Celtic - FCK 1-0 (1-0)
F.C. Copenhagen did not create much offensively at Celtic Park, and if you can’t score, you can win. The scots created the few chances in the game and eventually won on the penalty, Kenny Miller converted 10 minutes before half time.
The Copenhagen line-up was:
Jesper Christiansen – Lars Jacobsen, Brede Hangeland, Michael Gravgaard, André Bergdølmo (73.: Dan Thomassen) – Michael Silberbauer, Tobias Linderoth, Hjalte Nørregaard, Atiba Hutchinson – Fredrik Berglund (54.: William Kvist), Marcus Allbäck
As expected there was a terrific roar from the home crowd, when the two teams entered the sold-out Celtic Park, and you could easily understand why Ståle Solbakken had warned his players against the vocal pressure, they would be playing under. But to the players surprise and delight, they were also able to hear their own very active choir of 1500 supporters singing and chanting during the whole game.
In the opening of the game, the home team tried to come forward, but the solid Copenhagen defence – in Gordon Strachans opinion one of the tallest in Europe – had no serious problems, until the 12th minute, when the very active Nakamura came to a good shot, but Gravgaard came down and deflected the ball.
The Scotsmen had most of the ball possession, but it often seemed as they tried to combine a bit too fast and hectic. Copenhagen on their behalf concentrated on the defence and tried to slow the game down, but had difficulties in creating anything in their offensive play. Actually, Celtic provided the best opportunity for the guests, when Stephen McManus nearly caught his keeper Boruc off guard with a hazardous backpass, but - fortunately for him - it went beside the goal for a corner kick.
5 minutes later came the incident that eventually decided the game, when Nakamura set pace into the penalty area and fell to the ground, when he tried to get past Gravgaard, who might have touched him, but hardly enough to send him flying. Kenny Miller stepped up and conceded the penalty, even though Jesper Christiansen dived to the right side and got his hand on the low, hard shot.
Miller might have doubled his score a few minutes later with a header from close range following a cross from McGeady, but Christiansen denied him with a miraculous save.
In the second half Copenhagen tried to push their game forward, but still couldn’t manage to create any chances. Nørregaard once tested Boruc with a left footer from the edge of the area, but the Polish International never came into serious trouble this night. Physically the Danes easily matched the Scottish team, but that was not enough, and the few chances in the second half were Scottish. Nakamura almost got his head on another sharp cross from McGeady, and Christiansen pulled off another great save, when Miller tried to put the ball between his legs.
Copenhagen controlled the last quarter of the game, and Celtic began to rely on the occasional counter-attack, and with 13 minutes to go the referee should have given Gravgaard a penalty! Gary Caldwell clearly pulled the Dane down in the area by holding his jersey so long that it was easily captured by the TV cameras. But the whistle remained silent, as it often does in situations like this, when you’re playing away. And Copenhagen had to realize, that they could not create the chances by themselves, so it ended with a narrow, but deserved victory for Celtic.
Of course, the Copenhagen players were disappointed after game, but mostly at their own offensive performance, which must be improved if they are to get points out of the next two games against Manchester United. According to the penalty incident Gravgaard insisted that he didn’t trip Nakamura, but he accepted that these kinds of penalties are given in modern football – and on the other hand not always given when your opponent tries to steal your jersey during the game.
The players also showed their deepest respect to their dedicated fans, who started singing an hour and a half before kick off and never stopped, though they of course were overshadowed from time to time by the 56.000 Scotsmen.
After the game the players hurried to their bus to catch a midnight plane back to Copenhagen to start the preparations for the next big match at Sunday against Brøndby in PARKEN - a match that has already been sold out for weeks.
