What a match! Parkhead is turned into a button factory as nerves jangle!
WGS was correct when he said that this match had "everything", it was an amazing spectacle. From goalmouth scrambles to chance upon chance created to penalties for both sides in normal and extra time. All this from one of the most open and end to end Euro ties ever witnessed this game truly had everything you would want from a match, well if you were a neutral anyway!
The overall outcome was justified by our performance for the entire 120+ minutes of this enthralling event, Celtic harried and chased. Pressed and squeezed and created chance after chance after chance. If it had not been for the heroics of the brilliant Pletikosa in the Spartak goal and our willingness to squander every chance we create (or get caught offside Skippy - the new Andy Walker) this tie could have been a cricket score.
It seemed that we were intent on doing things the hard way, such was our want and the hard way was the route we took, we even missed a penalty late in the game in order to enjoy the excitement of a penalty shoot-out!
Prior to this match Celtic had never progressed from a Penalty shoot-out in Europe! Our memories of the cruel exit at the hands of Valencia in 2001 still hurt to this day, so it was the outcome that Celtic were keen to avoid and the ending that the ten men Muscovites were looking for.
One cant help but feel for Spartak, but any feelings of pity are quickly eradicated when we remember the dirty tricks employed by their gardeners in the first leg. We deserved to go through.
They were a good team, but only from the midfield forward. Had they had a couple of good centre half’s in their team they would probably have had a better chance of progression. Shiskin and Stranzl were the weak links in a team that upon reflection was probably over rated by most.
This was clearly demonstrated by the manner in which we took the lead, with Scott McDonald deleting the memory of his two "Black Sunday" goals after Shishkin had miss-hit a clearance straight into his path.
Celtic duly returned the favour, losing a ‘third’ goal to Pavluchenko with a deep back post cross that was again not defended. We really are weak to this type of attack and must remedy this sooner rather than later.
And then onto the Penalty shoot out and a special mention to JVH. Big Jan looked forlorn after he missed that spot kick in extra time and the guts required to take another during a sudden death shoot-out is immense, well done big man.
Indeed special praise to all of our penalty takers last night, every one was hit well and only Nakamura’s had the misfortune not to sneak in! When have you ever seen Celtic hit more than 2 good penalties in this type of situation before?
So now we are in the Champions League proper, and with the Lions share of the TV revenue coming our way and not going to Messieurs Bain and Murray’s Legal defence this is also reason to be cheerful!
Its like winning a Derby match and an Euro tie all rolled into one!
Yours in Celtic
Clydebuilt