2009-05-12: Celtic 2-1 Dundee Utd, SPL

Match Pictures | Matches: 20082009 | 2008-2009 Pictures

Trivia

  • Celtic 2pts in front, but Rangers have a game in hand and only two games left for us (3 for Huns)
  • Another nervey affair with Dundee Utd, but this time we finally beat them!
  • Dundee United boss Craig Levein has made an official complaint to the SPL match delegate about Stuart Dougal.

Review

After a shakey start, Celtic took full control of the game and a cracking goal by Loovens from a corner was the least that we deserved. Chance after chance followed with some great play by Scott Brown in particular, but Skippy in particular could not convert what was in front of him. A second goal (a deflected goal by Samaras) was the least we deserved, and all was plain sailing.

Or so we thought! This was Dundee Utd, a side who passed the ball brilliantly through their games against us and are likely the most entertaining to watch in the league this season. We've had it hard against them and drawn against them too often this season after being in the lead, and it appeared to be happening again. An admittedly glorious goal by Dundee Utd brought them back in and we were badly on the back foot. In all honestly, we were lucky not to lose 3-2 taking in the chances that Dundee Utd had, and we were squandering all that we had.

In any case, we made it to the final whistle, but another nervy affair.

Two games left, and most still feel its all over.

Teams

Celtic:
Boruc,
Hinkel, Caldwell, Loovens, Naylor,
Nakamura (Flood 85), Scott Brown, Crosas (Hartley 61), McGeady,
McDonald, Samaras (Vennegoor of Hesselink 76).
Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, O'Dea, Conroy, Maloney.
Booked: Loovens, Hartley
Goals: Loovens 22, Samaras 52

Dundee Utd
Zaluska, Kovacevic (Dillon 88), Kenneth, Wilkie, Dixon, Swanson (Shala 58), David Robertson, Buaben, Gomis, Conway, Sandaza (Goodwillie 81).
Subs Not Used: McGovern, Scott Robertson, Grainger, Dods
Booked: Wilkie, Conway.
Goals: David Robertson 57

Att: 57,407
Ref: S Dougal

Articles

  • Match Report (see below)

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:
"Over the last two seasons we've been 2-0 up against them a couple of times and they've come back to 2-2.

"Tonight, because of a great cross by them and some horrendous defending by us they came back to 2-1, and I think everybody in here panicked for a while.
"The performance in the first hour showed that our guys are in good spirits and feel good about themselves.
"Our new goalie Lukasz Zaluska had quite a few good saves – he obviously doesn't want to play in the Champions league this season!
"Next season we're going to have two terrific goalkeepers."

Pictures

KStreet

MOTM - Glenn Loovens

Stats

CELTIC v DUNDEE UTD

Possession

57% 43%

Shots on target

5 6

Shots off target

5 4

Corners

8 0

Fouls

15 14

Celtic keep title race alive. Scottish Premier League.

