2010-08-19: Celtic 2-0 Utrecht, Europa League

Match Pictures | Matches: 2010 – 2011 | 2010-2011 Pictures

Trivia

  • 1st leg of two.
  • Celtic dropped down into the UEFA Cup after being beaten by Braga in the European Cup qualifiers
  • Debut for a few players.
  • Utrecht is close to Amsterdam.
  • Winner goes into Europa Group stages!
  • Match wasn't on TV or radio; only internet access!

Review

Celtic boosted their chances of reaching the group stages of the Europa League with a home win against Utrecht.
Possibly our best most entertaining performance since the away victory in Russian a year ago…. Kayal stole the show with some great play and passes. We should actually have won by more but sets us up nicely for next week's away match.

Teams

Celtic

  • 24 Zaluska
  • 04 Juarez
  • 05 Majstorovic
  • 11 Cha Du-Ri
  • 22 Loovens
  • 08 Brown
  • 16 Ledley
  • 33 Baram Kayal (Forrest69)
  • 09 Samaras; yellow card
  • 10 Fortune
  • 13 Maloney; yellow card

Substitutes

  • 47 Cervi,
  • 31 Towell,
  • 18 Ki Sung-Yeung,
  • 20 McCourt,
  • 54 Conroy,
  • 27 Murphy,
  • 49 Forrest

Goals

  • Juarez 19
  • Samaras 34

FC Utrecht

  • 01 Vorm
  • 02 Cornelisse
  • 03 Nesu
  • 17 Schut
  • 08 Silberbauer
  • 11 Mertens
  • 15 Asare
  • 20 Lensky; yellow card (Nijholt82; yellow card)
  • 29 Wuytens
  • 09 van Wolfswinkel
  • 24 Mulenga (Duplan 17)

Substitutes

  • 19 Sinouh,
  • 22 Keller,
  • 14 Van Der Maarel,
  • 18 Maguire,
  • 27 Nijholt,
  • 07 Duplan,
  • 10 Oar

Ref: Oddvar Moen

Articles

Pictures

KStreet

MOTM

Stats

Possession

  • Celtic 60%
  • FC Utrecht 40%

Attempts on target

  • Celtic 4
  • FC Utrecht 1

Attempts off target

  • Celtic 5
  • FC Utrecht 9

Corners

  • Celtic 3
  • FC Utrecht 5

Fouls

  • Celtic 17
  • FC Utrecht 15

Articles

BBC

Celtic2-0FC Utrecht

Celtic boosted their chances of reaching the group stages of the Europa League with a home win against Utrecht.
Mexico midfielder Efrain Juarez gave the hosts a 19th-minute lead with a powerful strike after good work by Georgios Samaras.
The Greece international doubled Celtic's tally in the 34th minute with a fine strike of his own from distance.
Lukasz Zaluska tipped over a notable second-half effort from Utrecht's Edouard Duplan, but Celtic held firm.
Daniel Majstorovic made his Celtic debut in place of the suspended Jos Hooiveld to partner Glenn Loovens in the heart of defence.
Paddy McCourt, who suffered whiplash during the celebrations which followed his winner at Inverness at the weekend, spent the evening on the bench.

In the opening minutes, Scott Brown pounced on a Marc Antoine-Fortune cross, but sent it wide of the mark as Celtic kicked off the match with a fiery intent.
Moments later, Utrecht's Jan Wuytens produced a volleyed right-footed shot from deep inside the Celtic penalty area that swerved wide of Zaluska's right-hand post, then Jacob Mulenga headed over the crossbar from six yards.
Maloney tried to guide a mis-kicked effort into the back of the Utrecht net from three yards out in the 14th minute, but the ball was cleared off the line by keeper Michel Vorm.
The deadlock was broken in the 19th minute when Samaras neatly dummied a pass from Beram Kayal and Juarez lifted the ball over the top of Vorm into the back of the net.
Almost immediately, former Celtic man Jacob Lensky tried to reply with a headed effort, but the ball drifted wide, then Kayal blasted in a shot on goal but missed the target.

