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Celtic crash to brilliant Barca
21/02/2008 07:22 - (SA)
Glasgow - Celtic crashed to a 3-2 home defeat after a brilliant Barcelona display swept them away in a thrilling Champions League second round first leg tie on Wednesday.
The Scottish champions had twice led but Barcelona's Lionel Messi cancelled out Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink's opener and, after Barry Robson had headed Celtic in front before half time, French forward Thierry Henry again levelled in the second half.
The Catalan club went on to score a deserved winner, with Messi completing his brace, to put the Spanish side in control ahead of the second leg at the Nou Camp on March 4.
Barcelona were looking to repeat their Champions League victory away to Celtic in September 2004 - the only time any club has beaten the Scottish side on home soil in the competition.
It was a defensive mistake that gifted the visitors the first shot of the match.
Paul Hartley's attempted pass to Lee Naylor was intercepted by Henry, he cut it back for Andres Iniesta and his first-time shot from 20-yards required Celtic's Polish goalkeeper Artur Boruc to turn the ball round his post.
Stunned
From the resultant corner Henry's shot required Celtic's young right-back Paul Caddis, playing in place of cup-tied German defender Andreas Hinkel, to clear off the line.
Against the run of play Celtic stunned the Catalan club by taking the lead in the 16th minute.
Aiden McGeady crossed for McDonald, who did well to hold the ball up in the box before rolling a pass back to Naylor, and he played an inch-perfect cross for Vennegoor of Hesselink to send a diving header beyond Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes.
The home fans in the 60,000 crowd erupted as they began to dream of another big Champions League scalp at Celtic Park.
However, only two minutes later Barcelona were level.
Messi played a quick one-two with Portuguese playmaker Deco, taking Naylor out of play, and the Argentine international smashed a superb shot into the roof of the net.
Amazingly Celtic again took the lead in the 38th minute.
Fantastic footwork from McGeady took him away from Carles Puyol and the Republic of Ireland international looked up before chipping the ball over the Barcelona rearguard for Robson to send a looping header from 12-yards over Valdes and into the net.
Inexplicably
Barcelona started the second half looking for a second equaliser and in the 52nd minute they duly got it.
Celtic's centre-half Gary Caldwell had been playing well but inexplicably gifted the ball to Ronaldinho.
The Brazilian passed to Henry and the Frenchman cut inside before sending a tremendous curling shot across the face of Boruc and into the opposite top corner of the net.
In the 75th minute Barca should have been ahead when Xavi Hernandez's free-kick found Milito free six-yards from goal but the Argentine's header was straight at Boruc.
Four minutes later the visitors got their winner.
Samuel Eto'o, who had replaced Ronaldinho in the 73rd minute, crossed from the left, and when Celtic captain Stephen McManus' attempted clearance rebounded off teammate Donati, Messi gratefully collected and clinically directed into the bottom corner of the net.
- AFP
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