Emotional Larsson exits on the double

Soccer/Scottish Premier League/Celtic - 2 Dundee Utd - 1: An emotional Henrik Larsson cut short his post-match press conference last night as he choked back tears following his big Parkhead farewell.

The Swede scored two late goals to end a triumphant Premier League campaign for the club and cried as he took a bow at the final whistle before dramatically disappearing down the tunnel.

"I can't put it into words," Larsson said to the gathered press hordes. And then he could bare it no longer. "I just can't do this."

The script could hardly have been more perfect with Larsson's double taking his tally to 39 goals for this term and 240 from 314 games in all for Celtic. That was enough for the home team despite Mark Wilson's late penalty for United.

"Henrik has been fantastic for us over seven years and we are going to miss him. He is a marvellous player," said Celtic's master of the understatement, Martin O'Neill, before adding: "But he might just miss all this as well."

There was a carnival atmosphere at Parkhead with the championship trophy presentation and dramatic last-gasp victory over Rangers still fresh in the memory.

United came to spoil the party though and they were almost celebrating in the eighth minute after an uncharacteristic fumble from teenage goalkeeper David Marshall.

The youngster failed to hold a Barry Robson corner and Didier Agathe blocked Collin Samuel's goalbound shot and then Chris Sutton diverted Charlie Miller's follow-up behind.

At the other end Larsson would have eased the pressure on himself with a 12th-minute goal but for the heroics of Paul Gallacher.

The Swede soared above the United defence to head Alan Thompson's free-kick towards the corner of the net but Scotland goalkeeper Gallacher flung himself to his right to tip the ball around the post.

Larsson showed his unselfish side in the 21st minute to coolly backheel the ball into the path of Stephen Pearson, after Sutton had flicked on Thompson's chip into the area, but the young player of the season's powerful shot was well pushed away by Gallacher.

The Swede was given a difficult chance to score on the half-hour when Petrov picked him out in the area - but he screwed his first-time right-foot shot wide of the post.

Gallacher again frustrated the champions in the 36th minute but he was not quite as convincing as before as he pushed McNamara's low long-range effort behind.

The Celtic man was back to doing what he does best in the 38th minute in getting ahead of Samuel to put Robson's cross behind for a corner.

The game had developed a fascinating flow and Pearson's cross-cum-shot was deflected wide before he came agonisingly close to converting McNamara's ball across the face of goal.

Celtic stepped up the pressure after the break and Larsson's shot was deflected before Sutton's header, from a Thompson corner, was saved by Gallacher.

Pearson was unfortunate in the 48th minute with a chip over the goalkeeper which went just wide of the upright.

Larsson was presented with another glorious chance seconds later from Thompson's throughball but he blazed into the side netting.

United responded again and Marshall did well to save Charlie Miller's shot from Jason Scotland's cross and then rush out to save at the feet of the former Rangers man.

It was not looking like Larsson's day as again he missed the target, this time with a header, after Agathe had picked him out in the box with an inviting deep cross.

The Swede went close again in the 58th minute with a flick over his head after McCracken had made a mess of Agathe's cross.

Samuel could have snatched the lead in the 61st minute but he headed Mark Wilson's cross straight at Marshall.

Larsson fired a low shot at Gallacher from Sutton's pass, missed again with one of the easiest chances he has ever had in his seven years at Parkhead as he blasted over from inside the six-yard box, before turning and firing over the top moments later from Sutton's flick-on.

Scotland went down in the box under the challenge of Varga before Marshall frustrated the visitors further with a point-blank save from Robson.

But after all the huffing and puffing and the growing, nagging doubt that Larsson would depart the scene of so memorable goals empty-handed on his final day, the gods decided to grant Parkhead a wish. Robson was booked for a foul on Sutton and Larsson trundled into the box as Thompson sized up the free-kick.

He swung the ball in invitingly and Larsson, too polite to decline the gilt-edged opportunity this time, got ahead of Gallacher to head into an empty net.

He wasn't finished though and he scored his second with just six minutes left to divert Agathe's cross past Gallacher and into the corner of the net.

Moments later Varga gave away a penalty for a foul on Scotland and Mark Wilson sent Marshall the wrong way.

Ian McCall was seething soon after when the referee failed to give his side a second penalty after Robson had gone down in the area. As a result the United manager was sent to the stand for the final seconds and missed a tearful Larsson making a final league bow in front of his adoring worshippers.

CELTIC: Marshall, Balde, Varga, McNamara, Agathe, Lennon, Petrov, Pearson, Thompson (Wallace 87), Larsson, Sutton. Subs Not Used: McGovern, Lambert, Beattie, Mjallby. Goals: Larsson 81, 84.

DUNDEE UTD: Gallacher, Innes, McCracken, Archibald, Wilson, Kerr, Miller, Easton (Holmes 84), Robson, Samuel (James Paterson 74), Scotland (Scott Paterson 90). Subs Not Used: Bullock, Duff. Booked: Kerr, Robson. Goals: Wilson 87 pen.

Ref: J Underhill (Scotland).