Giggs rescues a point
GettyImages
McDonald looks on as his shot flies toward goal.
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Match Stats
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Celtic
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Manchester United
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Shots (on Goal)
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6(3)
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30(7)
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Fouls
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14
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6
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Corner Kicks
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4
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13
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Offsides
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1
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1
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Time of Possession
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27%
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73%
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Yellow Cards
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0
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1
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Red Cards
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0
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0
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Saves
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6
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2
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Match Information
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Stadium:
Celtic Park, Scotland
Attendance: 58,903
Match Time: 19:45 UK
Official(s):
Tom Henning Ovrebo (Referee)
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Updated: November 5, 2008, 8:00 AM UK
Evergreen winger Ryan Giggs bundled home six minutes from time to rescue
Manchester United from defeat at Celtic and send the Champions League holders to
the brink of a place in the last 16.
Only an unlikely set of results, including a four-goal win for Aalborg at Old
Trafford next month can rob Sir Alex Ferguson's men of qualification.
But it would have been very nervy indeed had Giggs, who celebrates his 35th
birthday this month, not been on hand to finish from close range after Artur
Boruc had failed to hold Cristiano Ronaldo's stinging shot.
It was tough luck on Celtic, who mounted a brave second-half resistance as
United pressed.
However, Scott McDonald's precise lob came too early to allow the Scottish
champions to cling on, leaving them only able to claim a moral victory and the
possibility of a UEFA Cup consolation prize.
Two years ago United dominated with a swagger, only to be rudely shaken out of
their stride by Shunsuke Nakamura's astonishing late free-kick.
Ferguson's men began in the same manner again as befits European champions.
This time the unexpected shock came much earlier.
Set-pieces would have been a more likely route to goal had Jan Venegoor of
Hesselink or Giorgios Samaras been fit but the Bhoys had enough height and
muscle to make life uncomfortable for United.
Such was the desperation to clear their lines when Nemanja Vidic headed away
Shaun Maloney's free-kick that Scott MacDonald was left on his own 10 yards out
as Gary Caldwell nodded the ball back into the United danger zone.
Ben Foster was left in no man's land and McDonald's lob looped over his head
and dropped neatly into the visitors' net. It was the first European goal United
had conceded since they lifted the trophy in Moscow.
The ear-splitting noise was only to be expected given the willingness of
Celtic's fans to get behind their team facing opponents that had dismissed them
convincingly at Old Trafford a fortnight ago.
With Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney consigned to the bench, United's
attempts to get level centred around Cristiano Ronaldo.
But for once, the prospective world player of the year was overshadowed;
exclusively by men wearing green and white hoops.
Apart from McDonald, Barry Robson impressed. Caldwell and captain Stephen
McManus were rocks in defence and Scott Brown simply dominated midfield.
One Ronaldo free-kick fizzed over for the visitors but other than that, the
nearest they came in the first half was through Rio Ferdinand and John O'Shea.
The fact they are both defenders said much about Celtic's marshalling of
United's forward line.
In contrast, Foster was keeping busy. On his Champions League debut and only
second appearance for United, he would probably would have wanted plenty of
action anyway.
He was not disappointed as Celtic peppered him with crosses and shots that were
dealt with in fluctuating degrees of comfort.
Celtic returned to a scarf-holding home crowd desperate for more.
Ferguson, so keen to do well in his native city, had already made his
assessment of the opening period by bringing on Berbatov for Nani, shifting
Giggs to the wing - where the United manager had said he would not return.
With Berbatov pulling a few strings, there was definitely a more measured
approach from United.
The problem was, with something to hold on to, there were Celtic bodies
throwing themselves at anything even vaguely threatening.
One such instance came just before the hour when Vidic steered a Giggs corner
into the path of Berbatov in the middle of a crowded penalty area.
The Bulgarian astutely turned the ball goalwards, only for Maloney to boot it
off the line.
Celtic were creating a vastly-reduced number of chances but Caldwell saw a
glorious opportunity for a second go begging when he nodded Maloney's corner
over.
As the cacophony increased in the stands, so did the frenzy down below. With 20
minutes left, into the fray for an unhappy-looking Tevez was sent Rooney.
The pattern was already set. United attacks, Celtic clearances. Ronaldo broke
it by needlessly kicking out at Brown by the touchline. None of the officials
spotted it but UEFA might take a look.
No-one will need to have a second viewing at Ronaldo's next contribution though
as his wickedly swerving shot had Boruc flapping.
The Celtic keeper meekly pushed it into the air, offering Giggs the easiest of
close-range tap-ins, much to Ferguson's relief.
Celtic 1 - 1 Manchester United