13 May 2009

Provided by: Irish Times

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE:Celtic 2 Dundee Utd 1
IT WAS more frenetic than appeared likely at times, but Celtic achieved three things with this win over Dundee United.
Rangers cannot now clinch the Premier League championship this weekend, while some of the gloom on account of the Old Firm derby defeat on Saturday has been lifted at Parkhead. The defending champions have also returned to the top of the table but Rangers can regain that position with a win over Hibernian tonight.
Gordon Strachan’s decision to omit Aiden McGeady from his starting XI for the weekend visit to Ibrox has arguably been as discussed in its aftermath as much as the match itself.
McGeady was recalled here, but it was another returning man, Georgios Samaras, who halfvolleyed the first chance of the evening against a United post after 13 minutes. From those early moments, Celtic’s intent was clear.
Not that the visitors could stand accused of lacking motivation, as United are in the midst of a keen battle with Hearts for third place. Francisco Sandaza emphasised their attitude, forcing Artur Boruc into a fine save.
Glenn Loovens proved the unlikely source of the opening goal with a header from Shunsuke Nakamura’s corner.
Scott McDonald twice came close to settling matters before the break, and Garry Kenneth should have punished that wastefulness within minutes of the restart. Samaras proved more accurate, although his strike from 18 yards took a deflection on its way beyond Lukasz Zaluska.
That goal prompted a dominant spell from United and David Robertson prodded home at the back post having been picked out by Paul Dixon.
Rangers’ attempt to see out the closing three games of the season to take the title has suffered a blow by the recurrence of an injury to striker Kenny Miller.
The former Celtic player set up the only goal of Rangers’ victory on Saturday, and he would have almost certainly started in tonight’s visit to Hibernian.
However, a nerve problem above Miller’s hamstring is causing discomfort and he is now facing a race against time for the Aberdeen match at the weekend.
Aberdeen last night missed out on the opportunity to boost their chances of qualifying for Europe after being held to a goalless draw by 10-man Hearts.
Loovens 22 Samaras 52
CELTIC:Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, Loovens, Naylor, Nakamura (Flood 85), Scott Brown, Crosas (Hartley 61), McGeady, McDonald, Samaras (Vennegoor of Hesselink 76). Subs not used: Mark Brown, O’Dea, Conroy, Maloney. Booked: Loovens, Hartley.
DUNDEE UTD:Zaluska, Kovacevic (Dillon 88), Kenneth, Wilkie, Dixon, Swanson (Shala 58), David Robertson, Buaben, Gomis, Conway, Sandaza (Goodwillie 81). Subs not used: McGovern, Scott Robertson, Grainger, Dods. Booked: Wilkie, Conway.
Referee:S Dougal (Scotland).
Remaining Fixtures
Tonight (all 7.45pm) – Hamilton v Falkirk; Hibernian v Rangers (live on Setanta Ireland); Kilmarnock v St Mirren; Motherwell v Inverness CT. Saturday (all 3pm unless stated) – Rangers v Aberdeen, 12.30pm; Falkirk v St Mirren; Hamilton v Motherwell; Hearts v Dundee Utd; Kilmarnock v Inverness. Sunday – Hibernian v Celtic, 1pm. Saturday, May 23rd (all 12.30pm) – Inverness CT v Falkirk; Motherwell v Kilmarnock; St Mirren v Hamilton. Sunday, May 24th (all 1pm) – Aberdeen v Hibernian; Celtic v Hearts; Dundee Utd v Rangers.
(c) 2009, The Irish Times.
Irish Times

Celtic's McDonald tackle sparks row

13 May 2009

Provided by: AAP Bulletins

Socceroos striker Scott McDonald found himself at the centre of an angry row between Dundee United boss Craig Levein and referee Stuart Dougal after Celtic returned to the top of the Scottish Premier League.
Levein was left fuming after the official refused to allow his defender Lee Wilkie to receive treatment after a tackle by the Hoops' Australian striker in the first-half of Celtic's 2-1 win on Tuesday evening.
Wilkie, who has lost three years of his career to injury, stayed down but, when the ball went out for a goal kick, Dougal waved play on, sparking a furious reaction from Levein, who accused the referee of over-reacting to his legitimate protests.
"He lost his composure, stuck his finger in my face and told me to shut up," the United boss said.
"It wasn't acceptable. In all my time in football, no other referee has ever done that. I have lost all respect for him after the way he spoke to me.
"If it happened in the pub on a Saturday night to any of you guys, the guy would have got a punch in the face."
Levein continued: "If you were Lee Wilkie and you had been out of the game for three years, you would be upset. If he wants to look at the stud mark above Lee's shin he can do that."
Wilkie absolved McDonald of any blame for the incident.
"He caught me just below the knee but I don't think it was intentional," he said.
"I was waiting for the ref to stop the game but he waved play on and it looked like he wasn't going to let the physio on."
"I said to the referee at half time, 'what were you playing at?' and he said, quite arrogantly, that his kids had had bigger knocks than that, which was a stupid comment to make – his kids must be some size.
"All he needed to say was that he thought I never got touched but he had to make a silly comment.
"It was my good knee, not my left knee, but I got a fright and he should have been aware of the problems with my knees.
"Referees want respect from players and they treat them in that way and that's what annoys us."
© 2009 Australian Associated Press Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved
AAP Bulletins

