Champions League Tuesday October 21st 2003

Anderlecht 1

Celtic 0

1:0 Aruna 72

Att: 27,000
ref: Fritz Stuchlik

Celtic: Hedman Varga Balde McNamara Agathe Sutton Lennon Petrov Thompson Larsson Hartson

subs
Valgaeren for McNamara 46
Miller for Lennon 80

This verged on being one of our worst nights in Europe since the Xamax debacle and came close to making this match the eighth famous Belgian.

Quite simply Celtic looked complacent against a 10 man Anderlecht and showed all the tactical perspicacity of an Ibrox Orc trying to fit six fingers into a five fingered glove.

It would take the detective skills of Hercule Poirot to work out what was going on in OFM's mind. If it was play for a draw and hope for a win, then it wouldn't take Tintin to discover that we were going to end up looking like Euro-Smurfs. After the sophisticated and composed scalping of Lyon, Celtic reverted to a long ball game, that was so obvious even the 17 year old left back shoring up the three man Anderlecht defence could play at his ease, following the dismissal of the veteran De Boeck.

With Agathe failing to drag them out or get behind the defence, Anderlecht remained composed. Meanwhile, the pacy Aruna was speeding past Varga and Bobo as if he was Jacky Ickx.

However, Celtic were a shade unfortunate before the first 45 were up, with Hartson netting only to be called offside. Henke was also denied a stonewall penalty after being felled by Deschacht. Given our recent form with spot kicks it might not have made much difference.

The second period saw a woeful miss inside the six yard box by Varga and the writing for Celtic was then being painted on the wall in big letters by Peter Breugel.

The Anderlecht goal was inevitable. Valgaeren, on for Jacky McNamara, was left looking as effectual as Audrey Hepburn when Wilhelmsson sped past him like Eddy Mercx, before squaring the ball for Aruna to score.

Only at this point did Celtic look to get the finger out. It took the introduction of Miller to really shake things up, but it was all too late. Miller even managed to set Hartson up to level right at the death, but big bad John made a big bad mess and slammed his shot straight at the 'keeper with the goal gaping.

Celtic left the pitch looking as if they had taken a pummelling by John Claude van Damme as Jacques Brel sang 'the Party's over' accompanied by Adolphe Sax (OK that's enough Belgians - Ed). If only we could get as many points as there are famous Belgians.