| Match Pictures | Matches: 2000 – 2001 |
Trivia
-
League Cup Final at Hampden Park
- Celtic triumphed in their CIS Cup final against Kilmarnock and fittingly it was striking sensation Henrik Larsson who capped their performance with a second-half hat-trick.
- Martin O’Neill could not contain his delight as he witnessed Larsson give a breathtaking display of attacking menace in the 3-0 victory
- Larsson took his goal tally for the season to 47.
- First trophy on the way to winning the treble.
Review
Rab Douglas and Didier Agathe were cup-tied and both Jackie McNamara and Alan Thompson suspended leaving Martin O’Neill short of options. Jonathan Gould replaced Douglas in goal.
Both teams wore change strips with Celtic in their yellow shirts and green shorts and Kilmarnock donning their dark blue.
In the early exchanges Celtic winger Petta was clattered by both Gus McPherson and Alan Mahood. Freddie Dindeleux was booked for pulling Henrik Larsson’s shirt as the two tussled. Petta’s game ended after a mere 10 minutes when he collapsed in agony after a challenge from Mahood, he was replaced by Stephen Crainey.
Despite few early chances the game seemed evenly balanced. Celtic defender Joos Valgaeren showed skill by beating two men to reach the edge of the Kilmarnock box. The Belgian was brought down by Chris McInnes and Lubo Moravcik’s curled free-kick was collected by Gordon Marshall in the Killie goal.
Cocard gave the ball away to Crainey who set up Moravcik via a Larsson dummy but the Slovak’s shot was straight at Marshall.
Moravcik skipped past MacPherson and Dargo on the left wing to get in a low cross that Dindeleux hacked away for a corner at the near post.
Celtic launched a lightning attack that saw Larsson go down in the box under Hay’s sliding challenge and again it looked as though Killie had escaped. Kevin McGowne was booked for upending Healy.
Not long after the re-start Celtic took the lead. Healy forced Marshall into a save and from the corner Larsson opened the scoring. Vega chested Moravcik’s cross forward and the Swede hooked a superb effort past Marshall from close range for his 45th goal of the season.
There was controversy on the hour mark when Sutton was shown a straight red card after the Englishman’s challenge on Gary Holt.
Despite this setback Celtic doubled their advantage after 74 minutes, a Larsson attempt from 10 yards which was deflected by Innes and fortuitously spinned over the head of Marshall in to the net.
Seven minutes later Larsson capped a memorable performance with the pick of the bunch. Racing clear from the Hampden half-way line he outpaced the Killie defence and dragging the ball beyong the onrushing Marshall passed it in to the empty net.
Teams
Celtic:-
Gould, Valgaeren, Mjallby, Vega,Healy, Lambert, Lennon, Moravcik (Smith 83), Petta (Crainey 13, Boyd 88), Larsson, Sutton.
Subs not used:- Johnson, Kharine.
Goals:- Larsson 47, 74, 81.
Booked:- Lambert.
Sent Off:- Sutton 60.
Kilmarnock:-
Marshall, MacPherson, McGowne, Cocard (McLaren 52), Holt, Durrant (Reilly 39), Mahood, Dindeleux (Canero 73), Dargo, Innes, Hay.
Subs not used:- McCoist, Meldrum.
Booked:- Dindeleux, Dargo, McGowne, Hay.
Att:- 48,830
Ref:- H Dallas.
Articles
Pictures
Celtic clinch Cup with Larsson treble
Celtic win the CIS Insurance Cup
Celtic celebrate their latest Hampden triumph
CIS Insurance Cup final at Hampden Park
BBC
Celtic 3-0 Kilmarnock
Celtic triumphed in their CIS Cup final against Kilmarnock and fittingly it was striking sensation Henrik Larsson who capped their performance with a second-half hat-trick.
After a subdued but balanced first-half the match burst in to life two minutes after the break as Larsson struck Celtic’s opener.
Martin O’Neill then watched as Chris Sutton was rightly ordered off by referee Hugh Dallas for a shocking challenge on Kilmarnock’s Gary Holt.
But there was to be no holding back for even a ten man Celtic side as Larsson produced a man-of-the-match display as the hunt for a domestic treble continues.
Cup-tied
Sutton and winger Bobby Petta timed their returns from injury to regain their places in the Celtic line-up as young Colin Healy replaced the unfortunate Stilian Petrov whose leg break at Perth ended his season.
Rab Douglas and Didier Agathe were cup-tied and both Jackie McNamara and Alan Thompson suspended leaving Martin O’Neill short of options. Jonathan Gould replaced Douglas in goal.
For Kilmarnock Ian Durrant made a welcome midfield comeback while Ally McCoist was named on the bench along with Andy McLaren who has struggled with a virus.
Both teams wore change strips with Celtic in their yellow shirts and green shorts with Kilmarnock donning their dark blue.
