Celtic 2 : 1 HJK Helsinki - Mulgrew gives Hoops edge

Posted Wednesday, August 01, 2012 by PA

Celtic came from behind to beat HJK Helsinki 2-1 in the first-leg of their Champions League third qualifier at Parkhead, but the goal conceded leaves Neil Lennon's men with plenty to do next week in Finland.

The Hoops were made to pay for early profligacy less than two minutes into the second-half when Rasmus Schuller fired the visitors ahead.

Parkhead striker Gary Hooper levelled in the 54th minute before defender Charlie Mulgrew headed the winner seven minutes later.

Lennon will rue the moment of slackness which could ultimately end his Champions League dream, but the Parkhead boss will be heartened by the way his players reacted in adversity.

With a little bit of luck his side, playing their first competitive game of the season, could have ended the game at least a couple of goals clear of a team who did not look any fitter or sharper despite being 19 games into their domestic season.

Lennon was boosted before the game when Kris Commons shrugged off an ankle knock although striker Anthony Stokes, who also picked up an ankle injury in Saturday's 1-1 home friendly draw with Inter Milan, had to be content with a place on the bench.

Skipper Scott Brown and winger James Forrest returned with Victor Wanyama moving back from midfield to partner Mulgrew at centre-back, while the visitors had former Hearts striker Juho Makela leading the line.

However, HJK Helsinki looked out of their depth at the start when Celtic could and should have raced into a two-goal lead.

Within 10 seconds Hooper had came close with an angled-shot drive after racing on to a Georgios Samaras head-flick, before Wanyama failed to connect properly at the back post from a Commons corner.

The Finnish side could hardly get out of their own half, but in the 12th minute the home support held its breath when Wanyama barged into Makela inside the Celtic box near the bye-line only for Czech Republic referee Miroslav Zelinka to call a goal kick.

Moments later, in the visitors' box, it looked like Forrest had been nudged by Helsinki defender Mikko Sumusalo before he missed with a header before the Scotland winger set up Hooper, who missed the ball altogether before Joe Ledley fired wide from 16 yards.

The Wales international then forced a good save from goalkeeper Ville Wallen with a low drive from the edge of the box, but again the home side could not capitalise on the corner, giving the Finnish side the encouragement to force their way into the game.

After slack play by Celtic left-back Emilio Izaguirre in losing possession, it took a great saving tackle by his opposite full-back Adam Matthews to deny Demba Savage getting his shot away.

Antti Muurinen's men had lost all sense of dread by now and in the 35th minute Celtic keeper Fraser Forster had to dive low to his right to push a long-distance drive from Helsinki midfielder Joel Perovuo round the post.

The visitors' goal less than two minutes after the restart raised questions about the Hoops' defence.

Lively right midfielder Sebastian Mannstrom played in Schuller and when his first effort from 10 yards was blocked by Forster, he took advantage of a fortuitous rebound to squeeze the ball in from a tight angle.

Celtic Park was stunned, but Commons almost had Celtic level a minute later when his 25-yard drive beat Wallen but rebounded off the post and hit the keeper on the head before flying clear.

However, the Scottish champions redressed the balance through Hooper after Samaras had picked up a Commons pass wide on the left and put a cross on a plate for the Englishman to tap into an empty net at the back post.

The visitors seemed to have lost their composure and just after the hour-mark Mulgrew forced the Parkhead side into the lead when he met a Commons corner from the right and headed down and past Wallen from 10 yards.

Stokes then replaced Commons as Celtic continued to bombard the Finns' penalty area looking for the third goal.

In the 78th minute, with the home side camped inside the Helsinki half, Mulgrew sent a right-footed drive from 30 yards inches past the post.

With three minutes remaining Hooper and Forrest ran into each other inside the Helsinki box after a Stokes pass had opened up the defence and left the two of them clear.

It was an unusual moment of farce, but it was another missed opportunity to leaves Celtic's Champions League hopes on a knife-edge.