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Celtic 2-0 Hapoel Tel Aviv: Bhoys Knocked Out Of Europe Despite Victory
Too little too late for Celtic as Europa League campaign comes to an end.
Dec 2, 2009 4:50:04 PM
The number of green plastic seats on view at Parkhead was an indication of the daunting size of Celtic's task – before the kick-off against Hapoel, the mindset of many Hoops fans was half-empty too, with the SPL side knowing that even a win might not be enough to keep alive their dreams of reaching the knockout stage of the inaugural Europa League.
And so it proved. Celtic supporters will have enjoyed their side's confident performance, but must be left wondering why it took so long for Tony Mowbray's team to show what they're capable of – Hamburg's predictable defeat of Rapid Vienna in Germany tonight, in the other Group C fixture, means that Celtic's European adventure is over for another season.
In the opening few minutes, Celtic moved the ball around with intent, not looking like a side short of confidence. With less than four minutes gone, striker Scott McDonald burst through the middle and slotted the ball into the net, but he was flagged offside, a correct decision – just.
As the first half wore on, Hapoel gradually began to find their feet, passing the ball tidily but without really threatening Lukasz Zaluska – the Pole was deputising for compatriot Artur Boruc again – in Celtic's goal.
The first anxious moment for Mowbray's side came after ten minutes. Hapoel forward Itay Shechter claimed a penalty after being tackled somewhat clumsily by Landry N'Guemo in the area, but the referee waved play on.
Aiden McGeady was looking lively on the left flank for Celtic, and his run and cross set up McDonald, whose instinctive shot from ten yards out was well-saved by Vincent Enyeama.
Celtic almost went a goal down on 20 minutes after a quick free-kick for Hapoel found the dangerous Shechter, who fired just over the bar from the left edge of the penalty area.
But almost immediately, Celtic marched upfield and took the lead. McGeady again tormented Hapoel's inexperienced right-back, Dani Bondarv, before floating in a cross that Giorgios Samaras buried with a well-timed header from eight yards out. It was nothing more than the hosts deserved.
With half an hour gone, and Celtic troubling the Israelis with their pace and urgency, the impressive McGeady found some space inside the penalty area, but his well-struck shot was hit straight at Enyeama.
Celtic might have doubled their lead on 35 minutes, after Enyeama's rush of blood to the head – he dashed to the edge of his area to challenge McDonald – presented Samaras with a gilt-edged chance to score. But the Greek forward spurned the gift, his tame flick rebounding off the foot of the right post. Barry Robson pounced on the rebound but Enyeama recovered quickly, saving bravely at the Scotsman's feet.
For the remainder of the first half, Celtic looked in total control, bar one nervous moment where Shechter evaded right-back Andreas Hinkel on the left side of the hosts' area, but the danger was averted without Zaluska being called into action.
Perhaps feeling the effects of a stern halftime talk from manager Eli Guttman, Hapoel's players began the second half brightly, whereas Celtic's high-tempo game lost its zip. As in the first 45 minutes, Schechter was the danger man, bouncing off tackles at will and shielding the ball well from Celtic's defenders.
With two thirds of the game gone, and with Celtic struggling to string two passes together, Schechter almost equalised, his low shot across the face of goal forcing a fingertip save from Zaluska.
Mowbray recognised the need to make a change and hauled off Samaras for Marc-Antoine Fortune. Almost immediately, the substitution paid off. Celtic won a free-kick 20 yards out – Fortune was involved in the build-up – and Robson's shot curled around the Hapoel wall and into the bottom-left corner.
Celtic's second goal effectively killed off the game. They had several good chances in the closing 15 minutes, but couldn't finish any of them. Not that it mattered. The damage was done weeks ago, particularly at the start of October when Celtic could only draw 1-1 at home against a mediocre Vienna side. How Tony Mowbray must rue those dropped two points now.
Ollie Irish, Goal.com
Who is the Very Best? Just the coolest world music group right now. They talk about their love of football--Henrik Larsson!--in the DEC/JAN issue of Goal.com Magazine.
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