Reply With QuoteDid you write this?
EDIT: Oh, I see you got it off celticfc.net.
CELTIC 5
(Stokes 4, Hooper 33, Ki 58, Ledley 71, Forrest 90)
DUNDEE UNITED 1
(Russell 31)
THE first competitive match at Celtic Park of the new season produced a comprehensive and entertaining 5-1 victory against Dundee United to continue the Hoops 100 per cent start to their SPL campaign.
Anthony Stokes opened the scoring with his third goal in as many league games four minutes into the match, before Johnny Russell equalised for the visitors on the half-hour mark.
But Gary Hooper responded almost instantly, putting the Hoops ahead again with his first goal of the new season. And Neil Lennon's side sealed the victory in the second-half through goals from Ki Sung Yueng, Joe Ledley and an injury-time finish from James Forrest.
The manager made three changes from the side which beat Aberdeen last weekend, welcoming back Scott Brown to the captain’s role after the midfielder had missed the first two matches of the season through suspension.
Overcoming the injury he picked up in Scotland’s midweek friendly, he returned to the side along with Mark Wilson who also missed last weekend with a hip injury. Charlie Mulgrew was the other change, as he slotted in for the injured Emilio Izaguirre at left-back.
Celtic looked confident from the start and Kris Commons had the first shot on target after just three minutes. United’s keeper Dusan Pernis could only block the effort without catching it, though, which allowed Stokes to win a corner.
The striker was looking sharp in front of goal and the resulting corner led to his opener. Daniel Majstorovic headed the ball down and the Irishman slotted it under the keeper with his left foot, putting the Hoops ahead on four minutes.
And boosted by his goal, Stokes then attempted to double the home side’s advantage shortly after with a powerful effort from 35-yards out.
Dundee United came more into the game as the first-half settled and equalised on the half-hour mark. Gary Kenneth mis-hit a shot which rolled into the path of Russell who slotted the ball home to make it 1-1.
But Celtic responded almost instantly with Hooper putting his side back in the lead again less than two minutes later. Stokes' header came back off the bar and the Englishman was on hand to nod the loose ball over the keeper and into the net.
Celtic started the second-half as promisingly as the first, with Mulgrew threatening down the left and Mark Wilson attempting a one-two with Stokes inside the box.
But it was Commons who came closest to stretching the advantage on 53 minutes when his low drive came off the far post.
Peter Houston’s men continued to push play into Celtic’s half but on the counter attack, Commons broke down the left wing. Playing in Ki, the South Korean charged into the box and slammed his shot into the top corner, extending Celtic’s lead just before the hour mark.
Dundee United didn’t let their heads go down after losing the third goal, and Zaluska made two excellent saves within four minutes to maintain Celtic's two-goal advantage.
Making another break from a United attack, Hooper charged through the centre of the pitch to unleash a powerful drive just wide of the post. In the process he was taken out by Paul Dixon, though, and had to be stretchered off on 66 minutes. The Dundee United defender was lucky to escape punishment for his late tackle.
It was his replacement, Shaun Maloney, who set up Celtic’s fourth, playing in Ledley at the near post. The Welshman slotted the ball into the bottom corner of Pernis’ net to kill the game as a contest on 71 minutes.
And Maloney then had his own chance when his shot went agonisingly wide of the far post, missing the target by inches.
But it wasn’t the final effort on target as substitute Forrest finished proceedings with an injury-time strike, sealing the 5-1 victory for Celtic.
CELTIC (4-4-2): Zaluska; M. Wilson, Majstorovic, K. Wilson, Mulgrew; Brown, Ki, Ledley, Commons (Forrest 63); Stokes (McCourt 77), Hooper (Maloney 66)
Subs not used: Cervi, Matthews, Wanyama, Samaras
DUNDEE UNITED (4-4-2): Pernis; Dillon, Kenneth, Watson, Dixon; Flood (Gunning 77), Allan (Armstrong 68), Robertson, Rankin; Daly, Russell
Subs not used: Banks, Swanson, Douglas, Mackay-Steven, Dow
Did you write this?
EDIT: Oh, I see you got it off celticfc.net.
Last edited by SBSP; 07:43, 14th Aug 2011 at 07:43.
Give them the title now...
IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE A BIT OF BANTER, THEN BUILD A BRIDGE & GET THE FUCK OVER IT!
Don't jinx it.
i was waiting to go outOriginally Posted by SBSP
easy win for the bhuoys , hope we can just keep on rolling on
that would be good, for as long as we can.
As was said last season with 6 ganes remaining. Didnt quite work out for the fookers tho did it?
we handed it to you lot
Lovely!
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nope but hey if we are all honest it swings back and forth generally , Hail! Hail!
true, and it will be ours again
The dims are very sad tonight.
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