Celtic 2-1 Dundee United

By David McDaid
BBC

Glenn Loovens
Loovens put Celtic ahead with his fourth goal of the season

Celtic staved off a Dundee United fightback to secure victory and top spot in the Scottish Premier League with Rangers inactive until Wednesday.

After a bright start by the visitors, Glenn Loovens headed Celtic into the lead on 21 minutes.

Georgios Samaras doubled their advantage early in the second half with a deflected shot off Lee Wilkie.

United applied heavy pressure after David Robertson's close-range strike on 57 minutes but Celtic held out.

The reigning champions had not beaten Dundee United over 90 minutes on four previous meetings this season in league and cup action, and United boss Craig Levein had said pre-match that his team felt they could win in Glasgow.

And it was the Terrors who made the more confident and composed start with Craig Conway coming within a yard of opening the scoring with a low shot from 20 yards inside three minutes.

Conversely, Celtic struggled to find fluency, partly because of a high count of stray passes, and also because of the harrying of United duo Morgaro Gomis and Prince Buaben in midfield.

But the home side jolted into action on 13 minutes when Scott Brown, back in the Celtic line-up after a two-match suspension, drove forward energetically to release Scott McDonald, who crossed for Samaras to volley against the upright.

Minutes later Celtic had Artur Boruc to thank for a fantastic save from the head of Francisco Sandaza, who was left unchallenged by the home defence.

The favour was repaid by United in the 21st minute when Loovens rose free to glance Shunsuke Nakamura's front-post corner past Lukasz Zaluska and put Celtic 1-0 ahead.

The goal gave the home side a boost, with Aiden McGeady and McDonald striking further shots at goal.

But the Australian was fortunate not to receive at least a yellow card for a high challenge below the knee of visiting captain Wilkie.

United started the second half as they did the first and Sandaza forced Boruc to make another good stop with his foot from an acute angle.

It was Celtic, however, who doubled their lead on 52 minutes through Samaras, whose sweeping shot from 20 yards nicked off Wilkie on its way past Zaluska.

Brown was the architect for that goal and the Scotland midfielder would have headed a third but for a smart stop on the line by United's Celtic-bound keeper.

However, with the prize of European football at stake, far from sitting back, United took hold of the game and began to dominate.

Robertson pegged one back, slamming in a deep Paul Dixon cross at the far post with Lee Naylor struggling to track back to cover.

With their next foray up-field, substitute Andis Shala passed up a glorious chance with a free header from a few yards out, and Buaben was just off-target with two efforts.

As United opened up to press for an equaliser, their keeper Zaluska had to be sharp off his line to deny Nakamura.

And despite some nervy moments for the home fans, Celtic held firm to maintain the pressure on Rangers, who can restore their two-point lead in the table against Hibernian on Wednesday.

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:
"Over the last two seasons we've been 2-0 up against them a couple of times and they've come back to 2-2.

"Tonight, because of a great cross by them and some horrendous defending by us they came back to 2-1, and I think everybody in here panicked for a while.

"The performance in the first hour showed that our guys are in good spirits and feel good about themselves.

"Our new goalie Lukasz Zaluska had quite a few good saves – he obviously doesn't want to play in the Champions league this season!

"Next season we're going to have two terrific goalkeepers."

Dundee United manager Craig Levein:
"We were five points behind Hearts after the split and I said I wanted to be within three points of them come the game at Tynecastle.

"From that point of view it's in our own hands, and I like when that's the situation.

"I just want our team to get into a European spot and to do that we have to win on Saturday.

"We're going to go to Hearts and try to put on the same performance as tonight.

"And if we play like that and they beat us then good luck to them."