Udinese were pushed all the way tonight but hold on for a point that was enough to get them through to the knock out round of the Europa League at Celtic’s expense. Gary Hooper gave Celtic the lead but Antonio Di Natale equalised in time added on at the end of the first half.
The game was only six minutes old when Georgios Samaras extended his telescopic legs and moved beyond Benatia to the edge of the Udinese box but the defender dived in front of the Greek striker to con the referee into awarding a free kick.
Udinese should have taken the lead in 12 minutes when Scott Brown was careless with a cross-field pass which was intercepted. The Celtic defence were caught moving forward and had left Di Natale in acres of space but his lob missed the target.
Gary Hooper was the next sinner 10 minutes later. Udinese had no answer to the probing of Samaras and James Forrest. The former beat two players and slid an inch perfect pass inside the full back for Hooper to collect 16 yards from goal. Unfortunately he failed to find the target with what at that time looked like being the best chance of the game.
Celtic opened the scoring on 28 minutes when Samaras rampaged down the left and sent a dangerous cross between goalkeeper and defence. Handanovic punched the ball against his own defender and was left stranded when it rolled to an unmarked Hooper three yards from goal. The Englishman rolled the ball over the line to put Celtic ahead.
With 45 minutes already played Samaras again rampaged down the left but possession was lost as Celtic were reluctant to pour forward seconds before half time. Udinese moved the ball quickly up field and a fortunate break of the ball allowed them to catch the Celtic defence flat footed. Cha was wrong side of his player who crossed for Di Natale to finish. It was an unfortunate break for Celtic who had the better of the first half.
Udinese stepped up the pace after half time and enjoyed their best period of the game. Fraser Forster made three saves within as many minutes just after the hour mark. Ten minutes later a sharp passing move provided Asamoa with a gilt edged chance from 10 yards but he turned the ball against the post with Forster stranded but this signalled the end of the home team’s pressure.
Celtic came close to taking the lead again on 74 minutes when Cha DuRi stretched to volley from outside the box. His shot struck the post with Handanovic unable to reach it. The ball rebounded off the goalkeeper, who landed on the ground, and spun back towards goal, but Handanovic recovered in time to catch it on the line.
Greek referee, Koukoulakis, did not have a good game, mistook Cha for Scott Brown and incorrectly booked the Korean. 18 minutes later he booked Cha again but had clearly received a message from an assistant informing him of his earlier mistake, leaving Cha bemused and relieved to survive his second yellow card.
Celtic were pressing for the goal but with 10 minutes remaining a slip by Daniel Majstorovic set Di Natale clear. Fraser Forster then had the most impressive 6 seconds of his career. The keeper made himself a big target and saved Di Natale’s shot but he had change direction quickly as the ball broke free on the right. A cross was swiftly dropped onto the head of the unmarked Di Natale 8 yards from goal but Forster changed direction one more time to save again.
The match finished with Celtic camped inside the Udinese box. The ball broke to Ki inside the six yard box from a Charlie Mulgrew corner but his shot was blocked. Fraser Forster came forward for two further corners. From one, Daniel Majstorovic flashed a header goalward but an Udinese defender raised his arm to the ball, however, the referee failed to award a penalty.
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Bright, snowy morning here in North Ayrshire.
Well done to the Bhoys last night. They did us proud.
SFTB – I corrected the word flates to flares in my subsequent post. However, since you started us on this journey of picking up on typos – what’s an ‘on goal’ ?
Shorten the leash – quite simple really. The next time we are reported to them for any reason whatsoever, they will be less predisposed to let us off with a slap on the wrist.
philvis
“And did those feet, in ancient time
Walk upon England’s mountain green?”
It always a muses me how the Tories and the even further right imagine that Blake’s verse is a patriotic one? He was actually decrying the conditions into which England had sunk.
So, maybe you’re right after all. It was an appropriate accompaniment to the Thatcher era.
philvisreturns
When you grow up to be a man, then and only then, will your posts catch my attention!
Until that day which, imo, will be a long way off….
bye.
How much is the fee to buy Fraser Forster now?
Philvis,
your on fire today bud, i got you that tshirt you wanted for christmas.
enjoy.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/403/thatcher5ux.jpg/
Good Morning to the Celtic Family from a dry Central Scotland.Well done to Lennie and the bhoys last nights performance was good .However,im a bit disapointed this morning and completely fed up of being gallant losers it would be nice just once to carry a wee bit luck in Europe and en up gallant winners.H.H.
Well done Neil. Well done all the Bhoys last night. Terrific, inspiring, confidence-boosting performance. That young bunch of Bhoys will want more games like last night, more European adventures, more opportunities to pit their wits and their skills against the best.
A tremendous night in our CSC, greatly enhanced by the company of fine CQNer John67.
