Celtic 0 - 1 Hamburg: Clinical Berg makes Celtic pay for missed opportunities

Published on Friday 23 October 2009 00:50

ONLY the fact that two of their next three matches in the Europa League are away from Celtic Park can provide Tony Mowbray's side with comfort as they are forced to contemplate another European exit.

Marcus Berg celebrates the decisive goal.

The area around the stadium has been re-generated, and somehwere in this process the power supply to Celtic Park has been disconnected. The club's greatest asset has now three staged three defeats in Europe already this season. The fear is that the stadium will host a match that is meaningless for Celtic in the final match in Group C, when Mowbray's side are due to return here against Hapoel Tel Aviv after two successive away assignments in Hamburg and Vienna.

The home team again looked toothless last night as they failed to score for the second home match in succession. Hamburg made a nuisance of themselves both in the streets and on the pitch. Their fans baited Celtic with pro-Rangers chants, and the German players mocked their opponents' inability to convert goalscoring opportunities when claiming the winning goal with a stylish finish from Marcus Berg midway through the second half. Having failed so miserably to draw first blood, it was no surprise when Celtic could find no response.

While the centre of defence remains a thorny issue for Celtic, Mowbray's selection of Scott Brown to sit in behind Scott McDonald in attack stole much of the focus. Stephen McManus and Gary Caldwell maintained their partnership at the back, but had clearly been targeted by Hamburg. The visitors tested Celtic through the middle, and Celtic's cause was not helped by an old weakness. Time and time again they gifted possession, with the returning Landry N'Guemo the most obvious culprit, along with Lee Naylor.

But they had company in this rank of sinners. Brown's finishing must surely continue to frustrate himself as much as it does the supporters. Having been teed up at the back post following a flicked-on corner from Shaun Maloney, he scorned a gaping opportunity to silence the boisterous away fans and put Celtic ahead. His side-footed effort was weak, however. As a relieved Hamburg 'keeper Frank Rost retrieved the ball for a by-kick Brown slunked back to his position.

Maloney, too, rued an old failing. Like Brown, his ability to convert chances from inside the box continues to prove costly for his side. Having weathered an early storm, Celtic would have skipped in at half-time had Maloney managed to give his side an interval lead. Just three minutes of the half remained when N'Guemo headed an attempted clearance back into the box, and Maloney found himself in isolation and in an on-side position. It was not a straightforward chance, but it was a far from impossible one. Maloney, not for the first time this season, lacked composure as he swung his boot at the ball after it arced over his shoulder. His effort dribbled weakly past the far post.

No-one needs reminding that the Europa League is a poor man's version of the Champions League, but the empty seats – in the home stands at least – re-affirmed its lesser status, as did its tinny theme tune.

Trepidation might also have helped keep the fans away. Hamburg are, after all, joint leaders of the Bundesliga, and Celtic are a long way from being the side desired by Mowbray, and the fans. Many were quick to reveal their frustrations last night as Celtic initially laboured against the slick Germans. They were equally eager to let referee Gianluca Rocchi know of their displeasure as he elected not to point to the penalty spot after Aidan McGeady had his legs whipped from beneath him by David Rozehnal.

A chance fell to McGeady at the back post just moments after the re-start, but little had changed from the maddening absence of killer touch which dogged Celtic in the first-half.

Hamburg, though, had their own reason to up-braid themselves, with Eljero Elia bashing a clear chance off the bar. The Dutch winger, who left Scotland speared in September with the winning goal at Hampden, was less lethal here, and Celtic sought to make the most of the let-off. Guy Demel, however, was in the right place at the right to sweep Mark Wilson's cross away from danger.

Mowbray bemoaned the continued absence through injury of Marc-Antoine Fortune earlier this week, and while he has hardly worn the clothes of an assassin in his time with Celtic, he could have at least provided the home team with a more obvious physical presence. Until Georgios Samaras' introduction, for an out of touch McDonald, Celtic looked a diminished lot in the forward areas, in both size and spirit.

This abject look was not helped by yet another team helping themselves to a lead at Celtic Park. Unlike Hearts, Dundee United and Rapid Vienna, Hamburg's 63rd-minute goal arrived relatively late in the proceedings. It left Celtic with an even more urgent need to score.

Despite their own mishaps in front of Artur Boruc, it was possible to sense that a goal was coming from the visitors. It arrived following a classic counter attack, and an adroit one-two between Berg and Ze Roberto. The former applied a sound finish low to Boruc's left. Later last-ditch tackles from McManus and Caldwell kept Celtic in the game as Hamburg looked to seal victory.

The home fans received a lift when Mowbray replaced Maloney and Brown with Pat McCourt and Niall McGinn. Celtic desperately needed some form of inspiration. McCourt's first contribution was to slip and let a pass run out of play, but he soon provided something other than the mere perspiration of his limited colleagues.

• In pictures: Celtic 0 - 1 Hamburg