TOP 100 SOCCER SITES
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| Celtic 2-0 Hamilton Celtic produced a performance and a result that typified their season so far, contriving to outplay their opponents for most of the match yet finishing the exercise still sweating on the possibility of conceding an equaliser, before the substitute Niall McGinn's injury-time clincher. Glenn Loovens's earlier strike had been scant reward for the extent of the home side's domination.Whatever festive spirit may have permeated the Hamilton party on Boxing Day morning probably dissipated as the team bus turned on to the approach road to the stadium. Celtic Park is an intimidating sight for visitors from the lower orders, and the Accies' apprehension would be vindicated early enough to cause their small band of followers to fret over the possibilities for the remainder of the match.In fact, Aiden McGeady should have scored even before Loovens, but, having received a long, floating pass out of defence from Danny Fox and cut inside from the right side of the area, the winger placed his low left-foot shot just close enough to the right of Thomas Cerny to allow the goalkeeper to stretch and tip the ball wide.It was also a fortunate deflection of Scott McDonald's close-range shot that brought the corner kick from which the home side took the lead. Barry Robson's delivery from the left fell perfectly to Loovens and the big defender rifled his left-foot volley past Cerny from about 12 yards.As it transpired, the concern of the Hamilton fans would ease through the remainder of the first half, largely due to Celtic's continuing – and, for their own followers, frustrating – tendency not to exploit extensive possession and promising positions in forward areas.The home players seemed rarely to be out of the Hamilton half and, with Georgios Samaras, McGeady and McDonald all moving into threatening areas with the ball at their feet, it was hardly surprising that the failure to add at least another goal to their credits should cause an unmistakable disapproval among their support.The censorious chorus would be heard again early in the second half, when the Celtic players again spurned golden opportunities to establish a more appropriate advantage. Barry Robson's attempt, it must be said, merited every critical voice. The midfielder took delivery of a perfect pass from Landry N'guemo after the Cameroon player had carried the ball 40 yards from one half to the other. With only Cerny to beat, Robson scooped the right-foot shot high and wide from only 12 yards.Samaras would commit a similar offence soon after, his attempt at drawing the ball from out on the left into the far corner succeeding merely in sending it in the direction of the corner flag. When the tall Greece striker pulled the ball back to nobody from another clear position on the right of the Hamilton area, the home crowd began to sense that disaster could be lurking round the next corner. That dread was almost justified within a minute, when Hamilton's first scoring attempt required an excellent save from Artur Boruc.When Marc-Antoine Fortuné, who had replaced Robson, slipped free on the right and drove the ball against a post and Samaras skipped into the area before clipping the ball past Cerny and inches wide of the left post, that sinking feeling returned to the fans in green and white.It would turn to despair when the Hamilton substitute Flavio Paixao drove the ball into the Celtic net after another dreadful blunder from Boruc, but the "scorer" would be devastated to discover that the goal had been disallowed because his twin, Marco, had controlled the ball with his arm in the build-up. Almost typically, they then conceded the second, with McGinn's powerful volley from 18 yards.Scottish Premier LeagueCelticHamiltonGlenn Gibbonsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Real Madrid make £50m move for Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery Bayern Munich's French international Franck Ribery is set for a £50 million move to Real Madrid next summer. telegraph.co.uk |
Steve Bruce denies Sunderland have bid for Wigan's Chris Kirkland Sunderland manager has dismissed suggestions that he had launched a £5 million bid for Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland. telegraph.co.uk |
You are the Ref Click to enlarge, and debate the strip below the line. Keith Hackett's official answers appear in Sunday's Observer and here from Monday.Competition: win an official club shirt of your choiceFor a chance to win a club shirt from the range at Kitbag.com send us your questions for You are the Ref to you.are.the.ref@observer.co.uk. The best scenario used in the new Observer YATR strip each Sunday wins a shirt of your choice from Kitbag. Terms & conditions apply.For more on the fifty year history of You Are The Ref, click here.guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Real Madrid rule out move for Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney Real Madrid general manager Jorge Valdano says club not interested in taking Wayne Rooney to Bernabeu. telegraph.co.uk |