Zurawski well served by skill of Nakamura
Celtic gave their supporters a torment their loyalty hardly deserved, contriving probably their most banal performance of the season just four days after their most exhilarating. Victory was achieved through Stephen Craigan’s own goal and Maciej Zurawski’s secondhalf strike, but not before a sweaty last few minutes following Scott McDonald’s counter for Motherwell.
Domestic fixtures rarely compare with Champions League matches, in either intensity or level of performance, and this one was no exception to the general rule. Motherwell were never likely to demand of Celtic the kind of relentlessly aggressive and energetic game that was required to beat Benfica and the result was a predictably bland contest for most of the time. It is an indicator of the champions’ relative sleepiness that they should take the lead with the only threatening attack they contrived in the entire first half.
That the goal should be scored by an opponent merely Authentic Prada Handbags Usa confirmed the impression that this would be one of those banal post-Europe occasions.
It was Shunsuke Nakamura who set up the situation, his precise through ball allowing Maciej Zurawski to beat Colin Meldrum in the chase and carry the ball past the goalkeeper on the left side of the penalty area. With the net unprotected, however, the Poland striker’s shot was miscued and Authentic Prada Outlet Online Usa it seemed unlikely that the ball had the pace to reach the goalline, far less the accuracy to roll between the posts. It required the touch from Craigan, the defender taken by surprise and diverting the ball into the net as he hurried back with Mark Reynolds to cover.
This was hardly Are Prada Mens Shoes Worth It what the visitors deserved, having matched Celtic in every area of the field. This included a similar scarcity of scoring opportunities, although the visitors had one that was squandered, in addition to a terriffic attempt that was saved bags, before the interval.
The first opportunity was contrived by Richie Foran , whose cross from the left, after some neat Are All Prada Products Made In Italy play between himself and Jim Paterson , eluded the normally alert Gary Caldwell and Stephen McManus and floated straight to Ste ven McGarry . From about eight yards out on the right of the area, the Motherwell midfielder’s conversion attempt was poor as he headed the ball into the ground, from Black Prada Bag Mission Impossible where it bounced over the bar.
With Motherwell’s containment policy applied most rigidly in Black Prada Bag With Gold Hardware midfield and a curious lethargy settling on the Celtic players in that area, a shortage of meaningful surges was inevitable. Unsurprisingly, it was a try from outside the areafrom Calum Elliot that gave Artur Boruc Are All Prada Products Made In Italy the chance to distinguish himself. Ellio t’s right-foot drive from around 20 yards was struck ferociously and the ball would have found Are Prada Handbags Cheaper In Italy the goalkeeper’s top-right corner but for his quick leap to divert it wide. But, in spending so much of the match demonstrating an uncharacteristic clumsiness of touch and pedestrian movement, Celtic were merely conforming to a pattern they had established after their two previous European outings this season. Each had been followed by unconvincing a single-goal victory, over Dunfermline then Falkirk.
It was Zurawski, this time with no need of essential assistance from an opposing defender, who ensured that they would at least beat the goals totals in those games, once again served by Authentic Prada Handbags Outlet Online a brilliant through ball from Nakamura. On this occasion, the Japan midfielder released his team-mate into the right side of the area and, having held the ball until Meldrum started to leave his line, Zurawski drilled the shot right-footed low past the goalkeeper from around eight yards .
The goal should have been sufficient to allow the home side a relatively peaceful run to the finish, but they took this to extremes by falling asleep when Motherwell halved Authentic Prada Handbags Canada the deficit.
Paul Quinn’s floated free-kick from the right should have been easily dealt with by the tall Celtic defenders, but Foran was unchallenged when he met the ball close to the far post and headed it back across the six-yard box. McDonald, literally strolling forward unaccompanied, met it four yards out and volleyed it high past Boruc.
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