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Trivia
- Naylor scored a cracker of a volley!!!!
- Huns drew yesterday 2-2, and we squander a chance to go 5pts in front by drawing this game.
- McManus, Loovens & Crosas not starting or injured.
Review
Here we go again. The manager has said "If anyone can find a negative – and I'm sure they will – then they are warped!", so here is a warped review of the match. Great first half where we domintated and should have been ahead by more than just the one goal. Great to see that we scored from a set piece but all other shots were way off. McGeady put in some great runs and our defence was little tested. All set for an easy cruise.
Second half was a disgrace with the spirit seeming to have disappered allowing Dundee Utd to come straight back in with two goals by Sandaza, first after just two mins of the half! We just could not put ourselves back in shape, and it all came down to the most unlikely of heroes on the day (Lee Naylor) to socre a wonder volley from nowhere to spare our blushes. Amazing.
Game ended with both sides having same shots of goal, and we can count ourselves lucky in this one. Disappointing and pathetic to have seen our manager's comment above.
Teams
Dundee Utd: Zaluska, Kovacevic, Wilkie, Kenneth, Dixon, Wesolowski (David Robertson 87), Buaben, Gomis, Conway (Swanson 83), Feeney (Daly 84), Sandaza.
Subs Not Used: McGovern, Dillon, Shala, Goodwillie.
Booked: Feeney.
Goals: Sandaza 47, 58
Celtic: 4-4-2
Boruc,
Hinkel, Caldwell, O'Dea, Naylor,
Nakamura (Flood 61), Hartley, Scott Brown, McGeady,
McDonald, Vennegoor of Hesselink (Samaras 75).
Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, Wilson, Misun, Crosas, Mizuno.
Booked: McDonald.
Goals: McDonald 24, Naylor 81
Att: 12,043
Ref: S Conroy
Articles
Dundee United manager Craig Levein:
"I'm really pleased with the way the players played, particularly in the second half.
"We tried to pass the ball, do things properly, be entertaining and most importantly try and win the match.
"I always think if you're in front with 10 minutes to go then draw, it feels like you've dropped points rather than gained points.
"But Celtic are a good side. They've proved that all season and if the game had finished in a 2-1 victory for ourselves then they might have argued that they had chances to get a point and I couldn't argue with that.
"We had chances to maybe increase our lead so I'm a little bit disappointed, not with the players and their effort, but just with the result.
"We were leading and we were doing enough to win the game. Even at the end, Jon Daly's had an overhead kick which was net-bound and it was deflected over."
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:
"We won a point back, we lost two.
"It was a fantastic game. It had everything. That game was fit for a stadium filled with 100,000 people.
"That was our best performance this season against Dundee United in the league. We made more chances today.
"I thought the forwards were good today, the midfield was fine. Not everyone was functioning fully but I think that added to the game.
"Lee Naylor's goal was a terrific strike. I doubt very much if he'll hit a better one in his career."
Pictures
KStreet
- Pre-match
- Match
- MOTM
- Result – Aiden McGeady – (Link to MOTM Winners 2008/09)
- Post Match
Stats
DUNDEE UTD v CELTIC
Possession
| 45% | 55% |
Shots on target
| 8 | 8 |
Shots off target
| 7 | 5 |
Corners
| 7 | 6 |
Fouls
| 9 | 9 |
Strachan upbeat despite Celtic stumble
12 hours ago
DUNDEE, Scotland (AFP) — Celtic manager Gordon Strachan believes his side are still on course to win the Scottish title race despite failing to open up a five-point lead over Rangers.
Rangers' 2-2 draw with Hearts at Ibrox on Saturday gave Celtic the opportunity to make a significant step towards retaining their Scottish Premier League crown, but it took a dramatic late equaliser from Lee Naylor on Sunday to rescue a 2-2 draw at Dundee United.
Australia's Scott McDonald scored his 16th goal of the season after 24 minutes but United striker Francisco Sandaza scored twice at the start of the second half before Naylor saved the day when he volleyed in from the edge of the box with nine minutes remaining.
However Strachan, whose team are three points clear at the top, was adamant that no damage had been done to Celtic's title hopes because both teams are capable of dropping points.
"There's been no change in the title race. At this moment in time, the two teams are not good enough to take a grip of it," he said.
"It was terrific, an absolutely terrific game. I think the players and fans enjoyed it.
"If anyone can find a negative – and I'm sure they will – then they are warped.
"I thought we would get the equaliser, we put enough pressure on although I didn't expect it to come from Lee, that's for sure.
"In the first half we played well, they played well for 20 minutes in the second half.
"We weren't professional at the start of the second half and we paid for that and then we came good for the last 25 minutes and I thought, 'Here we go again, we are going to win this game'."
Strachan revealed that Stephen McManus could barely walk due to an ankle injury that kept him out of the game.
The Hoops skipper will turn up for Scotland duty ahead of the World Cup qualifier against Holland next week but must be considered a serious doubt.
Strachan said: "McManus had absolutely no chance of making it.
"It's his ankle. He is going to go along to Scotland, he wants to play.
"He needs to get a scan and then he will speak to (Scotland coach) George (Burley). I'm happy for him to go along.
"Glenn Loovens had a calf strain. Other teams have players out but we don't want to make excuses."
United boss Craig Levein reiterated his belief that his side on their day are a match for both Old Firm clubs.
United have drawn four times with the Hoops and twice with Rangers this season with only one defeat, against the Ibrox side.
"I thought it was a great game, it was end-to-end and both teams had chances," he said.
"Anyone who watched the game would have been happy with what they got for their money.
"We don't fear playing either of the Old Firm. We always think we can win and the players believe that.
"The thing about Celtic is they generally win when they are expected to win, whereas ourselves and other teams chasing Celtic and Rangers keep dropping points."