A view from the Glasgow Herald:
Henrik's grand act of larceny
Blackburn unlucky to lose as Swede claims place in record books
GRAHAM SPIERS
Celtic 1 - Blackburn Rovers 0
Scorer: Larsson (85)
THIS greatly anticipated UEFA Cup tie in Glasgow, from Celtic's point of view, very nearly proved a huge disappointment. It is some while since Celtic were made to chase quite so many shadows as Blackburn Rovers peppered around them last night, a fate which left Martin O'Neill's team in an occasional state of bewilderment. The only bewilderment Blackburn Rovers must have felt was that they left Glasgow defeated, a truly remarkable outcome.
Henrik Larsson's act of larceny for Celtic after 85 minutes - it made him the highest scorer for a Scottish club side in European football with 22 goals - may have been justified on the basis of Celtic's willing spirit, but not, surely, on the basis of the game thus far. Graeme Souness' side looked much the more competent and dangerous, though Blackburn, despite enjoying the wiles of Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole, almost abused their own efforts in front of Celtic's goal. Big Rab Douglas seemed a hybrid figure of both a brave and charmed goalkeeper.
Souness has been lauded and loathed all over Europe but he can't have experienced anything like the welcome he received here. Since this UEFA Cup draw was made three weeks ago, there have been those who had been relishing the moment when Souness would emerge from the Parkhead tunnel and, unless you were equipped with ear-muffs favoured by the bomb disposal experts, you couldn't fail to be stirred by the atmosphere inside this stadium.
If Souness felt he could thwart Celtic Park's raining abuse, he was proved sadly mistaken. The Blackburn manager delayed his arrival in the dugout until after kick-off, a fact which rankled not just Celtic's supporters but the awaiting newspaper photographers, who were positioned ready for their prey. By the time Souness entered the arena the match was under way, but that delayed arrival didn't stop the home support from finally having their say.
On such nights you cannot ask Celtic Park to be at its social and civic best. The ex-Rangers manager strode forth and offered the Blackburn support an animated and exaggerated wave of his arms, prompting Celtic's supporters to give Souness what for. Parkhead showered him with boos and hisses and made the usual unbecoming suggestions about self-ejaculation.
To a man of Souness' mettle, all this was the perfect welcome. The Blackburn manager had been happily indulging the line about the noisier the Celtic support towards him, the greater a compliment it would seem. In that sense he wouldn't be disappointed. Nor could he possibly have felt let down by the stealth and composure of his team on the night.
A neat, cohesive and determined Blackburn side made life exhaustively difficult for Celtic, none more so than for Bobo Baldé, an intimidating though often lumbering presence in the heart of Celtic's defence. Swift with their incursions and often spreading alarm along with possession fed to Yorke, the Premiership side caused Celtic such awkwardness that Baldé was summoned to the touchline to receive urgent counselling from Martin O'Neill after a series of harassed moments. Notwithstanding Stilian Petrov's early, majestic header which Brad Friedel saved, Celtic were fortunate not to concede a goal.
Just about every threat Blackburn posed Celtic was woven around the scurrying David Thompson, a player once tossed aside by Liverpool and picked up by Coventry City before Souness bought him to add another astute part to this re-built Blackburn team. When Thompson wasn't haring at Celtic down their exposed left flank, he was tormenting O'Neill's men through the middle almost with abandon. It was amid numerous Rovers forays after 40 minutes that Thompson beautifully befuddled the Celtic defence, setting up Yorke in front goal before Ulrik Laursen blocked his shot.
The match was distinguished by two remarkable saves, coming within moments of each other. From a bursting Didier Agathe run in the ninth minute, the ferocity of Petrov's header had to be seen to be believed, as did the instinctive arm thrown by Friedel to keep the ball at bay.
If that was an excellent display of goalkeeping, what the often-derided Douglas produced moments later, and elsewhere in this match, proved equally eye-catching. Frankly, Celtic's defence got into an embarrassing fankle when Tugay and Gary Flitcroft pushed Blackburn forward, and the alert Thompson was suddenly in acres of space eight yards out when he lashed his shot at goal. Douglas plunged instinctively to his left to beat the ball away.
Celtic's play, at least in the opposition half, had been sorely impoverished in the first half, yet Blackburn simply could not convert possession or pressure into goals. There was little comfort for Celtic, though, when Cole, preserved on the bench by Souness after injury, appeared for the second half. Cole's pace and sense of anticipation were obvious, though Baldé, Laursen and Joos Valgaeren all somehow stuck out a leg to block his shots.
Celtic had a far better second half, but, like Blackburn, their play seemed to be going unrewarded in front of goal. A tame shot from Sutton in the 48th minute was easily gathered by Friedel, and Celtic, frankly, were a disappointment. After 85 minutes, though, Thompson's corner was met ferociously by Hartson, whose downward header Friedel beat away. Larsson pounced to stab the ball home.
- Nov 1st
