2011-08-18: Celtic 0-0 FC Sion, Europa Leage

Match Pictures | Matches: 2011 – 2012 | 2011-2012 Pictures

Trivia

  • Fraser Forster made his first appearance following the renewal of his loan deal for season 2011-12.
  • UEFA cup qualifying round 1st leg.
  • Kayal, Hooper, K Wilson, Izzy out injured.
  • FC Sion are a Swiss team.
  • FC Sion fielded players who may be ineligible! Should not have been permitted.
  • Huns lost 2-1 away in Slovenia; Hearts lost at home 5-0 to Spurs.
  • Rumour Hollywood actor Brad Pitt said to have been at the game (filming a new blockbuster zombie movie in Glasgow at present) but wasn't there.
  • DECISION REVERSED: Celtic awarded 3-0 victory as FC Sion fielded ineligible players! Celtic progress to group stages of the Europa League! (see below)

Review

A Celtic team shorn of its 3 best players (Hooper, Kayal, Izaguirre) and 2 first choice central defenders (K. Wilson & Loovens) played out 0 – 0 draw against a limited FC Sion side.

Although the game was fairly dour, with Celtic struggling to break down the organised Swiss side, the bulk of the chances fell to Celtic. Stokes should have rounded the keeper in the first half but instead opted to go down under a challenge from the keeper and earned a booking instead of a penalty. Samaras should have scored but again opted to go down (sliding for the ball) when faced by a challenge from the keeper, when everybody watching was sure if he had stayed on his feet for a further stride he'd have scored. A Maloney free-kick drew a good save from Vanins and Forrest hit the post late on.

FC Sion did have the ball in the net, but the linesman's flag was up (and had been up early), barring that they created few other chances.

The Croatian referee allowed several wild challenges from Sion to go unpunished.

Teams

CELTIC (4-4-2) Forster; Cha, Majstorovic, Mulgrew, M. Wilson; Brown, Ki, Ledley, Commons (Forrest 56) Stokes (Samaras 69) Samaras (McCourt 85)
Not Used: Zaluska, Matthews, Wanyama, Slane

FC SION (3-4-1-2) Vanins; Adailton, Dingsdag, Goncalves; Vanczak, Obradovic (Gabri 84) Die, Buhler; Feindouno; Afonso (Mutch 50) Sio
Not Used: Fickentscher, Rodrigo, Prjovic, Zambrella, Ketkeophomphone

