| Match Pictures | Matches: 1998 – 1999 | 1998-1999 Pictures |
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Trivia
- It was strongly rumoured that a deal had been done with Everton for Alan Stubbs and that the Cup Final would be his last game. Celtic were being linked with moves for Nissa Saveljic, a Serbian centre half then playing for Bordeaux.
- In true ‘be-suitedness’ the SFA held a 2-day inquiry into the events of 2/5 only to find that they had no powers to hold an inquiry. They then held a meeting with the SFL to hold an inquiry where they would be able to take some action. Confused?
- Henrik Larsson picked up the Scottish Football Writers' Association's Player of the Year Award.
- Morten Wieghorst signed a new 3 year contract which would keep him at the club till July 2002.
- The game saw a return from injury for Burley, McKinlay, Moravcik and Mjallby and Boyd back from suspension. Annoni was out with an ankle injury, Healy, who had done well since being brought in was out with a thigh strain, Blinker had a slight recurrence of his hammie and was rested, Riseth dropped to the bench, young Jamie Sith gotr his first bench spot from the U21's. Lambert and Larsson was rested. O’Donnell and Donnelly dropped out of the squad.
Review
Last game of the season and Burchill gave the good doctor a selection headache for the Cup Final scoring both the Celtic goals. Memorable really for Sieb Dykstra, the Dundee Utd. goalkeeper's last game in Scotland and the good hearted banter between the Bhoys and him.
Teams
Dundee Utd: Combe (Dykstra ,85 ), Patterson, Olofsson, Hannah, Dodds, Thompson (McConalogue ,79 ), Skoldmark, De Vos, Eustace, McCulloch (Partridge ,79 ), Worrell
Subs not used: Miller, Murray,
Scorers: Dodds (59, pen)
Celtic: Gould, Boyd, Mahe, Stubbs , Burley (McKinlay, 29), Brattbakk, Wieghorst, Johnson, Moravcik, Burchill, Mjallby
Subs not used: Riseth, Corr, Smith, Marshall
Scorers: Burchill (34, 35)
Bookings: None
Referee: Stuart Dougal (Scotland)
Articles
- Match Report
FOOTBALL: BRING BACK THE BURCH?
Daily Record 24/05/1999
COLIN DUNCAN
DUNDEE UNITED 2 CELTIC 1
WILL he or won't he? That was the question on every Celtic fan's lips as they trooped out of Tannadice yesterday afternoon.
This week Jozef Venglos will face the biggest dilemma of his reign as Celtic head coach. The wise old Slovakian must decide whether or not to include Mark Burchill in his starting line- up for next week's Scottish Cup Final. Dr Jo has been loath to play the youngster this term so he has begun only five matches during Celtic's hectic season. And despite regularly coming off the subs' bench to score, the 18-year- old has found himself on the outside looking in for the past 10 months. Yesterday afternoon against Dundee United, however, he was given the nod to spearhead the Celtic attack in the absence of the injured Mark Viduka. The teenage sensation was somewhat surprised by his opportunity, although he certainly grasped it. Burchill scored both Celtic's goals as they brought the curtain down on their SPL campaign with a 2-1 victory. Both were opportunist strikes of the highest quality and surely they will earn him a starting berth against Rangers at Hampden on Saturday.
Burchill would love to get a chance and said: "Hopefully my goals will put pressure on the manager to get me in the 14 next week.
"They will certainly have helped my cause. It's always nice to get on the scoresheet as that's what I'm paid to do.
"The supporters gave me a real lift, chanting my name throughout the match, and they expect things from me.
"I want them to expect things from me because I know I can score goals if I get on the park.
"Obviously it's frustrating not to play every week. Every player wants to be included from the start and I'm no different.
"However, next week there are only three substitutes allowed and I would be quite happy just to win a place on the bench. Games don't come any bigger than against Rangers in a Scottish Cup Final."
His manager was pleased with his contribution, although he was giving nothing away about his selection for next week's Hampden showdown.
Venglos said: "Mark worked very well today and he showed all his qualities. His goals will certainly help his chances of appearing in the cup final and it was good for him to score.
"However, this is his first full league season and I think it's very important now that he has that behind him."
Celtic, with one eye obviously on next Saturday, made several interesting alterations to their starting line-up. The most notable was the absence of Henrik Larsson, who was missing his first league game of a fantastic season. But while Dr Jo rested Paul Lambert and Scotland's Player of the Year, he welcomed Lubomir Moravcik back into the fold for the first time in over three months. A hamstring injury has kept him out of the side since the 7-1 thrashing of Motherwell at Fir Park in February.
Despite his long period of inactivity, it didn't take the gifted Slovakian long to stamp his authority in midfield. Some of his slick touches and deft feints were a joy to watch. Indeed, the only answer United had to his breathtaking skill was to dump him unceremoniously to the ground any time they could get close to him.
