Trivia
- Jock Stein listed a squad of 15 for the game; back in came Jim Brogan at left back and McNeill was recovered from the knock that had kept him out of the League Cup game midweek. Out dropped McGrain and Lennox with Harry Hood as substitute again.
- Pat McCluskey played at sweeper.
- Hay, Macari and Dalglish are named in the Scotland squad for the game against Denmark at Hampden on November 15th.
Report
After applying the early pressure the Arabs were knocked back when Jimmy Johnstone volleyed the ball home from a Tommy Callaghan cross. Dundee Utd equalised just before half time when a header from Gardner deceived Williams who tipped it onto a post from where it rolled into the goal.
Celtic regained the lead in the second half with a headed goal by Dalglish. Hood on for Deans hit the post with a shot and Macari pounced on the rebound to head home.
Teams
Celtic:
Williams, Hay, Brogan, McCluskey, McNeill, Connelly, Johnstone, Dalglish, Deans (Hood), Macari, Callaghan.
Goals:- Johnstone (39), Dalglish (57), Macari (76).
Dundee Utd:
McAlpine, Rolland, Kopel, Copland, D Smith, Henry, Traynor, Fleming, Cameron, Gardner, White Substitute: W Smith
Goal:- Gardner (44).
Referee:
Attendance: 32,000.
Articles
Pictures
Articles
Glasgow Herald Monday November 6 1972
Low-key Celtic still able to stifle United
Celtic 3, Dundee United 1
It is almost a Celtic tradition to give their Parkhead audience a quiet almost whispered overture to their European fanfares, writes Ian Archer.
They pick out small themes, embroider them well, but leave the grand final crescendos to other times and other places. So Parkhead was not the stadium to choose for deafening excitement.
The Celtic fans will have heard some sweet music on Saturday. If the team’s performance was conducted in low key the scoreline – and its implications – will cause some sound waves to reverberate around Scotland.
Dundee United came to Glasgow holding the proud place of being second in the first division needing a victory to knock Celtic off their usual commanding platform astride their neighbours. They came also with some nice sounding phrases from their manager about their intention to attack.
Jim McLean, unlike some of his provincial colleagues was able to live up to the pre-match propaganda and his team did in fact entertain and occasionally threaten the champions’ defence. But victory still remained a long way away from his side.
Celtic playing with sustained diffidence managed to kill this challenge off so well, that one wonders when, if ever, will Scottish football be able to produce a group of teams able to challenge consistently, the perennial title winners. Hibernian alone remain to push them hard this time.
It is a depressing aspect of Scottish football that Tayside ignores the talent that the city contains. Twice within four days their teams have reminded us of their skills and the organisational power of their managers. But neither team could win.
United’s challenge withered after they had failed to take two early chances that would have exposed Celtic’s gentle attitude to the match. They had failed to gain goals from White and Traynor and their opponents had gradually began to exert the pressure that is expected from them.
They were forced to rely for much of the rest of the match on three defenders who won growing admiration from the fans – Doug Smith who surely deserves a “Footballer of Year” award some time, Hamish McAlpine, who was fearless in goal, and Jackie Copland, who shored up their central defence.
But they could not exert their influence any nearer to the Celtic goal, despite the aid of Henry who at wing half matched Connelly in his studious use of the ball. They tried hard, revealed much that was admirable, but never looked like gaining the result that could have acted as a powerful stimulus outside Glasgow.
Celtic were aided by an opening goal that added to the deepening discussion about offside decisions given and refused at Parkhead recently. Johnstone’s well struck volley was exciting, but United’s defence claimed strongly it had been delivered from an offside position.
MISJUDGMENT
United managed to equalise just before half-time when Williams’s sense of direction deserted him and he allowed a Gardner header to pass into the net while he waited for it to pass harmlessly outside. But the second half belonged almost entirely to Celtic.
Dalglish’s contribution was strong and important. With Callaghan and Connelly supporting him well, Dalglish picked up more and more of the loose midfield balls – and also headed the second Celtic goal from a Johnstone pass.
This allowed Jock Stein to replace Deans who will be needed for his running in Budapest, with the delicate, graceful skills of Harry Hood. The substitute’s pass made the third goal for Macari after Dalglish and Johnstone had both matched the entire Dundee United defence under the shadow of their own crossbar.
POSESSION PLAY
The match then ran its course predictably, with Celtic enjoying some brief moments of relaxation near the end, passing the ball about in perfect triangles designed to keep them in possession and out of trouble. The major priority was to prevent a second United goal that would have brought the match briefly alive and to stay clear of any tackles at the same time.
That aim was accomplished easily and United’s neat highly methodical football became even more desperate. McLean’s side may not win the championship this season, but they deserve more than the derisory support they gather around them at Tannadice Park. They left Parkhead with honour and grudging admiration from the fans.
CELTIC – Williams; Hay and Brogan; Connelly, McNeill and McCluskey; Johnstone and Dalglish; Deans, Macari and Callaghan. Substitute – Hood.
DUNDEE UNITED – McAlpine; Rolland and Kopel; Copland, Smith and Henry; Traynor and Fleming; Cameron, Gardner and White.
Referee – A. F. J. Webster (Falkirk).