Referee: Marijo Stranhonja (Croatia)
Attendance: 51,000

Articles

Pictures

Forum

MOTM

  • Voting Thread
  • Result Thread
  • Winner – Cha, D R
  • 2011-12 Winners

Stats

Possession

  • Celtic 58%
  • FC Sion 42%

Attempts on target

  • Celtic 7
  • FC Sion 3

Attempts off target

  • Celtic 7
  • FC Sion 3

Corners

  • Celtic 8
  • FC Sion 3

Fouls

  • Celtic 15
  • FC Sion 18

Articles

Europa League: Celtic 0 FC Sion 0

Aug 19 2011 David Mccarthy Daily Record

RUMOURhad it that Brad Pitt was heading to Parkhead last night.
But the Hollywood superstar chose a night in with the missus rather than a night out with the Bhoys and who can blame him?
Certainly no one who did head for Celtic Park to witness a performance that might not be too dissimilar to the movie Pitt is making in Glasgow.
That's all about folk stumbling about with vacant looks, lacking direction and cohesion. A bit like Celtic did against Sion in this Europa League qualifier.
In fact Georgios Samaras might well have been auditioning for the part of head zombie in Pitt's flick World War Z.
He was just what the script is looking for but not what Neil Lennon needed as he staggered around miscontrolling the ball, sclaffing passes and utterly failing to trouble the Swiss defence, who left Parkhead with a merited 0-0 draw that might have been better had Cha Du Ri's stunning injury-time challenge not denied Giovanni Sio as he homed in goal.
The closing seconds saw Celtic hanging on for dear life, with re-signed keeper Fraser Forster desperately punching crosses slung into the box.
This was the Night of the Living Dread for Celtic. Now they have 90 minutes to find something better in the sequel in Sion next Thursday.
If they don't, they might all be going to the pictures on Thursday nights over the next few months.
There was a pre-match shock for the home support when the teamsheets revealed Kelvin Wilson would miss the match. The former Nottingham Forest stopper suffered a dead leg in training on Wednesday night.
Charlie Mulgrew switched from leftback to centre-half, Mark Wilson moved to left-back and Cha was at right-back. Samaras was in for injured Gary Hooper.
Sion might be relatively small in stature but they haven't been afraid to stand up to the big boys of UEFA and FIFA – and they may pay a price for that, irrespective of last night's result.
Coach Laurent Roussey signed six players in summer despite Sion being hit by a transfer embargo in the wake of being found guilty of illegally inducing a player to join them from Qatar last season.
FIFA and UEFA threatened the club with expulsion from the competition if any of the six featured against Celtic.
Well, two did. Former Hearts defender Jose Goncalves was in and striker Pascal Feindouno also started.
Ghanian Feindouno could have been lining up for Celtic had he agreed a deal with the club after a trial in December.
He knocked back Celtic's offer and ended up in Switzerland and last night fate decreed he'd get the chance to show Lennon what he missed out on.
Kris Commons started on the right with Joe Ledley on the left. There wasn't much for the fans to get excited about in the opening half-hour although little Feindouno, operating between midfield and attack, wasn't being picked up by Ki or Scott Brown and looked a threat.
It took Celtic 22 minutes to create anything of note and even then, it was only a half-chance. Ki sent his Korean countryman Cha down the right with a good pass and the cross was met by Samaras 12 yards out. But the Greek had to put his head through the ball instead of glancing it. He did the latter and the effort spun wide.
Samaras missed a decent chance by choosing a fancy backheeler after the keeper fumbled an Anthony Stokes shot and the fans weren't impressed.
The Greek and Stokes were operating on completely different wavelengths and didn't appear to be getting on too well with each other. Words were exchanged after another move broke down and it all added to the frustration.
Mulgrew had a chance with a free-kick from the edge of the box after Commons was taken out by Michael Dingsdad, who was booked. The defender's shot was easily touched over.

Frustration turned to fury in the 36th minute when Celtic were denied a penalty after Stokes tumbled over keeper Andris Vanins' dive as he tried to make the most of a Goncalves error.
Stokes looked to have gone to ground too easily and the ref booked him for his theatrics. It's fair to say Lennon didn't agree with his assessment as he ranted at the fourth official.
Celtic had to start the second half better and they did. But Samaras should have done much better five minutes after the restart.
Cha cut the ball back for the striker to half-volley into the gods from 10 yards. Cue further howls of derision. Lennon sent on James Forrest for Commons, who hadn't had much joy, in 55 minutes. More urgency was required.
Ki provided just that on the hour with a surging run that was halted by a crude challenge from Jose Adaliton, who was booked but the stalemate continued.
By that time Sion had fielded Mario Mutsch, taking the number of "banned" players on the pitch to three.
Lennon replaced Stokes with Shaun Maloney in 68 minutes – a move that was greeted with booing from a support which clearly felt Samaras should have been hooked before the No.10.
Maloney immediately won a free-kick and took it himself, forcing a desperate save by the keeper, who was clattered by Samaras as he clawed away the rebound. The striker came off worse but both resumed after treatment.
There was a real scare for Celtic in 72 minutes when Feindouno played in Sio, who outstripped Daniel Majstorovic and slipped the ball behind Forster – but the effort was ruled offside and the linesman got a tight decision right.
Feindouno, who looked as if he would have been a great fit for Celtic, then spun Majstorovic only for the Swede to chop him down. The 30-yard free kick, battered goalward by Sio, needed a good touch over the top from Forster.
Then Mulgrew's cross was touched out by Vanins to Brown, who couldn't find the target from 12 yards.
Paddy McCourt was thrown on for Samaras and the ironic cheers from the support rang round the ground as the Greek sprinted to the touchline.

BBC

Celtic 0-0 Sion Page last updated at 21:15 GMT, Thursday, 18 August 2011 22:15 UK

