2009-12-02: Celtic 2-0 Hapoel Tel-Aviv, UEFA Cup

Match Pictures | Matches: 2009 – 2010 | Europa League | 2009-2010 Pictures

Trivia

  • Celtic win but are still now out of the competition & Europe, with Hamburg beating our bete noir Rapid Vienna.
  • Celtic move off the bottom of the group on 5pts with Rapid Vienna on 4pts
  • Celtic's first win in the Europa League Group stages
  • Only match left is Rapid Vienna away.
  • A very disappointing attendance, with just around 35-40k there; official attendance is a nonsense.

Review

Finally we come out on top in a match in the Europa League but too little too late as Hamburg's victory against Rapid Vienna has meant that we cannot now qualify. The damage had already been done and Celtic were now playing for hope and pride in front of a sparse crowd at home.

We had most of the possession but squandered too many chances but still went in one nil up from a fine goal by Samaras supplied by on form McGeady. HTV were little in this and created next to nothing. Robson got a second with a blistering free kick and we were home and dry. Comedy moment later as with three strikers v one defender we managed to waste a gilt edged chance to score a quality third. Full time and we could be happy for a change.

Cynics may say that HTV tried little as they were practically through but that would be dismissive of our performance on this night. Shows to us what an opportunity we'd lost by not being better prepared this time.

Next up Aberdeen in the league.

Teams

Celtic

  • 24Zaluska
  • 02Hinkel
  • 05Caldwell
  • 11Fox
  • 22Loovens
  • 06N'Guemo
  • 17Crosas
  • 19Robson
  • 46McGeady; (Naylor 73)
  • 07McDonald
  • 09Samaras; (Fortune 62)

Substitutes

  • 01Boruc,
  • 03Naylor,
  • 04McManus,
  • 12Wilson,
  • 14McGinn,
  • 20McCourt,
  • 10Fortune

Goals

  • Samaras 22
  • Robson 68

Hapoel Tel-Aviv

  • 01Enyeama
  • 03Douglas
  • 04Bondarv
  • 19Ben Dayan
  • 06Natcho
  • 10Badir
  • 14Vermouth
  • 15Menteshashvili; (Lala 46)
  • 09Shechter
  • 11Yeboah; (Vucicevic 46)
  • 26Yadin; yellow card (Zahavi 78)

Substitutes

  • 22Abharbanel,
  • 23Kende,
  • 05Zandberg,
  • 07Vucicevic,
  • 12Merey,
  • 16Zahavi,
  • 17Lala
Ref: Asumaa
Att: 32,000

Articles

Links

Pictures

KStreet

MOTM

Stats

Possession

  • Celtic 44%
  • Hapoel Tel-Aviv 56%

Attempts on target

  • Celtic 7
  • Hapoel Tel-Aviv 3

Attempts off target

  • Celtic 9
  • Hapoel Tel-Aviv 4

Corners

  • Celtic 3
  • Hapoel Tel-Aviv 3

Fouls

  • Celtic 10
  • Hapoel Tel-Aviv 10

Articles

"The frustration is that we haven't really got what we deserved from the campaign," said Mowbray.
"We've been very competitive, but there you go, the results are what they are and we have to get on with it."
Mowbray

Too little too late as Celtic find European touch: Celtic 2 Hapoel Tel Aviv 0 Samaras 22, Robson 68