HS
“The next time we are reported to them for any reason whatsoever, they will be less predisposed to let us off with a slap on the wrist. ”
So, can I assume that you will add your voice in protest to the event of them issuing unduly harsh punishments when this occurs?
Or do you agree that UEFA should be prejudiced, bigoted and vindictive?
Toscanabhoy
Great to read your insight into the appreciation Celtic have received in Italy. Thank you.
SFTB
Well, sure, and I nearly included that very sentiment. However, it will dominate the blog today. I’m so utterly bored with debating about the behaviour of small groups of fans… everyone on CQN says it’s not for them this kind of behaviour, maybe when they were younger etc… but not now. Still the arguments rage. This is a non-issue, you said it, I said it. However I’d like a break from these morons.
Macjay
Cha is almost always a disaster. He filled me with dread every time he got the ball, so I suppose when I say he had a great game it’s the relief that nothing too bad happened. His distribution is so poor that most of the positive stuff in his game is redundant. Still you have to admire his effort.
Good morning fellow Celts from a fresh breezy North Hampshire
Great show from the bhoys last night and unlucky not to progress. Sammi showing all and sundry why he enjoys Lenny’s support..a wonderful football player who simply suffers from a lack of consistency. I just enjoy the wonderful moments when they happen and he makes me smile out loud.
Wee Jamesy was superb and I hope we has the nous to protect himself from unwanted attention form the bad guys. If he can do that and still perform then comparisons with King Kenny are justified.
Special mention to Big Fraser for some inspiring goalkeeping. The rest of the team come away from Italy with immense credit and lots of new admirers.
A nice wee night in the oul’ Marquis and great to see two Korean bhoys turn up to watch the game fully hooped up…I am sure they will go home with a taste for Guinness and wonderful reports on a very warm Celtic welcome-
A brilliant night that just missed being a glorious night. Maybe next time!
Lots to look forward to with this young bunch of hoops.
HH
M
philvisreturns says:
16 December, 2011 at 09:44
Saint Stivs – Kano 1000 – Glasgows Green and White – They were the best of times.
“People slept more soundly in their beds, knowing Mrs T’s firm but gentle hand was on the tiller of the ship of state.”
————————————————————————————————————————
Seriously? I doubt very much that the miners or the factory workers slept well, worrying about where there next meal was coming from or if they would have a job in the morning.
“Firm but gentle”…..try ruthless and egotistical.
I thought Cha had for him a good game last night.
Cha was a freebie, freebies make many more mistakes than most, the clue is in the word freebie.
Well played Cha Du Ri, well played all the freebies and loanees, well played those who cost very little.
Lenny, you are a star in the making.
The banner probably breached para (f) of Article 11 of UEFA’s Regulations, the wonderfully all embracing and totalitarian
‘other lack of order or discipline observed in the stadium area’.
Fortunately the SNP’s equally authoritarian Offensive Behaviour Act, though passed is not yet in force, otherwise plod would be breaking down doors within the next couple of days to arrest those responsible.
What banner?
I’ll have to scroll back a bit further.
Here was me glowing with pride and (slightly muted) satisfaction.
there = their
Bloody phones
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire says:
16 December, 2011 at 01:25
I did stop by the Bow Bells – it wasn’t far out of the way – but the doors were locked. I looked at my watch and it was just before midnight… Knew I’d missed the game, but didn’t realise it was THAT late.
Modern alcohol time machine’s are rubbish.
Least I know where it is, if that’s yer local. Next time.
bsr
“How much is the fee to buy Fraser Forster now? ”
The story was that, when the loan deal was agreed, a fee of close to £2m was agreed and remains the price. If we pay that, he would become our most expensive goalie purchase ever and would, by the logic of the “net spend” and just pay the fee” sections of our fan base, instantly transform FF into being a world class keeper.
You can only value players by their price tags, don’t you know? Flo was worth 15 Henriks :-)
We complain about players traipsing all over the place to take part in internationals, but you could see the upside of that last night. The ghuys with high levels of international experience (Ki, Samaras, Majstorovic, Cha, Kayal, Brown) knew what they were up against and knew how to go about their business, the odd mistake nothwithstanding.
ernie lynch
I doubt that UEFA could get us under “other lack of order or discipline observed in the stadium area.”
As far as I could see the banner was held up in a perfectly disciplined and ordered manner. Though, with the prevaling winds crumpling the second word at one point, MWD managed to mis-read UEFA as VERA, when the banner picture was posted.
There’s one lady who may have had a good time last night :-)
79caps – Always. (thumbsup)
KevJungle – “Lennons Lions Get Ready To ROAR!!!” – When you grow up to be a man, then and only then, will your posts catch my attention!
