Rejuvenated Larsson brings reward for Celtic

Dundee 0 Celtic 1

Martin O’Neill’s decision to bring Henrik Larsson off in midweek paid off today as the rejuvenated striker conjured up a wonder goal to move th champions back to within a point of Rangers.

The Celtic boss did not realise until after substituting him that the Swedish star had equalled Ally McCoist’s European scoring record after his hat-trick in the UEFA Cup thrashing of Suduva.

But one thing is for certain – Larsson is back to his lethal best after his magnificent finish gave his side the points at Dens Park to keep the pressure on the Scottish Premier League leaders.

As the Celtic manager predicted in midweek, all his players were boosted by their midweek performance and results elsewhere in Europe and he shocked many by opting to name an unchanged team.

Dundee must also have winced when they saw Larsson and his fired up team-mates on the teamsheet and the Dundee defence certainly never got to grips with the Swede’s movement off the ball.

But it was Stilian Petrov who almost caught Dundee’s highly-rated star Julian Speroni by surprise in the fourth minute.

The Bulgarian swung in a corner which seemed to be curling into the net, but the keeper did well to tip the ball over the bar.

But the Celtic defence also looked vulnerable and they almost paid the price in the seventh minute when Fabian Caballero got away on the right, but his cross was deflected behind by Bobo Balde.

Two minutes later and Scotland hopeful Gavin Rae seized on a loose ball, but he fired wide of Robert Douglas’ post.

But Larsson gave him and the whole of Scottish football a lesson in finishing and skill when he got what proved to be the only goal of the game in the 17th minute with a sublime strike after a free-flowing passing move.

The Swede picked out Steve Guppy with a superb cross-field ball, after some good work by Petrov and Momo Sylla, and after receiving it back he clipped an inch-perfect chip over the stunned Speroni.

It was Larsson’s 10th goal of the season and oozed confidence the critics said was missing from his game.

The revitalised visitors were threatening to kill the game off by half-time as Sylla shot wide and Chris Sutton headed Guppy’s free-kick straight at a grateful Speroni.

But Dundee continued to look dangerous when they managed to break and Nacho Novo sliced Celtic’s defence open in the 25th minute as he burst infield, but his weak effort was easily saved by Douglas.

But a minute later Petrov should have doubled the champions’ lead when he exchanged passes with Sutton on the edge of the box and found himself clean through, but he somehow blazed just wide.

Douglas was also grateful for Dundee’s lack of conviction in front of goal and he comfortably saved Novo’s shot before the pacy frontman and Jonay Hernandez both fired well off target.

But Dundee survived a penalty scare in the 35th minute when Larsson threaded the ball through to Sutton in the box and the striker went down under the clumsy challenge of Lee Wilkie.

Referee John Underhill did take action moments later when he booked Rae for a late challenge on Larsson before the Swede headed just past the upright from Sylla’s fine centre.

But Dundee almost pulled themselves back on level terms just before the break when Ulrik Laursen headed Rae’s pass into the path of Novo, but he fired into the sidenetting.

That was to be their best chance of the game as the Dundee defence found themselves increasingly under siege after the break.

Speroni kept his side in the match in the 61st minute with a fine acrobatic one-handed save.

In-form Guppy left Barry Smith on his backside before picking out Sutton on the edge of the six-yard box and his header looked set for the bottom corner, but for the agility of the Dundee goalkeeper who somehow got down to his left to turn the ball away.

But Larsson should have secured the points in the 65th minute when he pulled away from his marker to get on the end of Sylla’s cross, but with the goal gaping he headed wide from six yards.

Two minutes later his quick thinking gave Sutton a good opportunity to score as he dummied Petrov’s pass after Nemsadze had given the ball away, but the striker fired over.

Petrov was unfortunate not to score in the 71st minute when his delicate chip left Speroni for dead, but the crossbar came to his and Dundee’s rescue.

The home side were again let off the hook in the 76th minute when Sutton’s replacement John Hartson was fouled in the area by Thomas Hutchinson, but the referee again bemusingly waved play on.

Dundee were amazingly holding on as the Welshman and Petrov both went close with good chances to leave a few anxious moments for the Glasgow outfit in the final minutes – but they held on to keep the pressure on their arch-rivals.