SM
Southampton vs. West Brom: 8 hrs 48 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
CL
- | -
Nov 7, 2012 at 7.45pm UK
 
BL

2-1

Live Commentary: Celtic 2-1 Barcelona - as it happened

:Headline: Live Commentary: Celtic 2-1 Barcelona - as it happened: ID:53652: from db_amp
Sports Mole provides live text coverage of tonight's Champions League Group G clash between Celtic and Barcelona at Parkhead.

Barcelona travelled to Glasgow tonight looking to cement their place in the last 16 of this season's Champions League.

However, Neil Lennon's Celtic had other ideas and the Scottish champions produced a stunning victory courtesy of goals from Victor Wanyama and Tony Watt.

Recap the action below with Sports Mole's blow-by-blow text coverage of events at Parkhead.

Celtic starting XI: Forster, Lustig, Ambrose, Wilson, Matthews, Commons, Wanyama, Ledley, Mulgrew, Miku, Samaras
Celtic subs: Zaluska, McCourt, Herron, Fraser, Kayal, Watt, McGeouch
Barcelona starting XI: Valdes, Alves, Mascherano, Bartra, Alba, Song, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Sanchez, Pedro
Barcelona subs: Pinto, Pique, Montoya, Fabregas, Dos Santos, Villa, Tello
Neil Lennon's men are without topscorer Gary Hooper, who has a hamstring problem. On-loan Getafe forward Miku partners Georgios Samaras in attack. Captain Scott Brown misses out through illness.
Meanwhile, Barca boss Tito Vilanova has resisted the urge to rest three-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi. The Argentina forward is part of a three-pronged attack, which also includes Alexis Sanchez and Pedro. Gerard Pique, Cesc Fabregas and David Villa all start on the bench.
Celtic celebrated their 125th anniversary yesterday and Lennon is expecting tonight's match to be "a great occasion".
Lennon: "It is a great occasion for the club, our anniversary and something we are very proud of. I think it will be a very special evening.
"How do you solve a problem like Barcelona? You have to play at your very best, you have to be fully concentrated with great intensity and sometimes even then that is not enough.
"But certainly with a full house I am sure the neutrals will enjoy the atmosphere and the energy that our supporters bring and it should be a great night for the club. I am hoping that the players do themselves justice on the night."
The Celtic fans are certainly doing themselves justice so far. The Stadium is a complete sell-out and a rousing rendition of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' is reverberating around the ground.
The players enter the pitch, as the famous Champions League anthem sound. The handshakes are underway.
Tonight's referee is 39-year-old Dutchman Bjorn Kuipers.
Mr Kuipers blows his whistle and the match kicks off amid huge noise from all four stands of this famous stadium.
Celtic have matched Barca in terms of possession so far. The Hoops now have a free kick 30 yards from goal, which Charlie Mulgrew will take.
Despite both centre-halves going forward for the set piece, Mulgrew elects to go short. The cross eventually comes in from the Scotland wide man, but it is poor and easily dealt with.
Chance for Barca! Mulgrew's poor defensive header falls to Xavi on the edge of the area. His volley at goal flicks off Sanchez, before being well gathered by goalkeeper Fraser Forster.
Chance for Barca! Alba finds Messi in space 10 yards out, but the Little Maestro fires over the bar with his left foot.
Yellow card for Alex Song. The Cameroon defender is bamboozled by a clever piece of skill from Miku on the halfway line and pulls the Celtic forward to the ground.
Song commits another foul on Miku - this time a clumsy trip inside the Celtic half. He escapes a second booking but he is taking unnecessary risks!
Corner to Celtic. Mulgrew to take from the right.
GOAL FOR CELTIC - Victor Wanyama - Celtic 1-0 Barcelona
Great inswinging cross by Mulgrew to Wanyama, who rises at the far post to head home a simple goal. What a start for the Scottish champions!
Celtic have barely touched the ball since they broke the deadlock. The crowd are booing loudly in an attempt to unsettle the visitors.
Dani Alves's long-range effort deflects off Mulgrew. Corner to Barca.
Chance for Celtic! The Hoops clear the corner and launch a dangerous counter-attack, which ends with Adam Matthews's low cross from the left being dived upon by Victor Valdes. Samaras was in close attendance, waiting to pounce.
Barca hit the Woodwork! Andres Iniesta pokes the ball through to Messi, who, on the turn, fires a powerful left-foot strike against the crossbar from 15 yards.
Barca hit the Woodwork again! Sanchez gets up above Lustig and meets Alves's deep cross with a placed header, which flicks wide off the post.
Barca go close! Pedro fires the ball low across the six-yard box and Celtic just manage to hack clear.
Miku is shown a yellow card for an unnecessary foul on Marc Bartra.
HT: Celtic 1-0 Barcelona
