Dynamic trio seal Celtic win
Christian Gimenez stunned the home crowd into silence with a goal after just 90 seconds. But the Celtic trio responded with goals which would have relieved manager Martin O’Neill and the Parkhead moneymen.
The home crowd expected victory and were hungry for a repeat of last season’s European adventure, but the visitors were certainly not intimidated by the hostile atmosphere, taking a shock lead after 90 seconds. Yakin slid the ball through to Christian Gimenez, with the Celtic defence static, and he managed to poke the ball under the advancing Robert Douglas and over the line.
But Celtic’s response was almost immediate and they were on level terms just two minutes later from the spot. Larsson played the ball through to Stilian Petrov, who was cut down by Marco Zwyssig, and the Swede stepped up to blast his effort into the bottom corner past Pascal Zuberbuhler.
The home defence were nervous and at times shambolic against the menacing Basle attack with Joos Valgaeren, Bobo Balde and Johan Mjallby all guilty of giving their fans many jittery moments. They breathed a sigh of relief in the 22nd minute when Douglas claimed Gregory Duruz’s dipping long-range effort under his crossbar and Gimenez fired wide from his teammate’s cross.
Basle went even closer in the 28th minute when Yakin volleyed Sebastien Esposito’s centre just past Douglas’s upright. Some of the referee’s decisions were adding to the fans’ frustration, but they tried to ease those concerns as the interval approached.
O’Neill’s half-time talk failed to settle his defence down and just two minutes after the restart Celtic needed a block from Balde to prevent Yakin’s shot from getting through to Douglas.
But Celtic moved up a gear and Sutton almost put his side ahead in the 50th minute when he controlled Sylla’s cross and turned, but he fired straight at Zuberbuhler. The Englishman, however, loves the big occasions and it was he who changed the game with a goal just two minutes later. Bobby Petta squared the ball to Lennon, who directed his shot on target, and Sutton’s back heel wrong-footed the Basle keeper. But they kept coming and minutes later they needed a superb one-handed save from Douglas to deny Yakin’s left-footed curler from hitting the back of the net.
The home side, however, looked a different team and Lambert fired over after good link-up play with Sutton.
Larsson was handed a glorious opportunity to extend Celtic’s lead in the 63rd minute when Yakin handled Sylla’s cross, but his effort was somehow kept out by the feet of Zuberbuhler.
The visitors were also becoming frustrated and they had Duruz booked for a foul on Petrov before Mario Cantaluppi and Lambert were also shown yellow cards for clashing off the ball.
Celtic kept pushing for more goals, but Douglas was rapidly becoming a hero for Celtic and he twice made great stops from Yakin in the space of a minute to maintain his side’s lead. Celtic were still hanging on for life at the back when Mjallby blocked Gimenez’s goalbound effort in the 75th minute as the crowd counted down the minutes.
But there was no need for the alarm as with just two minutes remaining Sylla crashed home a stunning volley from Steve Guppy’s cross to move them a step closer to the group stages.
Basle will wonder how they managed to lose by this scoreline, but the danger they posed suggests that Celtic are not quite into the group stages or over the hill yet.
Last night’s other results: AC Milan 1 (Inzaghi 68) Liberec 0; Rosenborg 1 (Brattbakk 53) Brondby 0; Shakhtar Donetsk 1 (Aghahowa 48) Club Brugge 1 (Simons 86 pen); Barcelona 3 (de Boer 8, Riquelme 80, Cocu 90) Legia Warsaw 0; Levski Sofia 0 Dynamo Kiev 1 (Cernat 60); Zeljeznicar Sarajevo 0 Newcastle 1 (Dyer 56); Partizan Belgrade 0 Bayern Munich 3 (Tarnat 22, Jeremies 71, Pizarro 78); Celtic 3 (Larsson 4 pen, Sutton 52, Sylla 88) Basle 1 (Gimenez 2); Graz AK 0 Lokomotiv Moscow 2 (Lekgetho 6, Loskov 41); Zalaegerszeg 1 (Koplarovic 90) Man Utd 0.
Nationwide Div One: Nottingham Forest 2 Preston 2; Stoke 0 Leicester 1; Wolves 3 Wallsall 1
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