In the early exchanges Celtic winger Petta was clattered by both Gus McPherson and Alan Mahood. Freddie Dindeleux was booked for pulling Henrik Larsson’s shirt as the two tussled.
Balanced
Petta’s game ended after a mere 10 minutes when he collapsed in agony after a challenge from Mahood, the Dutchman’s groin injury flaring up again. He was replaced by Stephen Crainey.
Despite few early chances the game seemed evenly balanced. Celtic defender Joos Valgaeren showed skill by beating two men to reach the edge of the Kilmarnock box.
The Belgian was brought down by Chris McInnes and Lubo Moravcik’s curled free-kick was collected by Gordon Marshall in the Killie goal.
Henrik Larsson
Killie found Larsson too hot to handle
Cocard gave the ball away to Crainey who set up Moravcik via a Larsson dummy but the Slovak’s shot was straight at Marshall.
Moravcik skipped past MacPherson and Dargo on the left wing to get in a low cross that Dindeleux hacked away for a corner at the near post.
Dindeleux was living dangerously when he hauled Larsson down and Marshall dropped the resulting free-kick with Dindeleux having to boot clear.
Celtic launched a lightning counter that saw Larsson go down in the box under Hay’s sliding challenge and again it looked as though Killie had escaped.
Ian Durrant limped off in the 37th minute, replaced by Mark Reilly, and Dargo was booked for a foul on Colin Healy. Then Kevin McGowne was booked for upending Healy
Superb
Not long after the re-start Celtic assumed the lead. Healy forced Marshall into a save and from the corner Larsson opened the scoring.
Vega chested Moravcik’s cross forward and the Swede hooked a superb effort past Marshall from close range for his 45th goal of the season.
Kilmarnock’s Cocard hobbled off after a clash with Johan Mjallby and Andy McLaren came on. Then Paul Lambert was booked for chopping Dargo down as he made for the Celtic goal.
McLaren’s free-kick had Gould at full stretch but it landed wide of the goalkeeper’s right post.
There was controversy on the hour mark when Sutton was shown a straight red card after the Englishman’s reckless challenge on Gary Holt.
Despite this setback Celtic doubled their advantage after 74 minutes, a Larsson attempt from 10 yards which was deflected by Innes and fortuitously spinned over the head of Marshall in to the net.
Seven minutes later Larsson capped a memorable performance with the pick of the bunch.
Racing clear from the Hampden half-way line he outpaced the Killie defence and dragging the ball beyong the onrushing Marshall passed it in to the empty net.
Celtic: Gould, Lambert, Petta, Lennon, Valgaeren, Healy, Larsson, Moravcik, Sutton, Mjallby, Vega.
Subs: Boyd, Johnson, Smith, Crainey, Kharine.
Kilmarnock: Marshall, MacPherson, McGowne, Cocard, Holt, Durrant, Mahood, Dindeleux, Dargo, Innes, Hay.
Subs: Reilly, McCoist, McLaren, Canero, Meldrum.
Referee: H Dallas
O’Neill hails ‘world class’ Larsson
Henrik Larsson Sunday, 18 March, 2001, 21:31 GMT
BBC
Larsson bags a hat-trick and take his goal tally to 47
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has paid tribute to hat-trick hero Henrik Larsson following his single-handed demolition of Kilmarnock in the CIS Insurance Cup final.
O’Neill could not contain his delight as he witnessed Larsson give a breathtaking display of attacking menace in the 3-0 victory.
Larsson is a marvellous footballer, a truly great player
Celtic boss Martin O’Neill
And the Swedish international’s second-half brace took his goal tally for the season to 47.
He said: “I think he’s a fantastic player, a truly great player and his second one was the most important goal.
“His third goal was absolutely world class. It was sensational finish and he just keeps getting better.
“I’ve always said that Larsson would score goals in any league and that last goal would grace any cup final at any given stage, in any century – he is a marvellous footballer.”
Former Leicester midfielder Neil Lennon added to the plaudits by declaring: “It was Henrik again – he’s the man. It was a tremendous performance again.”
Henrik Larsson
Lennon: Larsson is the man
But O’Neill did not overlook the contribution made by other members of his injury-hit side and gushed: “The players were absolutely magnificent from start to finish.
“It’s been a long, hard season for them.
“They have been leading the league for months and months and it was difficult for them today, but they were fantastic.”
With Celtic 13 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League and set to face Dundee United in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup, a domestic Treble is now within their reach.
And Kilmarnock manager Bobby Williamson was as well placed as anyone to acknowledge Celtic’s strength.
Williamson said: “Celtic have got a lot of strong players. It’s very hard to do anything against them.
They made us look really ordinary
Kilmarnock boss Bobby Williamson
“We had Christophe Cocard and Craig Dargo up front and they never caused any problems.”
But Williamson was disappointed with the way his team caved in after having held their own in the first half.
He said: “I felt we did reasonably well in the first half but the first three minutes of the second cost us.