So you like men, do you? (thumbsup)
Saint Stivs – Kano 1000 – Glasgows Green and White – I don’t think that one’s for me. They probably don’t have it in my size: extra handsome. (thumbsup)
hamiltontim – Seriously? I doubt very much that the miners or the factory workers slept well, worrying about where there next meal was coming from or if they would have a job in the morning.
Spare me this lachrymose historical revisionism.
Nobody was in danger of starving in this country in the glorious 80’s.
A lot of the miners would still have jobs if they hadn’t unwisely followed swivel-eyed Communist Arthur Scargill in his war against the democratically elected government of the day. There are consequences when you lose a war.
I feel a bit sorry for the factory workers, but there’s a reason the nationalised industries went out of business. They largely made crap that nobody wanted to buy, and were losing money hand over fist. Economic adjustments are often painful, but healthier in the long run than trying to stubbornly cling to failed enterprises. We’re a lot richer now as a result of the policies of the 1980’s. (thumbsup)
When Broonie (Ian) Blacked di Natale, it was deliberate, right? That was all about getting Udinese to take their danger-man off and wrap him in cotton wool.
I was very surprised it didn’t work. Di Natale was excellent.
Must say, I hate flares. They really ought to be banned.
Anyone who thinks that flares should be permitted at football matches should be ridiculed.
Anyone who goes to the football with flares ought to be arrested.
Flares ruin lives.
THIS
is unacceptable to all right minded football supporters today.
goldstar10 says:
16 December, 2011 at 09:43
no fan of the gutter scum who write for the rags but everything you wrote you’ll read on here and other celtic websites far more often that you’ll read them in the press.
Sammy is a a talented but very streaky player who can beat any team on his day but can go for weeks looking like anything but a footballer, but lenny stuck by him when there were plenty who were calling for his head just for carrying in playing him. i hope everyone who booed him recently was watching last night
likewise everyone who said having a third choice keeper as our number one wasnt good enough, penny-pinching lawwell stopped us from getting stipe. my player of the season so far and a fantastic prospect who hasnt let us down once so far and who made a couple of potential match-winning saves last night that apparently weren’t in his locker.
Hopefully Neil will, at todays LL conference announce that – “Players like Cha will get me the sack!”
Look at the performances from big Sammi since that other LL conference a few weeks back!
Hail! Hail!
So that was the banner. Just those two words?
A bit of silly defiance from some youngsters with a banner kit.
Uefa would be equally silly to do anything about it.
The banner I don’t think will pose the problem… The flare in the stand won’t either
the clown who threw the flare on the track however needs reminding rapid Vienna!!!
Absolute idiot! And if the club gets punished then I want the bhoy banned.
TBB -re flares.
Does that include the MC Hammer style breeks as worn bravely, but perhaps unwisely, by ole Johnny Clash durin’ the recent ole very windy weather?
Philvis
“People slept more soundly in their beds knowing Mrs T’s firm butt”
Do you have a reference for that?
The Battered Bunnet says:
16 December, 2011 at 10:06
You hate flares ……………… I hate ceilings.
Johnny Clash takes ridicule in his strides.
TBB
Thatcher as Anne Bancroftesque attractive, alluring older woman?
You’ve taken this too far.
The Battered Bunnet – Can you imagine if Neil Kinnock’s ginger bits had been allowed to settle into Number 10 Downing Street, rather than Maggie’s firm but yielding and gloriously patriotic behind?
We’d be dressed in filthy rags and huddled under a bridge right now, eating broiled rat washed down with fermented groin sweat.
L is for Lice.
L is for Labour. (thumbsup)
It like the Planet of the Apes in here this morning, the place is full of monkeys
setting free the bears – It always a muses me how the Tories and the even further right imagine that Blake’s verse is a patriotic one? He was actually decrying the conditions into which England had sunk.
So, maybe you’re right after all. It was an appropriate accompaniment to the Thatcher era.
That’ll be why we’re far richer now than we were in 1979.
Even our rioters these days have expensive phones and trainers. (thumbsup)
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire – It like the Planet of the Apes in here this morning, the place is full of monkeys
I hate every ape I see
From chimpan-A to chimpan-Zee
No you’ll never make a monkey out of me. (thumbsup)
Philvis
It’s not “historical revisionism” it’s from listening to the personal accounts of those who lived through it.
You claim that no one was in danger of starving in 1980’s Britain. How many have you asked? Certainly it wasn’t on the scale of mass famine but that’s not my point. I’ve spoken to people and read much about the hardships suffered at the time, some families were surviving on a few pounds a day.
“We’re a lot richer now as a result of the policies of the 1980′s.”
We’re in the mess we are today as a direct consequence of the ‘glorious 80s in my opinion.
The great Maggie perpetuated a culture of greed and self interest which permeates our society to this day.
And if you’re so certain of her ‘gentle’ approach maybe you should speak to the families of the 10 hunger strikers.