Shortly after the half hour mark, Celtic doubled their tally when Samaras fired low into the back of the net after good build-up play from Cha Du-Ri.
As the interval approached, Utrecht defender Tim Cornelisse blasted in a hopeful shot from a short corner that sailed wildly over the bar.
Immediately after the break, Maloney sent in a free-kick from far out on the right after Fortune was felled on the edge of the Utrecht penalty area, but the dead ball failed to threaten Vorm.
The match lost some of its earlier pace in the opening stages of the second half as Utrecht battled to keep the score respectable, but on the hour mark Michael Silberbaur sent in a searching ball to the back post and Duplan shot for goal, but Zaluska reacted swiftly to tip it over.
With 12 minutes remaining, Juarez latched on to a loose ball on the edge of the Utrecht penalty area and volleyed in a shot from distance that curved past the left-hand post.
Late in the match, Mihai Nesu sent the ball over the Celtic bar as Utrecht went in search of a crucial away goal that failed to materialise.

  • Final Result
  • Full Time
  • 90:00+2:06 The referee ends the match.
  • 90:00+1:26 Scott Brown takes the free kick.
  • 90:00+1:26 Booking Gianluca Nijholt booked.
  • 90:00+1:17 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Du-Ri Cha by Gianluca Nijholt.
  • 90:00+0:42 Foul by Daniel Majstorovic on Edouard Duplan, free kick awarded. Gianluca Nijholt takes the direct free kick.
  • 90:00+0:28 A cross is delivered by Georgios Samaras, Mihai Nesu makes a clearance.
  • 89:34 The ball is sent over by Mihai Nesu.
  • 89:13 Nana Asare fouled by Du-Ri Cha, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Nana Asare.
  • 88:42 Gianluca Nijholt takes the direct free kick.
  • 88:42 Booking The referee books Shaun Maloney for unsporting behaviour.
  • 88:37 Shaun Maloney gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Michael Silberbauer.
  • 88:28 The ball is delivered by Scott Brown, Jan Wuytens manages to make a clearance.
  • 87:17 Georgios Samaras concedes a free kick for a foul on Alje Schut. Direct free kick taken by Alje Schut.
  • 86:08 Du-Ri Cha challenges Dries Mertens unfairly and gives away a free kick. Mihai Nesu takes the free kick.
  • 84:28 Free kick awarded for a foul by Gianluca Nijholt on Scott Brown. Direct free kick taken by Glenn Loovens.
  • 82:48 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Dries Mertens, Close range headed effort by Alje Schut clears the crossbar.
  • 82:02 Corner taken by Shaun Maloney from the right by-line, Mihai Nesu makes a clearance.
  • 81:21 Substitution (FC Utrecht) makes a substitution, with Gianluca Nijholt coming on for Jacob Lensky.
  • 78:32 Unfair challenge on Shaun Maloney by Michael Silberbauer results in a free kick. Joe Ledley takes the direct free kick.
  • 77:34 Efrain Juarez produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the goal.
  • 77:28 Du-Ri Cha crosses the ball, blocked by Mihai Nesu.
  • 74:52 James Forrest takes a shot. Michel Vorm makes a save.
  • 73:31 James Forrest fouled by Tim Cornelisse, the ref awards a free kick. Joe Ledley takes the direct free kick.
  • 69:21 Du-Ri Cha delivers the ball, clearance made by Dries Mertens.
  • 68:23 Free kick taken by Michel Vorm.
  • 68:23 Substitution Beram Kayal goes off and James Forrest comes on.
  • 68:23 Georgios Samaras is ruled offside.
  • 65:48 Nana Asare produces a right-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that goes wide left of the target.
  • 64:02 Georgios Samaras produces a cross, clearance made by Alje Schut.
  • 62:53 The offside flag is raised against Ricky van Wolfswinkel. Daniel Majstorovic restarts play with the free kick.
  • 61:58 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Michael Silberbauer by Beram Kayal. Nana Asare takes the direct free kick.
  • 61:03 Edouard Duplan takes a shot. Save by Lukasz Zaluska. Corner from the right by-line taken by Nana Asare, clearance by Georgios Samaras.
  • 58:50 Georgios Samaras fouled by Edouard Duplan, the ref awards a free kick. Daniel Majstorovic restarts play with the free kick.
  • 58:01 Unfair challenge on Mihai Nesu by Shaun Maloney results in a free kick. Tim Cornelisse takes the direct free kick.
  • 57:01 Ricky van Wolfswinkel is caught offside. Direct free kick taken by Lukasz Zaluska.
  • 56:37 Georgios Samaras challenges Michael Silberbauer unfairly and gives away a free kick. Michael Silberbauer takes the free kick.
  • 55:24 Free kick taken by Alje Schut.
  • 55:24 Booking Georgios Samaras is cautioned.
  • 55:14 Tim Cornelisse fouled by Georgios Samaras, the ref awards a free kick.
  • 54:44 Du-Ri Cha crosses the ball, Alje Schut gets a block in.
  • 51:56 Foul by Dries Mertens on Du-Ri Cha, free kick awarded. Beram Kayal restarts play with the free kick.
  • 48:56 Mihai Nesu challenges Marc-Antoine Fortune unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Shaun Maloney.
  • 47:35 Shaun Maloney gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Michael Silberbauer. Direct free kick taken by Michael Silberbauer.
