Falkirk 0 Celtic 2
00:00
HELLO and welcome to www.celticfc.net for today’s SPL match between Falkirk and Celtic. Kick-off is at 1.15 pm.
Tony Mowbray has made several changes from last week’s starting XI. Morten Rasmussen starts up front, Darren O’Dea comes into defence, while Marc Crosas and Georgios Samaras slot into midfield roles.
TODAY’S TEAMS:
CELTIC (4-4-2) Boruc; Hinkel, Thompson, O’Dea, Braafheid; McGeady, NGuemo, Crosas, Samaras; Keane, Rasmussen
Subs: Zaluska, Naylor, Wilson, Ki, Zheng Zhi, Caddis, McGowan.
FALKIRK (4-5-1) Olejnik; Barr, McLean, Scobbie, Twaddle; Arfield, Lima, Healy, O’Brien, Flynn; Showunmi
Subs: Wagenaar, Moutinho, Lynch, Compton, Duffie, Davidson, Bloom
00:00
The teams enter the field. Celtic are wearing the Bumble Bee away kit.
00:01
Celtic kick-off.
01:00
Early free-kick to Celtic for a foul on NGuemo. Boruc takes it from the edge of his own box.
04:00
Braafheid beats Barr on the left and crosses into the box. It falls for Keane at the edge of the area and his shot is deflected for a corner. Braafheid takes it, but Barr clears for the home side.
06:00
First attack from the home side. Arfield dispossess Samaras and crosses from the right, however, Showunmi heads wide.
08:00
Almighty scramble at the edge of the Falkirk box, as Celtic have a number of shots blocked, before Samaras' effort eventually is deflected wide for a corner. Braafheid takes it, but the home defence clear to safety.
10:00
McGeady skips past his man on the right and drives towards the touchline, but the final touch goes off the Irish winger and goes out for a goal kick.
12:00
Deep cross towards the back post, but Olejnik catches the ball with Keane lurking.
15:00
Showunmi wins the first corner of the match for the home side. Healy takes it and the ball is cleared back to him. He passes to Lima who delivers low into the area, but Keane eventually boots the ball to safety.
17:00
Hesitancy in the Celtic defence with Showunmi lurking, but O'Dea gets in a vital touch.
20:00
Lima gets a sight of goal 25 yards out, but he drags his shot wide.
22:00
Barr wins a corner for Falkirk. Healy takes it, Lima gets there first, but lifts his shot over.
23:00
At the mid-point of the first-half, it has been pretty even contest so far. The Hoops started impressively, controlling possession, but in the last 10 minutes the home side have come right back into it.
26:00
Keane beats the offside trap and he fires a shot on target from a tight angle, but Olejnik deflects it wide for a corner. Celtic take a short one, McGeady beats Arfield and delivers a great ball across the six yard box, but there are no takers.
29:00
McGeady wins a corner on the right. Braafheid takes it, but Olejnik punches clear.
30:00
Flynn takes the ball into the area and wins a corner, Healy takes it and the ball is cleared as far as Arfield. His ball in is headed towards goal by Barr, but Boruc collects the ball comfortably.
31:00
Great effort from Keane. He engineers space 18 yards out and rifles the ball towards goal, which Olejnik does well to save.
31:00
Celtic win two corners. From Crosas' second delivery, Thompson gets a shot on target which is blocked.
32:00
At the other end, Flynn races to the byline and his cutback is put wide by Arfield at the far post.
34:00
GOAL!!!! FALKIRK 0 CELTIC 1 Robbie Keane opens the scoring for Celtic. Rasmussen plays the Irishman in and he cooly slots the ball under Olejnik.
38:00
Lima wins a corner, Healy takes it, the ball bobbles around the area and Flynn looks to have levelled the match with an acrobatic effort, but Boruc pulls of a magnificent save at his far post. Brilliant stop by the Polish keeper.
39:00
Falkirk win a corner, but the Hoops defence clear the danger.
42:00
Rasmussen wins a free-kick, after Arfield is penalised for a high boot. Celtic elect to keep possesion instead of knocking the ball forward.
