Leeds were fully deserving their victory at Celtic Park with a classy display that left no one in any doubt as to the better team. a large crowd was on hand hoping to witness the start of a new Celtic dynasty with Kenny Dalglish and John Barnes at the helm, but Leeds spoilt their party, with an impressive display which saw Alan Smith give them the lead after just nine minutes before a spectacular own goal from Celtic debutant Olivier Tebily three minutes after half-time doubled their advantage. Norwegian Eirik Bakke was brought on after thirty-five minutes as Lee Bowyer had to be withdrawn. United then had to reshuffle their defence when Gary Kelly came on two minutes later for the injured Jonathan Woodgate, with Danny Mills switching to Central defence as the Irishman slotted in at Right Back. The problems did not seem to phase Leeds as they maintained control of the game. Celtic brought on Mark Burchill at half-time for Harald Brattbakk. After sixty-six minutes Celtic brought on Bobby Petta for Lubo Moravcik and Alan Smith gave way to Stephen McPhail, who dovetailed into the left flank while Harry Kewell took over as Hasselbaink's strike partner. Ten minutes later United brought on Alf-Inge Haaland for David Hopkin. It was Bobby Petta who got a late consolation goal five minutes from time. The unused sbstitutes were Paul Robinson and Matthew Jones for Leeds and Stewart Kerr, Tosh McKinlay, Regi Blinker, Tommy Johnson and Stephane Bonnes for Celtic. The referee was J. McCluskey of Stewarton.
Programme:
Match Action:
Lucas Radebe and Tom Boyd lead out the teams
David Batty launches into a tackle
David Batty keeps his eye on the ball
Lee Bowyer is tackled from behind
Lee Bowyer on the attack
David Hopkin breaks away in midfield
Gary Kelly gets in a cross
Danny Mills shows poise
Danny Mills moves into the tackle
Danny Mills tries to prevent a cross
Lucas Radebe shields the ball
Jonathan Woodgate and Mark Viduka fight for possession
Match Report by Simon Stone: Courtesy Mark Ledgard
Match Report by Andrew Smith
Celtic's flawed Olivier
(Scotland on Sunday 25/07/1999 By Andrew Smith AT CELTIC PARK)
Celtic 1 Leeds United 2
TUMULT can take its toll. The faithful came to praise the new Celtic and gave them a raucous reception that was positively roof-lifting as the traditional huddle was performed seconds before kick-off. Leeds United, in contrast, came to bury them and did so comprehensively by virtue of both force and fluid football that was the mark of an encounter competitive in nature, if not name.
And in the canon of unfortunate Celtic home debuts, that of Olivier Tebily will be given high ranking after the French defender spoiled an otherwise decent first afternoon in his new surrounds with a corker of an own goal. It was one of the truly spectacular variety with the defender airborne and his boot almost in line with the crossbar as it met an Alan Smith centre to send the ball flying beyond his own keeper in the 49th minute to give Leeds a two-goal advantage that they fully merited. This was whittled in the dying minutes when one of the other Celtic first-timers, Bobby Petta, won instant approval for his delicate skills by riding several challenges with the help of the break of the ball before a flick of the boot sent a curling effort out of the reach of Nigel Martyn.
The light relief for the Celtic fans in the 52,715 crowd was obvious as they cheered the goal more loudly than the circumstances of the match would dictate they should have. But it was any port in a storm for a support who had to accept being outdone on two fronts, with the team given the run around and the small band of Leeds fans making merry - the only section of the support to find their voice as the encounter wore on.
For large swathes of a bump and grind first half, the frailties of the much-vaunted Barnes' attacking system were exposed. Indeed, by agreeing to a match against Leeds, Barnes was throwing his new charges in at the deep end.
On yesterday's evidence, David O'Leary's side are contenders for a top-five placing in the Premiership, if not something more. Their ability to weld a wince-inducing physical approach to a lung-bursting enthusiasm you would expect of a team for whom the age 20 is recent past or soon-to-be future, was hugely impressive. Barnes appeared with Kenny Dalglish, Eric Black and Terry McDermott to take their bows before the first whistle, and the man with the masterplan was all smiles and relaxed to the point of being horizontal. His first-half at Celtic Park was, however, the kind to send him bolt upright, fidgety and sour of face.
Leeds took a stranglehold early on that they never looked like surrendering and Celtic merely flattered to deceive initially with the odd bright move. One was in the opening minutes when the ball zipped forward via 5.75m man Eyal Berkovic, another debutant, and Lubo Moravcik, only for it to then be snarled up in the feet of Harald Brattbakk. Some things never change.
The Norwegian was featuring in the absence of the injured Henrik Larsson, and without the talismanic Swede Celtic were unable to rely on a forward presence to knit together whatever pretty patterns they created, suggesting the more things change the more they really do stay the same.
Within nine minutes, Celtic found themselves trailing. A whistling drive from 30 yards by Danny Mills, a 4m summer buy from Charlton Athletic, proved the catalyst. It was slapped, flat-palmed, by the hands of Jonathan Gould straight into the path of Smith, who had hared into the box to be on hand to tap it over the line.
Only Mark Viduka looked like doing the same for Celtic, and, in the opening half, he twice employed his bulk to bound past men and drive into the box.
On the first occasion, Martyn smothered the Australian's shot at the near post, while 11 minutes from time the striker opted to cut back from a tight angle to set up Berkovic, whose ambitious hitch-kick took flight.
There was a crushing lack of width about the Celtic formation and the upshot was Berkovic and Moravcik constantly being crowded out in a clogged-up midfield area. They found themselves attempting to thread the ball through the eye of a needle while buffeted by robust challenges from David Batty and David Hopkin. Leeds were simply a class apart from their opponents, and, fortunately for Barnes' side, decided to sit on their lead in a second period which saw the pace drop but Celtic make no greater headway, even with Mark Burchill on for the ineffectual Brattbakk. The Elland Road side were already thinking of their post-match baths when Petta struck. And the Celtic fans were already heading to the exits, sobered if not dejected. Many indeed could still raise a chuckle with one stating confidently to a friend: "It'll get better."
It will have to if Barnes' big dreams are to be realised. And the Englishman is already beginning to talk like a fully-fledged head coach should, admitting: "There's still a lot of work to do," before pointing out that teams such as Leeds will not be coming around every week for his new side. He should rest easier in his bed knowing just that.
