The Thistle Archive

Media report

06-Nov-2002, bbc.com

CELTIC WIN DRAMATIC SHOOT-OUT. Celtic squeezed past Partick Thistle in a dramatic sudden-death penalty shoot-out when their CIS Insurance Cup quarter-final tie finished all-square after extra time. Paul Lambert's header three minutes before the break looked to have put the champions on course for the last four at Parkhead. But Alex Burns equalised in the 50th minute and Celtic almost paid the price for missed chances in normal time when the game went to penalties but, amazingly, after nine penalties apiece, Momo Sylla scored before David Lilley missed to deny Thistle a famous victory.

The champions lacked spark early on, but they carved out a good chance in the fourth minute. Fernandez pulled off his marker to control Hartson's centre, but he was unable to find the power or direction on the turn to beat Kenny Arthur from eight yards. Then the visitors broke away down the right flank with Alex Burns, but Robert Douglas was alert to the danger and Celtic were able to clear. The Parkhead side started to find their range and Fernandez's shot from the edge of the box was saved by Arthur before Shaun Maloney fired a right-foot drive just over the crossbar. But Partick looked a threat on the break and Gerry Britton tested Douglas with a fierce volley from Alan Archibald's cross moments later. Hartson came within inches of adding to his goal total in the 26th minute when his header from Fernandez's free-kick came back off the crossbar. Celtic continued to turn the screw but Partick squandered a glorious chance in the 33rd minute when Britton latched onto Scott Paterson's searching long ball and found himself one-on-one with Douglas. But the Thistle striker made the wrong decision and his low effort was well saved by the Scotland keeper. Celtic took the lead three minutes before the break. Hartson directed Jamie Smith's cross into the six-yard box and Lambert bravely dived in to head the ball into the back of the net.

Thistle started the second-half in determined fashion and Burns snatched an equaliser after 50 minutes sparking wild celebrations among the Partick fans. Celtic breathed a sigh of relief in the 62nd minute when Douglas pushed Walker's first-time effort over the bar. But that woke up Celtic and Arthur did well to push Lambert's low shot around the post, before Hartson headed wide and Laursen had an effort cleared off the line. In the 72nd minute Fernandez saw his header came back off the foot of the post. And four minutes later Celtic had another chance to take the lead but Smith failed to get proper contact on Sylla's whipped cross. Fernandez was again thwarted by Arthur in the 78th minute when Hartson did well to let the ball run through to him, but the keeper got down well to push around the post. But the visitors were the ones to give Celtic a huge fright in the 85th minute when Lilley leapt unmarked to head Burns' corner just past the upright. Sylla, Maloney and Stillian Petrov all came close for Celtic in extra time while Partick were desperately unlucky not to go ahead. Scott McLean's header looked destined for the back of the net, but Smith headed clear off the goal-line as everybody looked anxiously at the linesman to see if the ball had crossed the line.

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