Celtic0-0FC Sion

Anthony Stokes goes down in the Sion box and was cautioned for simulation Celtic endured a frustrating return to European action as they struggled against Swiss side Sion in the first leg of their Europa League qualifier.
An ineffectual strike partnership of Anthony Stokes and Georgious Samaras saw several chances to break the deadlock escape the Glasgow outfit.
Sion ignored warnings from Fifa not to field players they consider ineligible.
Jose Goncalves, Pascal Feindouno, Mario Mutsch and Gabri all took part against the governing body's wishes.
Against that backdrop of controversy, Celtic started brightly, with most of the action in the Sion half for the opening 10 minutes. Samaras vexed the home crowd before being replaced by Paddy McCourt The pairing of Samaras and Stokes up front failed to gel, though, with the Greek in particular looking rusty, having not played so far this season.
Sion, meanwhile, set out an ambitious formation, with Guilherme Alfonso and Feindouno up front, and were happy to scrap for chances where they could find them.
Michael Dingsdag had the best of those, but could not convert from his free kick 35 yards out, Samaras proving more useful in his own box as he cleared the shot away.
A rare positive for Celtic was the performance of Cha Du-Ri, the South Korean charging up and down the right-hand side and delivering pinpoint crosses to the strikers.
However, the first half saw just six attempts on target by both sides and those frustrations continued after the restart.
Samaras squandered another chance in the 50th minute, when Cha delivered another perfect ball in from the right, only for the Greek to head over the bar.
Clearly not intimidated by warnings from Fifa and Uefa, Sion coach Laurent Roussey introduced midfielder Mutsch as a replacement for striker Afonso.
Neil Lennon also made changes, replacing the industrious Kris Commons with James Forrest and later brought on Shaun Maloney for Anthony Stokes.
That decision was unpopular with the home crowd, who seemed intent on the withdrawal of Samaras.
However, Lennon was almost proved right seconds later when Maloney earned a free kick after a challenge from Adailton and delivered a near-perfect ball from the set-piece dipping over the Sion wall, Vanins performing heroics to stretch and parry the ball.
Samaras made contact with the rebound but could not find the net.
The home support's nerves were further frayed in the 73rd minute when Sion put the ball in the net.
Feindouno silencing the Celtic support as he put the ball past Fraser Forster and into the net but was judged to be offside in what appeared to be a close call for the Croatian referee.
Sion grew in confidence as the Parkhead crowd grew more impatient, but Celtic continued to create chances.
Charlie Mulgrew provided a superb ball for Scott Brown at the back post with 10 minutes remaining, the Celtic captain's miss typical of a frustrating evening.
Paddy McCourt's introduction at the expense of Samaras gave the Celtic fans a reason to cheer but had no impact on the scoreline.
The introduction of Gabri by Sion took the total of ineligible players to four, suggesting that this tie may yet be decided in the courts, rather than on the pitch.

