villarreal and again tonight. Some players were superb; Barry Robson, Gary Caldwell, Scott Brown.
"This ranks up with one of the best away displays but as a manager you can only ask players to do so much.
"They are sitting in the dressing room listening to people singing who probably can't believe they have won a game of football.
"But we like to think that we are a big club and that we can handle defeat.
"We will not say that Aalborg were lucky. We had it in our own hands to win and we are not going to look anywhere else.
"I couldn't fault any of the players, I really couldn't."
Barry Robson had headed Celtic in front early in the second half only for a deflected Caca strike to level the game and a late own goal from Gary Caldwell handed the home team the win.
"It was horrendous in the dressing room, the boys are devastated," said captain Stephen McManus. "It is probably the worst blow we've had to take over the years.
"It is doubly disappointing because we were in control of the game.
"If you get beat by the better side with two top-quality goals then you can hold your hands up but when you are on top, and give two goals away like that then it is horrendous."
Aalborg manager Allan Kuhn thought it had been a pretty even match but did admit to enjoying some luck.
"When we got a deflected goal from 30 yards, I sensed we were going to go on and get the victory.
"Celtic had some good moments and we had some good moments. It wasn't the greatest football match in the world but that's life.
"When you have brave hearts you always have a chance to win football games and I think the boys were 100% brave hearts."
Articles
"It was there to be won but our inability to keep a clean sheet has been our downfall," said the manager. "We had great chances but I did think that one goal would have been enough as I didn't see any real threat to us, that's why it's so disappointing. "I really can't explain it but it's happened again. It's unbelievable as it was one of our better performances."
(WGS on the match)
22:27 25Nov08 RTRS-UPDATE 1-Soccer-Celtic own goal gives Aalborg victory
AALBORG, Denmark, Nov 25 (Reuters) – Two fortunate deflections gave AaB Aalborg a stunning come-from-behind 2-1 win over Celtic in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Neither team can reach the knockout round after Manchester United and Villarreal drew 0-0 in the other Group E match but Aalborg will finish third and qualify for the UEFA Cup.
Barry Robson put Celtic ahead but Caca equalised with a shot that took a deflection and Aalborg snatched a shock winner three minutes from time when an attempted clearance by Glen Loovens went in off Gary Caldwell.
Both teams started the match cautiously in below-freezing temperatures, with Aalborg looking more nervous and giving away some easy balls while Celtic controlled the midfield.
In the 25th minute, Celtic's Scott McDonald launched Shunsuke Nakamura alone in the penalty box, but the Japanese winger lifted the ball over the crossbar with only Danish keeper Karim Zaza to beat.
The hosts' only chance of the first half came in the 36th minute, when Michael Jakobsen tested Artur Boruc with a fierce header from a corner but the Celtic keeper was well placed and pushed the ball over the bar.
At the other end, Georgios Samaras was left unmarked on the six-metre line five minutes later but headed wide after a Nakamura free kick.
Aalborg showed more spunk early in the second half as Thomas Enevoldsen sent a blistering left-foot shot from the edge of the box just over the crossbar.
Scotland international Robson, who missed a penalty when the two teams drew 0-0 in their first group meeting in Glasgow, put Celtic ahead in the 53rd minute when he headed Mark Wilson's cross past Zaza.
With Aalborg seemingly demoralised, Caldwell dribbled past three Danish defenders in the 65th minute only to shoot straight at Zaza from five metres.
Aalborg's luck turned in the 73rd minute when Caca's long range shot sailed over Boruc aided by a slight deflection off Stephen McManus.
The Danish champions surged forward and disaster struck for Celtic in the 87th minute. Loovens tried to clear away a cross by Andreas Johansson but the ball hit Caldwell and ricocheted into the net.
"This is a dream," Aalborg midfielder Thomas Augustinussen said on Danish television.
"It was looking bad, but we came from behind and scored twice. Now we're in third place and it's fantastic."
Celtic have now stretched their winless streak in away Champions League matches to 20, with one draw and 19 defeats.
(Writing by Gelu Sulugiuc in Copenhagen, Editing by Tony Jimenez/Rex Gowar)