UEFA Champions League 2007/08: Celtic 1-1 Spartak Moscow

August 29, 2007

Celtic headed into this match knowing a goal would send them into the group stages.

Celtic started well when Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink shouldered Shunsuke Nakamura's cross over the bar after ten minutes. If the Dutchman had've been more precise Celtic could've controlled the game from the start. Five minutes later Scott McDonald played a one-two with Vennegoor of Hesselink who played a good short ball back which fell right for McDonald's left foot but he agonisingly hit wide. It wasn't all Celtic though. Spartak Moscow counter-attacked brilliantly and nearly scored 17 minuted in. Artur Boruc made a last-ditch save and Lee Naylor cleared after Vladimir Bystrov cut the ball back to Dmitri Torbinsky just outside the box. Just 60 seconds later Aiden McGeady hit a good shot wide of the Moscow goal. Then 25 minutes in, the referee made the worst decision of the match. Welliton, the Brazilian striker, shot straight at Artur Boruc and the ball bounced off him and hit Gary Caldwell's grounded hand. The referee gave the penalty. There was nowhere for Caldwell to go and the penalty should not have been given. However Pavlyuchenko's penalty hit the post. 2 minutes later Celtic showed no signs of giving up. Scott McDonald scored his first Celtic goal after Massimo Donati's shot deflected off a defender and fell for McDonald on his stronger right foot. He slotted it straight past the keeper to give Celtic a 1-0 lead. 35 minutes into the match, Bystrov, who'd been causing Celtic, mainly Lee Naylor, many problems, sprinted past Lee Naylor again and if it wasn't for captain Stephen McManus blocking the shot, it could've been 1-1. Just before half time Spartak scored from a corner after scrappy Celtic defending. Vennegoor of Hesselink and Mark Wilson couldn't clear the ball and Pavlyuchenko, who missed a penalty earlier, controlled and slotted the ball past a very angry Artur Boruc. In first half stoppage time, Bystrov powered down the left wing and Naylor gave away another corner, luckily though the referee blew his whistle. But that didn't stop Artur Boruc from going over to Lee Naylor and shouting at him. Lee Naylor hit back and if it wasn't for Caldwell and McGeady breaking it up they could've both been sent off.

The second half started as lively as the first. Vennegoor of Hesselink was being held in the box in the 51st minute but no penalty was given. The next big chance was when the ball fell for Vennegoor of Hesselink in the 65th minute, he turned and dragged a point-blank shot wide. From the 77th minute onwards the game started to open up with McDonald and Vennegoor of Hesselink having two great chances before Nakamura had three chances in two minutes. In the 84th minute Nakamura had a chance to score a free-kick after Vennegoor of Hesselink was taken down by Martin Stranzl, 21 yards out from goal. Stranzl was then sent off by the referee and Spartak Moscow were left with ten men for the remainder of the match. Unfortunately Nakamura's free-kick hit McDonald as it made it's way toward the goal. Celtic and Spartak both had chances before the full time whistle went.

Celtic were very attacking from the start of extra time. The man advantage seemed to be helping Celtic as McDonald and Vennegoor of Hesselink both missed good chances in the first five minutes. In the 99th minute Aiden McGeady made a good run down the right wing to find nobody in the box. Forced to make a shot, it ended it up going off for a throw in. Just before extra time half time Derek Riordan, who replaced McGeady, picked up the ball and slammed a brilliant shot just a yard wide on his European début. Five minutes into the second half of extra time, Maksym Kalynychenko hit a superb shot which Boruc got a vital touch to. The ball then went straight down to the Spartak box but Vennegoor of Hesselink could only hit into Stipe Pletikosa's hands. In the 24th minute, Celtic were gifted a penalty after Scott Brown's power shot struck Radoslav Kováč's arm. Vennegoor smashed the penalty into the bar. Six minutes later the referee blew the whistle. The match was going to penalties. Penalty takers Celtic 1) Caldwell 2) Nakamura 3) Vennegoor of Hesselink 4) Riordan 5) Zurawski

Spartak Moscow 1) Mozart 2) Titov 3) Pavlyuchenko 4) Şoava 5) Kalynychenko

Caldwell scored his penalty and Mozart equalised. Nakamura smashed his penalty against the bar but Boruc saved Titov's. Vennegoor of Hesselink scored his penalty this time round and so too did Pavlyuchenko. Riordan scored the perfect penalty and Şoava scored his. Zurawski knocked his home and Kalynychenko had his saved by Boruc.

Man of the Match Artur Boruc