  • 45:51 Foul by Marc-Antoine Fortune on Mihai Nesu, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Mihai Nesu.
  • 45:01 The referee starts the second half.
  • Half Time
  • 45:00+1:10 The ref blows to end the first period.
  • 45:00+0:43 Dries Mertens is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Lukasz Zaluska takes the indirect free kick.
  • 43:02 Effort from outside the penalty area by Dries Mertens goes wide left of the goal.
  • 42:15 Effort on goal by Dries Mertens from inside the box misses to the right of the target.
  • 42:10 Tim Cornelisse sends in a cross.
  • Correction – 41:13 Dries Mertens produces a cross, Tim Cornelisse produces a right-footed shot from just outside the area that goes harmlessly over the bar.
  • 41:13 The ball is crossed by Dries Mertens, Shot from just outside the box by Tim Cornelisse goes over the bar.
  • 40:53 Short corner worked by Dries Mertens.
  • 38:55 Ricky van Wolfswinkel produces a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that misses to the left of the target.
  • 38:03 Joe Ledley concedes a free kick for a foul on Nana Asare. Direct free kick taken by Mihai Nesu.
  • 36:31 Effort on goal by Joe Ledley from outside the box goes harmlessly over the bar.
  • 35:21 Free kick taken by Beram Kayal.
  • 35:21 Booking Jacob Lensky is shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
  • 35:17 Jacob Lensky challenges Georgios Samaras unfairly and gives away a free kick.
  • 33:25 Du-Ri Cha provided the assist for the goal.
  • 33:25 GOAL – Georgios Samaras:Celtic 2 – 0 FC Utrecht Georgios Samaras gets on the score sheet with a goal from close in low into the middle of the goal. Celtic 2-0 FC Utrecht.
  • 33:20 Du-Ri Cha crosses the ball.
  • 32:42 Marc-Antoine Fortune sends in a cross, clearance by Tim Cornelisse.
  • 31:16 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Dries Mertens.
  • 30:37 Unfair challenge on Beram Kayal by Tim Cornelisse results in a free kick. Efrain Juarez restarts play with the free kick.
  • 29:39 The ball is delivered by Du-Ri Cha, Headed effort from inside the area by Efrain Juarez misses to the left of the goal.
  • 28:30 Centre by Dries Mertens, Daniel Majstorovic makes a clearance.
  • 27:42 Unfair challenge on Joe Ledley by Edouard Duplan results in a free kick. Lukasz Zaluska takes the free kick.
  • 27:06 The ball is swung over by Dries Mertens.
  • 26:27 Beram Kayal has a shot on goal from outside the area which misses right.
  • 26:02 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Shaun Maloney from the left by-line.
  • 22:12 Tim Cornelisse challenges Efrain Juarez unfairly and gives away a free kick. Shaun Maloney takes the free kick.
  • 20:23 Headed effort from close range by Jacob Lensky goes wide left of the goal.
  • 19:41 Glenn Loovens concedes a free kick for a foul on Dries Mertens. Dries Mertens takes the free kick.
  • 18:36 Beram Kayal provided the assist for the goal.
  • 18:36 GOAL – Efrain Juarez:Celtic 1 – 0 FC Utrecht Efrain Juarez fires in a goal from close range to the top left corner of the goal. Celtic 1-0 FC Utrecht.
  • 17:45 Michael Silberbauer fouled by Scott Brown, the ref awards a free kick. Jan Wuytens restarts play with the free kick.
  • 14:52 Free kick taken by Tim Cornelisse.
  • 14:52 Substitution Edouard Duplan joins the action as a substitute, replacing Jacob Mulenga.
  • 14:52 Jacob Mulenga fouled by Efrain Juarez, the ref awards a free kick.
  • 14:06 Shaun Maloney takes a shot. Save by Michel Vorm.
  • 11:54 Unfair challenge on Ricky van Wolfswinkel by Georgios Samaras results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Alje Schut.
  • 11:27 The offside flag is raised against Jacob Mulenga. Glenn Loovens takes the indirect free kick.
  • 10:52 Jacob Mulenga produces a header from deep inside the six-yard box that clears the crossbar.
  • 9:21 Joe Ledley challenges Jacob Mulenga unfairly and gives away a free kick. Tim Cornelisse takes the direct free kick.
  • 8:34 Inswinging corner taken by Joe Ledley.
  • 8:25 Du-Ri Cha sends in a cross, blocked by Michael Silberbauer.
  • 7:53 Unfair challenge on Beram Kayal by Michael Silberbauer results in a free kick. Shaun Maloney takes the direct free kick.
  • 6:28 Jan Wuytens produces a volleyed right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
  • 5:13 Foul by Tim Cornelisse on Shaun Maloney, free kick awarded. Daniel Majstorovic takes the direct free kick.
  • 3:43 Jan Wuytens gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Georgios Samaras. Du-Ri Cha takes the free kick.
  • 3:04 Scott Brown produces a right-footed shot from deep inside the six-yard box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
  • 2:34 Tim Cornelisse concedes a free kick for a foul on Shaun Maloney. Daniel Majstorovic takes the direct free kick.
  • 1:02 Corner taken right-footed by Dries Mertens from the left by-line, Glenn Loovens manages to make a clearance.
  • 0:00 The referee gets the match started.