  • Final Result
  • Full Time
  • 90:00+4:17 The referee brings the game to a close.
  • 90:00+2:52 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Patrick McCourt by Serey Die. Charlie Mulgrew restarts play with the free kick.
  • 90:00+1:21 Michael Dingsdag takes the outswinging corner, save by Fraser Forster.
  • 90:00+1:21 Substitution Lacerda Ramos Rodrigo replaces Pascal Feindouno.
  • 89:59 Arnaud Buhler gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Du-Ri Cha. Free kick crossed right-footed by Sung-Yeung Ki from right wing.
  • 87:31 Effort on goal by Mario Mutsch from long range goes harmlessly over the target.
  • 86:31 Sung-Yeung Ki produces a drilled right-footed shot from 12 yards. Brilliant save by Andris Vanins.
  • 85:50 Corner taken by Sung-Yeung Ki.
  • 85:42 Shot from 18 yards from James Forrest. Blocked by Serey Die.
  • 84:20 Substitution (FC Sion) makes a substitution, with Garcia Gabri coming on for Goran Obradovic.
  • 84:04 Effort from the edge of the area by James Forrest goes wide of the right-hand upright.
  • 83:36 Shaun Maloney takes a inswinging corner from the left by-line to the near post, Michael Dingsdag makes a clearance.
  • 82:57 Substitution Patrick McCourt replaces Georgios Samaras.
  • 80:14 Scott Brown concedes a free kick for a foul on Pascal Feindouno. Andris Vanins restarts play with the free kick.
  • 79:53 Du-Ri Cha crosses the ball, clearance by Jose Adailton.
  • 79:14 Jose Goncalves fouled by Georgios Samaras, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Michael Dingsdag, clearance made by Daniel Majstorovic.
  • 78:23 Scott Brown produces a drilled right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand post.
  • 78:13 Mario Mutsch concedes a free kick for a foul on Shaun Maloney. Free kick taken by Shaun Maloney.
  • 77:36 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Michael Dingsdag, save by Fraser Forster.
  • 76:28 Free kick awarded for a foul by Daniel Majstorovic on Pascal Feindouno. Shot on goal comes in from Giovanni Sio from the free kick, save by Fraser Forster.
  • 74:56 Free kick awarded for a foul by Giovanni Sio on Joe Ledley. Direct free kick taken by Charlie Mulgrew.
  • 72:54 Sung-Yeung Ki takes the outswinging corner, Headed effort from deep inside the penalty area by Joe Ledley goes harmlessly over the crossbar.
  • 72:09 The assistant referee flags for offside against Shaun Maloney. Jose Adailton takes the free kick.
  • 70:32 Corner from left by-line taken by Sung-Yeung Ki.
  • 68:29 Jose Adailton gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Shaun Maloney. Shot comes in from Shaun Maloney from the free kick, save by Andris Vanins.
  • 67:28 Sung-Yeung Ki takes the direct free kick.
  • 67:28 Substitution Shaun Maloney on for Anthony Stokes.
  • 67:28 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Charlie Mulgrew by Serey Die.
  • 63:09 Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Sung-Yeung Ki from the right by-line, Michael Dingsdag makes a clearance.
  • 61:24 Booking Jose Adailton receives a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
  • 59:30 Jose Adailton challenges Fraser Forster unfairly and gives away a free kick. Fraser Forster takes the direct free kick.
  • 58:41 Pascal Feindouno fouled by Georgios Samaras, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick crossed left-footed by Michael Dingsdag from right channel, Fraser Forster makes a save.
  • 56:31 Free kick awarded for a foul by Mario Mutsch on Scott Brown. Daniel Majstorovic takes the direct free kick.
  • 55:19 Substitution James Forrest joins the action as a substitute, replacing Kris Commons.
  • 54:16 Charlie Mulgrew gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Mario Mutsch. Andris Vanins takes the direct free kick.
  • 53:45 Giovanni Sio is penalised for a handball. Daniel Majstorovic restarts play with the free kick.
  • 52:57 The ball is crossed by Kris Commons.
  • 52:38 Unfair challenge on Kris Commons by Michael Dingsdag results in a free kick. Scott Brown takes the direct free kick.
  • 51:06 Goran Obradovic fouled by Scott Brown, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Pascal Feindouno.
  • 49:30 Substitution Guilherme Afonso goes off and Mario Mutsch comes on.
  • 49:14 Effort on goal by Georgios Samaras from deep inside the area goes harmlessly over the bar.
  • 48:39 A cross is delivered by Anthony Stokes, clearance made by Michael Dingsdag.
  • 48:04 Sung-Yeung Ki decides to take the corner short.
  • 48:00 Charlie Mulgrew crosses the ball, Arnaud Buhler manages to make a clearance.
  • 47:33 Georgios Samaras fouled by Vilmos Vanczak, the ref awards a free kick. Sung-Yeung Ki takes the free kick.
  • 46:59 Shot on goal by Kris Commons from just inside the area goes over the target.
  • 45:01 The referee blows his whistle to start the second half.
  • Half Time
  • 45:00+1:05 The ref blows to end the first period.
  • 45:00+0:45 Du-Ri Cha delivers the ball, Kris Commons takes a shot. Fantastic save by Andris Vanins.
  • 44:43 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Guilherme Afonso by Daniel Majstorovic. Goran Obradovic restarts play with the free kick.
  • 44:02 Pascal Feindouno concedes a free kick for a foul on Scott Brown. Direct free kick taken by Scott Brown.
  • 42:48 Andris Vanins takes the free kick.
  • 42:48 Booking Mark Wilson is booked.
  • 42:38 Unfair challenge on Serey Die by Mark Wilson results in a free kick.
  • 41:49 Goran Obradovic concedes a free kick for a foul on Georgios Samaras. Daniel Majstorovic takes the direct free kick.
  • 40:31 Effort from just outside the area by Serey Die goes over the bar.
  • 39:55 Corner taken by Pascal Feindouno, clearance made by Daniel Majstorovic.
  • 39:15 Scott Brown concedes a free kick for a foul on Guilherme Afonso. Goran Obradovic crosses the ball in from the free kick, Charlie Mulgrew makes a clearance.
  • 37:48 Daniel Majstorovic concedes a free kick for a foul on Guilherme Afonso. Shot comes in from Goran Obradovic from the free kick.
  • 37:23 Direct free kick taken by Andris Vanins.
  • 36:51 Booking Anthony Stokes is shown a yellow card.
  • 36:03 Anthony Stokes sends in a cross, save made by Andris Vanins.
  • 34:16 Shot from 20 yards by Charlie Mulgrew. Michael Dingsdag gets a block in.
  • 33:48 Inswinging corner taken by Kris Commons from the right by-line played to the near post, Jose Adailton manages to make a clearance.
  • 32:50 Charlie Mulgrew produces a shot on goal direct from the free kick, save by Andris Vanins.
  • 32:50 Booking Michael Dingsdag goes into the referee's book.
  • 32:35 Michael Dingsdag challenges Kris Commons unfairly and gives away a free kick.
  • 31:23 Kris Commons produces a left-footed effort from long distance that goes harmlessly over the bar.
  • 30:51 Anthony Stokes crosses the ball, clearance by Jose Adailton.
  • 28:51 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Du-Ri Cha by Pascal Feindouno. Kris Commons restarts play with the free kick.
  • 27:05 Mark Wilson crosses the ball, clearance by Jose Adailton.
  • 26:05 Kris Commons takes the inswinging corner, Jose Adailton makes a clearance.
  • 25:40 Free kick awarded for a foul by Goran Obradovic on Scott Brown. Scott Brown restarts play with the free kick.
  • 24:16 Charlie Mulgrew concedes a free kick for a foul on Guilherme Afonso. Direct effort from the free kick comes in from Michael Dingsdag.
  • 23:13 Foul by Goran Obradovic on Sung-Yeung Ki, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed by Sung-Yeung Ki.
  • 22:14 Georgios Samaras has a headed effort at goal from close range which goes wide left of the target.
  • 21:13 Giovanni Sio gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Daniel Majstorovic. Fraser Forster restarts play with the free kick.
  • 19:23 Georgios Samaras is ruled offside. Andris Vanins restarts play with the free kick.
  • 17:33 Michael Dingsdag has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
  • 17:12 Foul by Scott Brown on Michael Dingsdag, free kick awarded. Michael Dingsdag delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from left channel, Georgios Samaras manages to make a clearance.
  • 16:18 Anthony Stokes sends in a cross.
  • 15:30 Pascal Feindouno gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Du-Ri Cha. Direct free kick taken by Fraser Forster.
  • 13:23 Foul by Joe Ledley on Goran Obradovic, free kick awarded. Jose Adailton takes the direct free kick.
  • 10:39 Mark Wilson challenges Pascal Feindouno unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Michael Dingsdag.
  • 3:03 Georgios Samaras challenges Vilmos Vanczak unfairly and gives away a free kick. Michael Dingsdag takes the direct free kick.
  • 0:44 The ball is crossed by Kris Commons, clearance by Jose Adailton.
  • 0:30 Georgios Samaras produces a drilled right-footed shot from 20 yards. Jose Adailton gets a block in.
  • 0:00 The game gets underway.