“You have got to concentrate very hard against Celtic. They are very well organised with a lot of intelligent players who know the game inside out.
“They made us look really ordinary.”
Clockwatch: Celtic 3-0 Kilmarnock
Minute-by-minute action from Celtic’s triumph over Kilmarnock in the CIS Insurance Cup final at Hampden Park.
Full-time: Celtic win the cup in emphatic fashion thanks to a fabulous hat-trick from Swedish striker Henrik Larsson.
Chris Sutton’s controversial second-half sending-off is the only dark moment for Martin O’Neill’s side.
89: Kilmarnock force two corners in a row as they desperately fight for a goal, but Celtic comfortably clear.
87: Kilmarnock’s Hay is booked for a crude tackle on Lambert.
81: Larsson gets his hat-trick and puts the game past Kilmarnock. He breaks clear from the halfway line, gets past keeper Marshall by brilliantly dragging his foot over the ball, and then passes into an unguarded net. Celtic 3-0 Kilmarnock.
74: Moravcik plays a ball over the top to Larsson, whose shot from 10 yards is deflected by Innes and flies over the head of the hapless Marshall. Celtic 2-0 Kilmarnock.
71: Larsson is again brought down by his marker Dindeleux, who has already been booked. Crainey’s free-kick is then blocked by the Kilmarnock wall.
67: Ramon Vega’s “goal” from a Moravcik cross is disallowed for offside. Kilmarnock are failing to make their extra man count.
60: Celtic are down to 10 men after Chris Sutton is controversially shown the red card for a challenge on Holt.
56: McLaren hits the free-kick marginally wide from 30 yards out.
55: Dargo breaks from his own half and is brought down by Celtic captain Paul Lambert, who is shown the yellow card.
51: Andy McLaren comes on for the injured Cocard for Kilmarnock.
48: Sutton heads down Moravcik’s resulting corner and Larsson scores with an athletic volley from the edge of the six-yard box. Celtic 1-0 Kilmarnock.
47: Healy is played through by Sutton, but Marshall closes him down well and brilliantly saves his powerful shot.
Half-time: Celtic 0-0 Kilmarnock. The end of a tight and tetchy first-half in which Celtic have been the better side but failed to score.
45: Healy toe-ends a shot over the crossbar from the edge of the area.
40: Celtic’s Colin Healy is brought down clumsily by McGowne, who is booked. Crainey hits the resultant free-kick narrowly wide of the post.
38: Reilly comes on in place of the injured Ian Durrant for Kilmarnock. Moments earlier, his team-mate Dargo is booked for a foul.
35: Larsson goes down in the area under a challenge from Garry Hay. Referee Hugh Dallas waves play on.
33: Celtic play a vicious swinging free-kick into the area and Marshall fails to claim, but has his defence to thank for clearing the ball. Celtic are starting to dominate.
32: Moravcik sells a dummy to go between two Kilmarnock defenders and into the area. Kilmarnock desperately clear the ball.
27: Chris Sutton plays Larsson clean through on goal, but the Swedish striker is controversially ruled offside.
26: Moravcik fires straight at Marshall from 20 yards out following good work by Crainey and Larsson.
25: Larsson receives attention from Celtic’s physio after being wrestled to the ground by Innes.
18: Marshall gets down well to save a curling 30-yard free-kick from Moravcik. It’s the first shot on goal of the game.
16: Kilmarnock play a quick free-kick, putting Christophe Cocard through in the area. The Frenchman’s shot is blocked, but he’s ruled offside in any case.
12: Young substitute Stephen Crainey comes on in place of Bobby Petta.
9: Petta goes down in agony on touchline. It looks like the groin injury that threatened to keep him out of the game has flared up again.
7: Kilmarnock’s Freddie Dindeleux becomes the first player to be booked when he fouls Larsson on the right wing.
5: Moravcik sends a threatening cross into the area from the right wing, but Kilmarnock keeper Gordon Marshall catches confidently to thwart the lurking Henrik Larsson.
1 minute: Celtic win the first corner of the game. Lubo Moravcik takes it and Gus MacPherson puts the ball out for Kilmarnock.
1500 GMT: Celtic kick-off at Hampden.
Team news: Chris Sutton and Bobby Petta return from injury for Celtic. Youngster Colin Healy comes into the team at wing-back in place of cup-tied Didier Agathe.
Ian Durrant and Craig Dargo come through late fitness tests to line up for Kilmarnock.
Teams:
Celtic: Gould, Lambert, Petta, Lennon, Valgaeren, Healy, Larsson, Moravcik, Sutton, Mjallby, Vega. Subs: Boyd, Johnson, Smith, Crainey, Kharine.
Kilmarnock: Marshall, MacPherson, McGowne, Cocard, Holt, Durrant, Mahood, Dindeleux, Dargo, Innes, Hay. Subs: Reilly, McCoist, McLaren, Canero, Meldrum.
Referee: H Dallas (Scotland).