03 December 2009

Provided by: The Guardian

The Europa League campaign has at times resembled a chore for Celtic. It will go no further, a matter entirely due to failings in earlier fixtures rather than what occurred here last night. Tony Mowbray was relying on a Rapid Vienna victory over Hamburg for unlikely salvation; that such a result did not occur in Germany finally put Celtic out of their misery. Few, even Mowbray himself, could argue with any authority that his players have been the victims of an elimination injustice.
This win, achieved over a tidy yet blunt Hapoel Tel Aviv team, is ultimately irrelevant other than halting what had been an utterly miserable European run. Celtic only have the dual focus of wrestling the league championship and Scottish Cup from Rangers' grasp to occupy themselves into the new year. That, given their obvious limitations, may be a blessing.
Mowbray's pre-match admission that progress in this competition represented all but an unattainable dream for Celtic was factually correct. Stark truths, though, do not always go down well where supporters of Old Firm clubs are concerned.
The manager also used Tuesday to supply his latest tacit admission that his overhaul of the Celtic squad cannot come quickly enough. It was a surprise, indeed, that Mowbray implemented just a single change to his starting XI from Saturday's win over St Mirren, that arising because of the ineligibility of Zheng Zhi.
Hapoel's recent touch was an ominous indicator for Celtic. The Israelis had rattled in eight goals in their previous two Europa League outings.
Celtic have become accustomed to the fact that there is nothing quite like the Champions League to conjure a rousing occasion. And this was nothing like the Champions League. Memorable meetings with Manchester United, Barcelona and Juventus had been replaced by a tepid affair that could legitimately have been played during the first week in July.
A dour atmosphere, on and off the field, had descended before Georgios Samaras capitalised on a fine run and cross from Aiden McGeady to head home. Samaras, clearly one of the players Mowbray has his reservations about, celebrated a mini-revival by virtue of a second goal in as many games.
The Greek's interventions also roused his team-mates, albeit briefly. Samaras struck a post with a 34th-minute effort, Barry Robson watching his rebound attempt blocked by flying Hapoel bodies.
Hapoel were the more purposeful in the second period, without ever testing the home goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska. The news that Hamburg had notched two quick goals against Rapid Vienna merely served to do create an ever eerier backdrop to proceedings.
Robson took it upon himself to offer some cheer, curling a superb free-kick into the Hapoel goal from 20 yards. It may have been too little, too late, but the precision of the midfielder's strike alone was worthy of a loftier stage.
Celtic 4-4-2
Zaluska; Hinkel, Caldwell, Loovens, Fox; McGeady (Naylor, 73), N'Guemo, Crosas, Robson; Samaras (Fortune, 62), McDonald.
Subs not used
Boruc, McManus, Wilson, McGinn, McCourt.
Referee T Asumaa (Fin)
Hapoel Tel Aviv 4-2-3-1
Enyeama; Bondarv, Badir, Da Silva, Ben Dayan; Yadin* (Zehavi, 78) Menteshashvili (Lala, h-t); Vermouth, Natcho, Shechter; Yeboah (Vucicevic, h-t).
Subs not used
Abarbanel, Zandberg, Mare, Kende.
Group C table, page 2 ≥
Captions:
Celtic's Georgios Samaras rises above the Hapoel defence to head a goal
© Copyright 2009. The Guardian. All rights reserved.
The Guardian