Celtic get Europa League lifeline after Sion expelled

Page last updated at 16:33 GMT, Friday, 2 September 2011 17:33 UK

BBC

Sion triumphed 3-1 in Switzerland after a goalless draw at Celtic Park Celtic have been reinstated in the Europa League after Uefa expelled Sion from the competition.

Sion, who have three days to appeal the verdict, fielded several ineligible players during their 3-1 aggregate win over Celtic in the play-off round.

A Celtic spokesman said: "We have been advised by Uefa that the two protests relating to the matches against FC Sion have been upheld.

"As a result of which each match has been forfeited in favour of Celtic." Sion president Christian Constantin had been confident of winning the case Celtic will therefore take Sion's place in Group I, which also features Atletico Madrid, Rennes and Udinese.

Sion signed five players while the club were still under a transfer ban imposed by Fifa after breaching rules over the signing of Egypt goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary three years ago.

One of those players, Pascal Feindouno, scored two goals in the 3-1 second leg win over Celtic in Switzerland.

However, a Swiss court had earlier ruled in their favour and the players concerned have been playing domestic football this season.

Uefa's control and disciplinary body made Friday's ruling although Sion have two rights of appeal, the second with the Court of Arbitration for Sport who maintain they are the final voice.

Earlier in the week, the Sion president Christian Constantin had been confident of preserving his club's place in the competition.

He told BBC Scotland: "The bottom line is that we are in the right. There's no doubt.

"It's just that there are cases where Fifa want to take unilateral decisions by force rather than by just means.

"Uefa approved the list of players we submitted, but now, because of pressure from Fifa, they're trying to find justification for making us forfeit the tie.

"We will battle fiercely to avoid losing the case. Fifa may try to mask the facts, but that won't be easy."

Constantin added that Celtic were "within their rights" to lodge their protests.

The Celtic spokesman added: "We are pleased by this decision, the approach which has been taken by Uefa and the fact that Uefa rules and regulations have been upheld. We are also grateful for the support of the Scottish FA in this matter."