| Match Pictures | Matches: 2003 – 2004 | 2003-2004 Pictures |
Trivia
- Henrik Larsson broke down in tears in front of 60,000 adoring fans after his last competitive game at Celtic Park.
- He was captain of his beloved Celtic in this, his last league match.
- Future Celts, Mark Wilson and Barry Robson, lined up for Dundee Utd.
Review
Martin O'Neill opted to name his strongest possible line-up for their final league match of the season in preparation for next week's Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline. Paul Gallacher pulled off an excellent, one-handed save after Larsson rose unchallenged to head towards goal from 10 yards. The goalkeeper also stood up to palm away a close-range drive from Stephen Pearson, who had been set up by Larsson. Larsson made room for himself but screwed his right-footed shot wide of the post. Gallacher was again the United hero, pushing Jackie McNamara's low long-range effort behind.
Larsson twice came close to breaking the deadlock after the break but had a couple of efforts deflected wide. He twice blasted over from inside the six-yard box, while Marshall frustrated United with a point-blank save from Robson.
Didier Agathe was brough down by Robson, who was booked for persistent fouling, Alan Thompson swung in the free-kick and Larsson got ahead of Gallacher to head into an empty net. Celtic park erupted into a sea of emotion.
Larsson grabbed his second with just six minutes left, diverting Agathe's cross past Gallacher.
Varga gave away a penalty moments later after a foul on Jason Scotland and Wilson sent Marshall the wrong way.
Teams
Celtic:-
Marshall, Balde, Varga, McNamara, Agathe, Lennon, Petrov, Pearson, Thompson (Wallace 88), Larsson, Sutton.
Subs not used:- McGovern, Lambert, Beattie, Mjallby.
Goals:- Larsson 83, 86.
Dundee Utd:-
Gallacher, Innes, McCracken, Archibald, Wilson, Kerr, Miller, Easton, Robson, Samuel, Scotland.
Subs:- Bullock, Duff, James Paterson, Scott Paterson, Holmes.
Goal:- Wilson 88 pen.
Att:
Referee:- J Underhill
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
Tears end Larsson reign
BBC
Henrik Larsson broke down in tears in front of 60,000 adoring fans after his last competitive game at Celtic Park.
Larsson, who scored twice in the victory over Dundee United, told BBC Scotland: "I can't even speak. It has been a fantastic few years.
"The fans have been tremendous and it is great to have been part of something so special like this."
Manager Martin O'Neill said: "He says it has been a privilege being here, but the privilege was all ours."
Larsson's double in the 2-1 win over United brought the Sweden international striker's total for the season to 39 – bringing his career tally with Celtic to 240.
The normally ice-cool 32-year-old was touched by the warmth of feeling from the Celtic support but insisted that he was sticking with his intention to make his seventh season with the Scottish champions his last.
It was a fantastic end to a fantastic time here
Celtic boss Martin O'Neill
"I'm going to miss this," he admitted. "But, as I have said many times, it is time for me to go."
It had looked like he might end his last competitive game at Celtic Park uncharacteristically goalless until his double in the final 10 minutes.
"I started swinging at everything at one stage," he said. "But, fortunately, I got the first one through a great ball from Alan Thompson.
"The second one was a great ball from Didier Agathe and, once I got the first, I wasn't going to miss the second."
Larsson paid tribute to O'Neill for helping revive the club's fortunes.
"My whole career here has been brilliant," he said. "We have had our ups and downs, but the last four years have been tremendous.
"It has been fantastic and, once the gaffer came up, things started to go forward and happen.
"It has been a pleasure to be at a club like this."
O'Neill added: "He is absolutely fantastic – sensational, sensational, sensational from a sensational player.
"It was very emotional, but it was a fantastic end to a fantastic time here.
"He is a wonderful, wonderful player. You always think he is capable of scoring and, in the air, he is absolutely sensational."
Celtic 2-1 Dundee Utd
BBC
Henrik Larsson capped his last competitive game at Celtic Park in fitting style with the two winning goals against Dundee United.
The Swede, coming to the end of seven goal-filled years with Celtic, missed a number of chances before heading home an Alan Thompson free-kick.
He added the second two minutes later, deflecting home a Didier Agathe cross played across the face of goal.
United replied from the penalty spot through Mark Wilson.
Martin O'Neill opted to name his strongest possible line-up for their final league match of the season in preparation for next week's Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline.
That meant the Scottish champions made seven changes from the side that drew at Motherwell in midweek, among them being Larsson.
United made just one change from the 11 that beat Dunfermline, with Craig Easton also saying farewell to his club, in place of Derek McInnes.
The visitors came close to an early lead after goalkeeper David Marshall failed to hold a Barry Robson corner.
Didier Agathe blocked Collin Samuel's goalbound shot and then Chris Sutton diverted Charlie Miller's follow-up behind.
Tears end Larsson reign
Paul Gallacher pulled off an excellent, one-handed save after Larsson rose unchallenged to head towards goal from 10 yards.
The goalkeeper also stood up to palm away a close-range drive from Stephen Pearson, who had been set up by Larsson.
Larsson made room for himself but screwed his right-footed shot wide of the post.
Gallacher was again the United hero, pushing Jackie McNamara's low long-range effort behind.
Larsson twice came close to breaking the deadlock after the break but had a couple of efforts deflected wide.
United should have taken the lead when Charlie Miller failed to connect properly 12 yards in front of goal and, when it fell to Collin Samuel, the striker saw his bobbling effort cleared off the line by Stilian Petrov.
Larsson twice blasted over from inside the six-yard box, while Marshall frustrated United with a point-blank save from Robson.
But Thompson swung in the free-kick and Larsson got ahead of Gallacher to head into an empty net.
Larsson grabbed his second with just six minutes left to divert Agathe's cross past Gallacher.
Varga gave away a penalty moments later after a foul on Jason Scotland and Wilson sent Marshall the wrong way.
Celtic: Marshall, Balde, Varga, McNamara, Agathe, Lennon, Petrov, Pearson, Thompson, Larsson, Sutton.
Subs: McGovern, Lambert, Wallace, Beattie, Mjallby.
Dundee Utd: Gallacher, Innes, McCracken, Archibald, Wilson, Kerr, Miller, Easton, Robson, Samuel, Scotland.
Subs: Bullock, Duff, James Paterson, Scott Paterson, Holmes.
Referee: J Underhill