With Vidar Riseth on the bench, Tommy Johnson, scorer of three goals in his last two games, was also handed a midfield role, while Harald Brattbakk partnered young Burchill in attack. United kept faith with Alan Combe in goal instead of out-of-contract Sieb Dijkstra and it soon became apparent he was in for a busy afternoon. There were only two minutes on the clock when an Alan Stubbs pass from the edge of his own box landed at the feet of Burchill, 70 yards away. The Scotland Under-21 star cut inside Scott McCulloch but his angled drive was palmed away by Combe.
At the other end, Jonathan Gould produced a great one-handed stop to deny Steven Thompson before Celtic crafted another opening in the seventh minute.
After some neat interplay by Moravcik, Johan Mjallby skewed a shot across the face of goal into the path of Burchill, but with Combe out of position he side- footed over the top.
As Celtic continued to dominate, Stubbs went close with a 25-yard free- kick and Moravcik had several good chances before Burchill finally opened the scoring 11 minutes from the interval. The Hoops kid dispossessed the lackadaisical McCulloch just outside the box and then calmly stroked the ball into the bottom right- hand corner.
Less than a minute later, the teenager grabbed his second when he rose unchallenged in the six- yard box to head home a Moravcik free-kick.
However, Celtic's impressive first-half display was tempered by the loss of Craig Burley. The Scotland midfielder was standing unmarked when he crumpled to the ground, clutchin his left knee. Team-mate Johnson, realising the seriousness of the situation, immediately signalled to the bench and Burley looked in considerable pain as he was stretchered from the pitch.
After the break, the large travelling Celtic contingent, which outnumbered the home fans two to one, gave an ironic jeer every time United completed a pass.
Admittedly there weren't too many, although the home side did gain some crumbs of comfort right on the hour mark.
Mjallby's clumsy tackle on Thompson saw referee Stuart Dougal point straight to the spot and Billy Dodds blasted past Gould. To their credit, United did attempt to make a better fist of things after Dodds had given them an unexpected lifeline. Both Kjell Olofsson, playing his last game for the club, and Magnus Skoldmark spurned excellent opportunities to net an equaliser. Celtic also had chances to increase their advantage through Morten Wieghorst and Johnson.
But the brilliance of Combe in the United goal kept the scoreline at 2-1 – the third time this season the two sides have produced this result.
With five minutes to go, Paul Sturrock replaced the outstanding Combe with Sieb Dijkstra, giving him a chance to say farewell to the United fans. The entrance of the likeable big Dutchman, who will return home this week, ensured an amusing end to a disappointing second period. The Celtic fans behind the goal, obviously referring to his dodgy looking moustache, had been chanting "Bring on the porn star" and gave him a rousing reception when he appeared. Dijkstra took it all in good humour and responded by wiggling his behind, to which the Hoops fans responded: "I'd rather be a porn star than a hun."
In the final minute of the match the keeper raced upfield as United won a corner but he couldn't end his career in Scotland with a dream goal.
This prompted the away fans into a parting shot of, "You only score in he movies".
Afterwards, Dijkstra said:
"Obviously I'm well liked here in Scotland and I've had a great time in this country with Motherwell and Dundee United over the last six years.
"I feel bad that I have to leave, although sometimes you just have to move on.
"I'm definitely not going home for a career in the movies, but maybe I will later when I retire.
"I got a great reception from both sets of fans and it was nice to get on the pitch for the last five minutes.
"However, I'm disappointed the manager didn't play me for the whole game after all I've given the club."
Sturrock, whose side have only beaten Aberdeen at home all season, was not too disappointed by his side's showing.
He said:
"We shot ourselves in the foot with silly defensive lapses, but that has been happening all season to us.
"In the end, there was a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel and I was pleased with the performance of some of our younger players.
"After giving Celtic two goals of a start it would have been very easy to go out for the second half with the wrong attitude but, to their credit, they didn't.
"David Worrell was exceptional and John Eustace showed he has the ability to be an excellent player in the future."
- Manager Interview
Jo Venglos post match:
"Mark worked very well today and he showed all his qualities. His goals will certainly help his chances of appearing in the cup final and it was good for him to score.
"However, this is his first full league season and I think it's very important now that he has that behind him."
Mark Burchill:
“Hopefully after Sunday I will have put the manager under a wee bit more pressure to include me.
“I have said all along that I am ready to start any game or come off the bench, but for the Cup Final I would just be happy to be in the 14.
“And between now and Saturday I have to continue working the way I have been doing and try to make it happen.”
Pictures
Stats
| Dundee Utd | Celtic | |
| Bookings | 0 | 0 |
| Fouls | 18 | 12 |
| Shots on Target | 4 | 9 |
| Corners | 5 | 3 |
| Offside | 2 | 4 |