Beram Kayal makes instant impact as Celtic build cushion over Utrecht

UEFA Europa League Play-off Rnd 1st Leg

Celtic 2 Utrecht 0

  • Juarez 19,
  • Samaras 34
  • Ewan Murray at Parkhead
  • guardian.co.uk, Thursday 19 August 2010 21.52 BST

Ewan Murray Parkhead
Celtic 2 Utrecht 0
Juárez 19
Samaras 34
So much for any deep-rooted upset after Celtic did not progress beyond the qualifying stage of the Champions League. This occasion in the poor relation to European football's premier club competition even verged on the rousing at times.
Nonetheless, Celtic's manager Neil Lennon was serious when asked if this two-goal advantage over Utrecht can be classed as comfortable ahead of the second leg next week. "Have you seen out away record in Europe?" Lennon replied.
His caution is understandable, yet this represented an occasion Lennon could take great heart from. A second clean sheet in as many games from a hitherto porous Celtic defence was notable, as was the atmosphere created by a support who gradually appear to be buying into Lennon's vision. The manager's strongest praise, and deservedly, went to the debutant Beram Kayal. "He has got a bit of everything," said Lennon of the Israeli midfielder, who made his debut here. "He is a very good, all-round player and I was delighted with his debut."
Lennon will be aware that defensive deficiencies have yet to be ironed out; an understandable matter, given the hastily-assembled nature of the backline. All the same, the attacking purpose and guile displayed by Celtic in their last two outings suggests they will at least score in Holland.
If a lack of familiarity within the home defence was a partial explanation for Utrecht creating — albeit passing up — a series of fine opportunities within the opening half, Kayal made an instant impression. He started a move which culminated in Shaun Maloney having a close-range shot kicked off the Utrecht line, before Efrain Juárez opened his Celtic goalscoring account.
Kayal was again prominent, with a pass from deep which Georgios Samaras, unwittingly, helped into Juárez's path. The Mexican lashed a high finish home, before Samaras doubled the lead with equal force. Cha Du-Ri was the architect with a lobbed pass, which the former Manchester City striker perfectly controlled before supplying an angled drive. The second half lacked the unrelenting pace of the first, with Celtic keen to display the kind of defensive obduracy which they fatally lacked in being knocked out of the Champions League by Sporting Braga at the qualifying stage.
That was duly supplied, in a boost not only to Lennon but Scottish football amid what is currently a turbulent spell against continental opposition. Craig Levein, the Scotland manager, would have been among the satisfied onlookers.