43:00
Samaras has a chance to cross, but the ball is cleared by Barr for a throw.
45:00
Great chance for Falkirk to draw level. Arfield drives through the middle, before playing the ball into Showunmi, but the big striker misses a golden chance.
45:00
HALF TIME: Falkirk 0 Celtic 1. Robbie Keane's goal gives the Hoops the lead at the break.
45:01
Falkirk kick-off the second half.
50:00
Rasmussen heads the ball down for Keane, who is clean through on goal, but referee Brian Winter blows for a foul by the Danish striker. That looked a harsh decision.
53:00
Samaras wins a corner on the left. Crosas takes it, but Olejnik punches clear.
54:00
Today's attendance at Westfield is 6792.
54:00
Barr gets in behind Samaras and cuts the ball back, but O'Dea shows good anticipation to clear.
55:00
Falkirk corner. Healy takes it, but Celtic head clear.
56:00
Flynn puts a dangerous cross in from the byline, but O'Dea is again in the right place to clear.
57:00
McGeady skips past two Falkirk players and sets up a counter attack, but the Hoops are unable to make anything of it.
58:00
McGeady plays a perfectly weighted ball through for Hinkel, the German full-back cuts it back, but McLean blocks the cross.
59:00
A better spell from Celtic. Samaras collects a ball from Rasmussen and fires a shot at goal from 25 yards, but it bounces past the far post.
62:00
Braafheid goes down under a late tackle when crossing into the box. However, the full-back is ok to continue.
65:00
Lima collects the ball inside the box, but O'Dea blocks his shot for a corner. Healy takes it low, but NGuemo heads the ball to safety.
65:00
Twaddle wins a corner. Healy takes it short, Flynn crosses into the six yard box, but Boruc grabs the ball.
66:00
Keane and Rasmussen link-up and Celtic win a throw in near the corner flag.
67:00
Falkirk win a free-kick after Crosas brings down Flynn. It's launched into the box, but Thompson rises above Showunmi to head clear.
68:00
Barr delivers a dangerous ball into the Celtic box, and Showunmi heads over when it looked easier to score.
71:00
Falkirk win a free-kick on the left touchline. Flynn flights it in, but Celtic clear. Keane starts a counter attack, but he is crudely brought down by Scobbie on the half-way line.
73:00
Another glaring miss for the home side. Barr, again, finds space on the right and he cuts the ball back for Lima, who blasts wildly over from a good position. Probably the best chance of the match for Falkirk.
76:00
Rasmussen wins a corner for Celtic. Braafheid takes it, but Twaddle heads clear.
76:00
Arfield collects Showumni's lay-off and fires a shot on target, Boruc makes a good save to his right. The corner is taken by Healy and Boruc gathers the ball, before being pushed by McLean, who is booked.
79:00
GOAL!!! FALKIRK 0 CELTIC 2 Robbie Keane gets his second goal of the game. Marc Crosas launches a pass forward and the Irish captain shows great movement to get away from the Falkirk defence and clips the ball into the far corner, before embarking on his trademark celebration.
79:00
Falkirk sub - Lima off for Moutinho.
84:00
Arfield shows neat footwork 30 yards out and tries to beat Boruc with a curling effort, but the Polish stopper is equal to the task and holds on to his shot.
85:00
Great challenge from NGuemo to set up a Celtic attack.
87:00
Great chance for Celtic on the counter attack. Samaras races away from Scobbie, he has Keane free in the middle, but he overhits his cross. A wasted opportunity.
89:00
Moutinho and Flynn link up on the edge of the Celtic box. Eventually, Flynn is forced wide. Goal kick to the Hoops.
90:00
Two Celtic changes. Mark Wilson replaces Samaras and Paul McGowan is on for Rasmussen.
90:00
There will be one minute of added time.
90:00
FULL TIME: Falkirk 0 Celtic 2. Robbie Keane's clinical strikes in each half, give Tony Mowbray's men all three points at Westfield.
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