Celtic miraculously lead at the break. The Hoops have frustrated the La Liga giants so far, but obviously this game is far from over. Barca are undefeated in their previous 18 Champions League group games.
The Catalan side have dominated possession with an 85-percent share of the ball. Celtic's goal came from their only shot, while Barca have recorded 10 efforts at goal. However, Forster has only had to make one save.
The players are back on their field and the second half is moments away.
Celtic get the game back underway. Neither side has made any substitutions during the interval.
Iniesta plays the ball wide to Alves, whose whipped cross is poor and evades the head of Messi.
Barca go close! This time Alves's cross is better and Pedro's header just skims the top of the net.
Alves gets in down the right again, but he is halted by a superb sliding tackle from Matthews in the penalty area.
Mulgrew dispossess Messi deep inside the Celtic half and then drives forward, playing a one-two with Samaras, before being stopped by a good tackle from Song.
Messi cuts inside onto his left foot and curls an 25-yard effort at goal, which Forster does well to hold.
Corner to Celtic on the left.
The corner is taken short to Mulgrew. He crosses to the back post, where Lustig heads straight at Valdes.
Barca go close! Forster makes an inspired double save to twice deny Sanchez from close range - first with his hands and then his feet.
Chance for Celtic! A communication failure between Bartra and Valdes allows Mulgrew to sneak in at the far post. The Celtic man very nearly makes a telling connection to Efe Ambrose's long pass, but his shot is well blocked.
Substitution for Barcelona - Villa replaces Sanchez.
Jordi Alba is shown a yellow card for dissent.
Lucky escape for Song! The former Arsenal midfielder, who has already been booked, goes to kick the ball but hacks straight through Miku. A free kick is given, but no card.
Barca go close! More magic from Forster as Messi shoots first time from Alba's pull-back, only to be denied by a super diving save from the Celtic keeper.
Double substitution for Barcelona - Fabregas and Pique replace Song and Bartra.
Substitution for Celtic. Lustig, who has picked up a knock, is replaced by Tony Watt. The 18-year-old is making his Champions League debut.
Villa fires wide from long range.
Substitution for Celtic. Biram Kayal replaces Samaras.
GOAL FOR CELTIC! - TONY WATT - CELTIC 2-0 BARCELONA.
The teenager produces the coolest of finishes one-on-one, slotting the ball low across Valdes from eight yards. What a way to introduce yourself to the rest of Europe!
Chance for Celtic! Watt chases down a long ball and gets in behind the Barca backline again, before going to ground under pressure from Javier Mascherano just outside the penalty area. No free kick is given, but Mascherano could easily have been sent off for that.
Four minutes of added time go up on the fourth official's board.
GOAL FOR BARCELONA - Lionel Messi - Celtic 2-1 Barcelona
Forster does well to parry Villa's initial effort, but Messi slams home the rebound from six yards.
Celtic let a two-goal lead slip at Dundee United on Saturday. It isn't going to happen again, is it?
The ball goes out for a goal kick to Celtic and the crowd go wild. Almost there!
FT: Celtic 2-1 Barcelona
What a result for Celtic! The Hoops must be handed great credit for their positivity. Yes, they enjoyed a fair slice of luck, with Barcelona twice striking the woodwork, however the La Liga giants can count themselves fortunate to finish the game with 10 men. Alex Song and Javier Mascherano were both lucky not to be sent off.
The other match in Group G has finished Benfica 2-0 Spartak Moscow, meaning that Celtic move three points clear in second place. Meanwhile, Barca remain top with nine points.
Tonight's man of the match was, without question, Fraser Forster. The former Newcastle United goalkeeper made seven saves to keep his side in front, including a vital double stop to deny Alexis Sanchez.
Here are the rest of tonight's vital statistics from Parkhead...
Celtic 16-84 Barca
Celtic 5-25 Barca
Celtic 3-8 Barca
Celtic 11-8 Barca
Celtic 2-7 Barca
That concludes tonight's coverage. Goodnight.

amp_article__53652 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2012-11-08 07:04:07:
html db last update - 2021-03-10 05:06:00 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html
Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CReal Madrid36296183226193
2Barcelona36247574433179
3GironaGirona36236775453075
4Atletico MadridAtletico36234967392873
5Athletic Bilbao361711858372162
6Real Sociedad361512949371257
7Real BetisBetis36141484843556
8Villarreal36149136060051
9Valencia36139143740-348
10Getafe361013134151-1043
11AlavesAlaves36119163445-1142
12Sevilla361011154750-341
13Osasuna36118174054-1441
14Las PalmasLas Palmas36108183246-1438
15Rayo Vallecano36814142944-1538
16Celta Vigo36910174254-1237
17Mallorca36715142941-1236
18CadizCadiz36614162549-2432
RGranada3649233770-3321
RAlmeria36211233572-3717
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .