Champions League Wednesday September 17th 2003

Bayern Munich 2

Celtic 1

0:1 Thompson 56
1:1 Makaay 73
1:2 Makaay 86

Att:48,500

ref: Massimo de Santis (Ita)

Celtic: Hedman Varga Balde McNamara Agathe Sutton Lennon Petrov Thompson Larsson Hartson
subs Miller for Hartson 66

This was potentially the most difficult match of our CL campaign and Celtic came through it with flying colours. The 2-1 scoreline belies the ability of the current squad. If you believed the pre-match hype from the hacks, in particular Alan McInally, Bayern, Champions League finalists twice in the past 4 years, would roll over Celtic. As usual, their tenuous grip on reality failed to account for our recent European record. Celtic are more than comfortable with high class Euro opposition and demonstrated as much in this match.

Celtic were well in control for all but the last fifteen minutes of the game and the loss of a 1:0 lead was more down to enforced tactical switching than anything else.

The Hoops had taken longer to settle than Bayern, but mopped up any early pressure easily. Agathe was formidable as he continually waltzed past Lizarazu leaving the Bayern defence looking as though they were lost in the Black forest. First half chances, however, went a begging and not until the second period did Celtic breach the Munich defence.

The goal from Thompson, when it came, was a replica of our first in Stuttgart last season with a cross in from the right evading defenders and falling to the Celtic player at the back post. At this point, we were starting from where we left off last season, and Munich erupted in a cacophony of Green and White noise. The party should have gone on all night but for the loss of Hartson through fatigue. Sutton who had been having a blinder in midfield was moved up front and Miller came on into the middle.

Bayern got some change out of this and put on the pressure, eventually forcing Varga to clear with a header into the path of the onrushing Makaay. The resultant volley on the drop produced an exquisite but undeserved equalizer.

The winner at the death, was a farce. Makaay crossed into the box only for the ball to elude Ballack and slide by a sleeping Hedman.

The disappointment was as great as the performance Celtic had put in. Three points lost, but as a measure of where we are punching, it is at the right weight and able to match top sides at this level.