UCL Group E: Villarreal 1-0 Celtic 30/09/08

[DavidMc]

Villarreall 1-0 Celtic FC
UEFA Champions League Group E
Tuesday 30th September 08
El Madrigal Stadium

A Marcos Senna free-kick was enough to consign Celtic to another away Champions League defeat, denting the Scottish side's last 16 hopes.

Villarreal posed the greater danger early on in the match, with Artur Boruc saving from Giuseppe Rossi.

Georgios Samaras spurned a wonderful opportunity to give Celtic the lead just before half-time.

And despite some dogged defending, Senna eventually beat Boruc with a curled free-kick on 67 minutes.

Celtic needed to take something from their second group E match, after a disappointing draw at home to Aalborg in match day one.

And despite a more mature away performance than those of recent seasons, the statistics make bleak reading with only one point from a possible 48 on their travels.

Worse still, Celtic now lie on one point alongside Aalborg, three points behind both Manchester United and Villarreal.

The Scottish champions made a confident start, but Villarreal fashioned the first effort on goal two minutes in, from Joseba Llorente after some neat build-up play.

Shaun Maloney and Aiden McGeady, recalled to the staring line-up, were providing outlets on the flanks for the Scottish champions to counter-attack at pace.

But, they found passing options limited with Samaras alone up front, even though the Greek again demonstrated the same energy and pace of recent weeks.

With 10 minutes on the clock Maloney tried his luck from a free-kick, but the former Aston Villa man was never going to trouble Diego Lopez from around 35 yards.

Moments later the Spaniards gave Celtic a wake-up call when Sebastian Eguren found space in the box but headed wide.

Celtic were playing well on the break, while the hosts looked dangerous whenever the triumvirate of Rossi, Santi Cazorla and Robert Pires got on the ball.

However, for all the intricate football from the Spaniards, it was a long ball over the top on 20 minutes that presented them with their clearest chance to open the scoring.

The Celtic defence was caught out by Eguren's punt up-field, Rossi strode on to the ball, but Boruc raced out to save at the Italian's feet, and Llorente scooped the rebound over.

Llorente made Boruc save again from a header, before McGeady had Lopez worried with a 25 yard shot that flew a yard wide.

Gordon Strachan's men had spells of possession, but with only Samaras up front, options for the final pass were limited.

Boruc was called into action again to tip over Rossi's powerful shot from Cazorla's cut-back towards the penalty spot.

Samaras had the perfect chance to give Celtic a half-time lead after Diego Godin made a hash of a long ball, but Lopez blocked the Greek's shot with his arm.

The second period began at a ferocious pace, and the match took on a real end-to-end feel.

Rossi shot inches wide of the Boruc's left post, while Samaras failed to connect with Mark Wilson's cross by the same margin.

As the half wore on McManus, Caldwell and Paul Hartley were at the heart of some solid Celtic defending, but Villarreal were tightening their grip on the game.

Marcos Senna forced Boruc to save a wicked swerving effort, as the Scottish side became pegged back in their own half.

And the Spanish international's persistence paid dividends on 67 minutes, when he curled a free-kick over the wall and inside Boruc's right-hand post for 1-0.

Scott McDonald was introduced for Maloney and nearly drew Celtic level with fierce, dipping volley which landed on the roof of the net.

Barry Robson and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink replaced Shunsuke Nakamura and Hartley as Celtic tried in vain to get back in to the game, but the Spaniards greeted the final whistle as worthy winners.

More match reaction to follow.....

[DavidMc]

Another european game, another away defeat for Celtic. To be fair, Celtic played reasonably well tonight and lost to a great Senna free-kick. But Gordon Strachan and his side are facing a massive struggle to qualify for the last 16.

With back-to-back fixtures coming up against Manchester United, things are looking bleak for them. We will have a better idea whats going to happen after the next two games.

There is always the option of the fall-out to the UEFA Cup, but it may be a bit early to be thinking that after just two games. Celtic probably didnt expect anything from this game tonight.

What's hurting them still is the draw at home to Aalborg.

[DavidMc]

As soon as Marcos Senna's second-half free-kick curved past Artur Boruc, Celtic FC shoulders sagged all over the pitch and the result was beyond doubt. Although Villarreal CF earned their 1-0 victory and shared lead of Group E, the visitors' performance was competent enough to make their inability to win away in the UEFA Champions League, a run now at 18 games, mystifying.

Home record
This was Villarreal's eighth match at home in the UEFA Champions League, including qualifying, and they have yet to lose. Part of their power is that 1-0 and a good performance is always enough to satisfy coach Manuel Pellegrini and although the Spanish side did not dominate for 90 minutes their constant peppering of Boruc's goal, compared to the fleeting chances for Celtic, made this a just result.

New formation
The only surprise in the two lineups was that Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, previously a touchstone player for Celtic manager Gordon Strachan, was on the bench. But his players quickly showed they had understood his demands for a more careful and intelligent use of ball possession. True to his pre-match prediction he eschewed the in-vogue 4-5-1 formation and asked them to perform in a 4-2-3-1 shape with the ball and drop to a regular 4-4-2 when not in possession. The best of the early chances, however, fell to Villarreal when they opted for old-fashioned 'British' tactics, the long ball and the header on goal.

Good vision
Although Shaun Maloney put a 12th-minute free-kick on target Villarreal were untroubled by the time they nearly took the lead. Sebastián Eguren's split-second decision to launch the ball over the Celtic back four left Giuseppe Rossi sprinting clear. Boruc dithered over a decision before sprawling and saving with his feet. Joseba Llorente had time to clip the rebound home only to loft his shot too high. Then a Senna corner in the 25th minute was planted right on Llorente's head, but his effort was clutched by Celtic's Polish goalkeeper.

Tide turning
It was not an outright onslaught but after Aiden McGeady curved a fierce shot round Diego López's post Rossi should have scored from ten metres when Santi Cazorla laid the chance on a plate for him. Punishment for profligacy nearly came three minutes to the break when López's outstanding save prevented Georgios Samaras from scoring. The second-half tempo was electric and when Stephen McManus nearly flicked in Gary Caldwell's header Celtic rattled the hosts. But the ebb and flow immediately took Rossi to the edge of Boruc's penalty box before the Italian's fierce shot edged narrowly wide.

Senna scores
Villarreal's intensity increased as good shots from Cazorla and Senna either side of the hour were well saved. The goal was patently en route and the Brazilian-born midfielder bent his free-kick past Boruc in the 67th minute. Only when Celtic added fresh legs did they begin to create real openings and when McGeady's lofted pass inside to substitute Scott McDonald allowed the Australian a spectacular volley it dipped agonisingly over. Typically Villarreal hit back and Boruc again saved splendidly from Llorente to seal a terrific personal performance.