Post by Taxigirl on Nov 26, 2003 9:39:34 GMT
Celtic's UEFA Champions League hopes will be decided in their final game at Lyon after they were held to a frustrating goalless draw by Bayern Munich.
Martin O'Neill's men dominated the majority of the game, but they could not find a way past a resolute Bayern defence, leaving qualification in Group A still up for grabs for all four teams.
Celtic almost got off to a perfect start after just four minutes with Henrik Larsson getting his head to Stilian Petrov's corner, but unluckily for the Swede his effort flew just wide of the post.
Bayern looked dangerous on the break and they went close from a corner of their own on ten minutes when Samuel Kuffour beat his marker to Owen Hargreaves' corner, but Neil Lennon was on hand to clear the defender's header off the line.
The hosts were trying to put Bayern on the back-foot and Larsson forced Oliver Kahn into a fine save on 13 minutes with a well-struck free kick from the edge of the box.
Larsson really looked up for the contest and the deadly striker set off on a superb solo run on 18 minutes beating three Bayern defenders, but unfortunately for the home side his shot went straight at Kahn.
Bayern midfield ace Michael Ballack forced Hedman into a great save on 25 minutes with an audacious left-footed half volley from 30 yards which the Swedish shot-stopper - at full stretch - just managed to tip over the crossbar.
Celtic continued to look dangerous every time they got crosses into the box and they went close to breaking the deadlock six minutes before the break when John Hartson rose highest to meet Alan Thompson's corner with a powerful downward header, but Hargreaves was stationed on the post to clear the ball off the line.
Bayern almost caught Celtic on the break three minutes before the interval when Roy Makaay sent Roque Santa Cruz through on goal with a clever pass, but Hedman was quick off his line to keep out the Paraguayan striker's shot with his legs.
The German champions seemed content to slow things down in the second half and knock Celtic out of their rhythm after soaking up a lot of pressure in the first period.
Celtic suffered a double blow just past the hour when Thompson picked up a booking to rule him out of the final group game at Lyon and Didier Agathe was forced off with a hamstring injury.
Hartson almost found a way through the massed ranks of the Bayern defence on the hour mark when he got past Kuffour inside the box, but Robert Kovac got back to smother the Welshman's shot for a corner and from the resulting Petrov corner, Sutton saw his flicked header flash into the side-netting.
The more the game wore on Bayern seemed to grow in confidence pushing more players into the attack and Ballack should have done better on 74 minutes after being set up by Makaay on the edge of the box, but the German international dragged his shot well wide.
The draw lifts Celtic to the top of Group A, but they need to pick up their first points on their travels in the Champions League away to Lyon next month if they want to reach the knock-out stages.
CELTIC: Hedman 7, McNamara 7, Balde 7, Varga 6, Agathe 7 (Miller 63) 6, Thompson 7, Lennon 7, Petrov 8, Sutton 7, LARSSON 9*, Hartson 8 (Sylla) 4
BAYERN MUNICH: Kahn 8, Sagnol 6, Lizarazu 6, Kuffour 7, Robert Kovac 8, Jeremies 7, Salihamidzic 6, HARGREAVES 8, Ballack 7, Santa Cruz 6 (Pizarro 73) 5, Makaay 7
