CELTIC’S Golden Oldies were spot on as they overcame their Manchester United counterparts in a rollicking fundraiser at Old Trafford yesterday.
The rousing encounter between the club legends was stalemated at 1-1 after Wayne Rooney, with a spectacular free-kick, had put the hosts ahead three minutes from the interval and Gary Hooper had levelled just after the hour mark.
It went to a penalty-kick shoot-out and Darren O’Dea fired the winner past Kevin Pilkington after Luskasz Zaluska, a second-half replacement for Artur Boruc, had made an excellent save from Danny Webber.
A crowd of over 30,000 – with an estimated 3,000 visitors – were enthralled throughout as the veteran stars rolled back the years to produce an exciting spectacle.
HAIL, HAIL…Celtic fans at Old Trafford.
Fans’ favourite Boruc made a splendid save from Michael Carrick, but the Pole was left stranded as Rooney whipped a 25-yard free-kick into the top right-hand corner of his net.
The equaliser arrived after captain Stiliyan Petrov smashed a ferocious long-range drive off the face of the crossbar and Hooper pounced with all his familiar stealth to fire in the rebound.
At the spot-kick showdown, Nicky Butt, Denis Irwin and Rooney all converted for United, while Charlie Mulgrew, Jonny Hayes and Stephen McManus kept the Hoops level.
Zaluska then produced a stunning full-length dive to his right to turn away Webber’s effort before Simon Donnelly tucked his shot away to give Celtic the edge.
IT’S GOOD TO TALK…Celtic legends’ boss Paul Lambert is interviewed for Manchester United TV by former team-mate Dion Dublin.
Lifelong Hoops fan Darren Fletcher swept in another for the hosts, but O’Dea kept his nerve to score to make it 5-4 on pens for Paul Lambert’s team.
There were celebrations all round, but, of course, the real winners were the Foundations of both Celtic and Manchester United.
TEAM: Boruc; Lustig, McManus, Wilson, Mulgrew; Petrov, Ledley, Hayes; Samaras, Vennegoor of Hesselink, Hooper
Subs: Zaluska, Ambrose, Donnelly, Robson, O’Dea.
CQN’s snappers were out in force at Old Trafford for a picture special of the event, plus the occasion is certainly worth a second look courtesy of those good folk at Celtic TV Unique Angle.
Please enjoy!