  • Final Result
  • Full Time
  • 90:00+2:05 The referee signals the end of the game.
  • 90:00+0:09 Effort on goal by Nemanja Vucicevic from outside the area goes harmlessly over the bar.
  • 85:40 Effort from deep inside the area by Scott McDonald misses to the left of the target.
  • 84:27 Lee Naylor has an effort at goal from close range which goes wide right of the target.
  • 82:54 Marc-Antoine Fortune takes a shot. Vincent Enyeama makes a save.
  • 82:06 Itay Shechter challenges Gary Caldwell unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Lukasz Zaluska.
  • 81:20 Marc-Antoine Fortune concedes a free kick for a foul on Bebars Natcho. Walid Badir takes the free kick.
  • 80:29 Eran Zahavi has an effort at goal from just outside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand post.
  • 79:05 Nemanja Vucicevic takes a shot. Itay Shechter gets a block in. Bebars Natcho decides to take the corner short. The referee blows for offside against Gary Caldwell. Indirect free kick taken by Deddi Ben Dayan.
  • 77:38 Free kick taken by Deddi Ben Dayan.
  • 77:38 Substitution Avichai Yadin leaves the field to be replaced by Eran Zahavi.
  • 77:38 Unfair challenge on Da Silva Douglas by Barry Robson results in a free kick.
  • 76:13 Lee Naylor decides to take a short corner. The ball is crossed by Daniel Fox. Barry Robson produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the right of the goal.
  • 75:12 Maaran Lala is caught offside. Free kick taken by Lukasz Zaluska.
  • 74:19 Itay Shechter challenges Marc Crosas unfairly and gives away a free kick. Gary Caldwell restarts play with the free kick.
  • 72:33 Substitution Lee Naylor comes on in place of Aiden McGeady.
  • 72:33 Headed effort from inside the area by Maaran Lala misses to the left of the goal.
  • 71:28 Free kick awarded for a foul by Daniel Fox on Itay Shechter. Bebars Natcho crosses the ball in from the free kick, Landry N'Guemo makes a clearance.
  • 70:41 Daniel Fox takes the free kick.
  • 70:41 Booking The referee shows Avichai Yadin a yellow card.
  • 70:28 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Aiden McGeady by Avichai Yadin.
  • 69:05 Itay Shechter takes a shot. Save made by Lukasz Zaluska.
  • 67:26 GOAL – Barry Robson:Celtic 2 – 0 Hapoel Tel-Aviv Free kick scored by Barry Robson from outside the penalty box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Celtic 2-0 Hapoel Tel-Aviv.
  • 66:27 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Marc-Antoine Fortune by Walid Badir.
  • 65:29 The ball is swung over by Nemanja Vucicevic.
  • 63:16 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Gary Caldwell by Itay Shechter. Lukasz Zaluska takes the direct free kick.
  • 61:53 Substitution Marc-Antoine Fortune replaces Georgios Samaras.
  • 57:45 Itay Shechter takes a shot. Save by Lukasz Zaluska. Corner from the left by-line taken by Bebars Natcho, Daniel Fox manages to make a clearance.
  • 56:08 Drilled left-footed shot by Daniel Fox. Blocked by Bebars Natcho. Corner taken by Barry Robson.
  • 55:14 Itay Shechter fouled by Daniel Fox, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Bebars Natcho from right channel, Daniel Fox makes a clearance.
  • 51:10 Unfair challenge on Zurab Menteshashvili by Gary Caldwell results in a free kick. Da Silva Douglas takes the direct free kick.
  • 49:11 Landry N'Guemo has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the left-hand post.
  • 48:57 The ball is delivered by Barry Robson, Da Silva Douglas manages to make a clearance.
  • 48:11 Itay Shechter is ruled offside. Indirect free kick taken by Lukasz Zaluska.
  • Correction – 45:01 Outswinging corner taken by Bebars Natcho from the right by-line, save by Lukasz Zaluska. The offside flag is raised against Itay Shechter. Free kick taken by Gary Caldwell.
  • Correction – 45:01 Substitution Zurab Menteshashvili leaves the field to be replaced by Maaran Lala.
  • Correction – 45:01 Substitution Samuel Yeboah goes off and Nemanja Vucicevic comes on.
  • 45:01 The game restarts for the second half.
  • 45:01 Bebars Natcho takes the outswinging corner, save by Lukasz Zaluska. The assistant referee flags for offside against Itay Shechter. Indirect free kick taken by Gary Caldwell.
  • 45:01 Substitution Maaran Lala is brought on as a substitute for Walid Badir.
  • 45:01 Substitution Nemanja Vucicevic is brought on as a substitute for Samuel Yeboah.
  • Half Time
  • 45:00+0:12 The referee calls an end to the first half.
  • 41:49 The referee blows for offside against Itay Shechter. Glenn Loovens takes the indirect free kick.
  • 40:45 The offside flag is raised against Scott McDonald. Free kick taken by Vincent Enyeama.
  • 38:58 The referee blows for offside against Itay Shechter. Indirect free kick taken by Gary Caldwell.
  • 38:26 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Gil Vermouth by Marc Crosas. Avichai Yadin restarts play with the free kick.
  • 35:26 Foul by Aiden McGeady on Dani Bondarv, free kick awarded. Dani Bondarv takes the free kick.
  • 34:45 Shot by Georgios Samaras from inside the penalty box bounces off the post.
  • 34:23 The offside flag is raised against Itay Shechter. Glenn Loovens takes the free kick.
  • 32:41 Dani Bondarv challenges Georgios Samaras unfairly and gives away a free kick. Barry Robson has a direct shot on goal from the free kick.
  • 32:13 The ball is crossed by Aiden McGeady, Scott McDonald produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the right of the target.
  • 31:33 Barry Robson takes a shot. Deddi Ben Dayan gets a block in.
  • 30:09 Unfair challenge on Da Silva Douglas by Scott McDonald results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Da Silva Douglas.
  • 29:13 Aiden McGeady takes a shot. Vincent Enyeama makes a save.
  • 27:27 Centre by Dani Bondarv, clearance made by Glenn Loovens.
  • 23:43 Free kick awarded for a foul by Georgios Samaras on Da Silva Douglas. Deddi Ben Dayan takes the direct free kick.
  • 21:50 Assist on the goal came from Aiden McGeady.
  • 21:50 GOAL – Georgios Samaras:Celtic 1 – 0 Hapoel Tel-Aviv Georgios Samaras scores a headed goal from inside the penalty area. Celtic 1-0 Hapoel Tel-Aviv.
  • Correction – 21:39 Foul by Dani Bondarv on Scott McDonald, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Scott McDonald.
  • 21:39 Dani Bondarv challenges Scott McDonald unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Georgios Samaras.
  • 20:50 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Itay Shechter by Andreas Hinkel. Bebars Natcho takes the free kick. Effort on goal by Itay Shechter from inside the penalty area goes harmlessly over the bar.
  • 19:08 Scott McDonald takes a shot. Save by Vincent Enyeama.
  • 15:24 Aiden McGeady has an effort at goal from outside the area which goes wide right of the goal.
  • 14:16 Free kick awarded for a foul by Avichai Yadin on Barry Robson. Direct free kick taken by Barry Robson. The assistant referee signals for offside against Georgios Samaras. Vincent Enyeama takes the free kick.
  • 11:17 Foul by Itay Shechter on Barry Robson, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Gary Caldwell.
  • 9:31 The assistant referee signals for offside against Barry Robson. Deddi Ben Dayan takes the indirect free kick.
  • 6:31 Corner taken right-footed by Marc Crosas, comfortable save by Vincent Enyeama.
  • 4:13 Barry Robson fouled by Deddi Ben Dayan, the ref awards a free kick. Gary Caldwell takes the direct free kick.
  • 3:23 The offside flag is raised against Scott McDonald. Vincent Enyeama restarts play with the free kick.
  • 2:36 Landry N'Guemo has shot on goal from just outside the penalty box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
  • 0:00 The match has kicked off.
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