Celtic give themselves a fighting chance

Valencia will carry just a narrow one-goal lead to Scotland in two weeks time after they could only manage a 1-0 win over Celtic in their UEFA Cup third-round first-leg match last night.

Spanish international Rodriguez Vicente got a superb goal after 74 minutes to give last season's European Champions' League finalists a well-deserved victory.

However, poor finishing and heroics from Celtic goalkeeper Robert Douglas thwarted a Valencia landslide.

The only goal of the game came from a set piece after 75 minutes. Former Italian international defender Amedeo Carboni slid a free-kick along the front edge of the penalty-box, setting it up nicely for Vicente to run on to the ball and blast it home with his left foot

Celtic were left stunned just hours before kick-off with Chris Sutton joining Alan Thompson and Joos Valgaeren on the sidelines. The striker missed out because of a family illness but it was a crushing blow with Thompson and Valgaeren failing to shake off hamstring and knee problems respectively.

With Didier Agathe also ruled out for at least three months, winger Bobby Petta was surprisingly left on the bench. Manager Martin O'Neill opted to draft John Hartson, Lubo Moravcik, Jackie McNamara and youngster Stephen Crainey into his makeshift side.

O'Neill's side had been buoyed by their victory at Hearts which kept them seven points clear at the top of the Premier League before Sunday's Old Firm crunch.

Valencia's preparations were also hit with the axing from the squad of inspirational winger Kily Gonzales, who refused to shake coach Rafael Benitez's hand after being substituted in the weekend's draw with Tenerife.

With Crainey making his UEFA Cup debut, Celtic reverted to a back four to stop the threat of the recalled John Carew and Juan Sanchez in Valencia's attack.

As expected, Celtic found themselves on the back foot and they had Douglas to thank for keeping them on level terms in the 10th minute.

Pablo Aimar spun in the box after Sanchez had pierced the Celtic defender with a one-two with Vicente and his strike was pushed away by the Scotland man.

Celtic, however, still looked a threat on their rare forays upfield and they came close to grabbing a shock lead in the 21st minute.

Moravcik swung in a dangerous corner which the Valencia defence allowed to fly across the face of goal and Hartson was close to getting a telling touch into the net.

Four minutes later and the Welshman had a glorious chance to break the deadlock. Hartson controlled Moravcik's pass on his chest and, although he let the ball run away from him, he still got off a shot from close range which Santiago Canizares saved at the second attempt.

And then Stilian Petrov beat the off-side trap to run onto Henrik Larsson's through-ball and with just the goalkeeper to beat he took it round him, but knocked it too far and it ran over the goal-line.

Valencia pushed Celtic back again after the restart and it needed some desperate challenges and blocking tackles in defence to remain on level terms.

But Balde went over the top with his enthusiasm in the 55th minute and was booked for a reckless tackle on Angulo.

However, the Celtic defence were found wanting from the resulting free-kick as they allowed Carew a free header from Curro Torres' cross and breathed a sigh of relief as his effort came back off the crossbar. Moravcik's old legs were feeling the pace and O'Neill opted to bring Petta on in his place in the 57th minute.

The visitors again had Douglas to hand in the 64th minute when Torres beat Mjallby to Vicente's corner and the keeper pushed his header onto the post.

The Celtic keeper's heroics again come to the rescue in the 66th minute when he got down well to save Aimar's header from another Vicente corner.

In the end, Celtic had Douglas to thank that only Vicente's effort hit the back of Celtic's net.

VALENCIA: Canizares, Pellegrino, Ayala (Djukic 44), Albelda, Carboni, Vicente, Aimar, Torres, Angulo, Sanchez (Mista 65), Carew. Subs Not Used: Palop, Adrian Ilie, Marchena, Rufete, Salva. Goals: Vicente 75.

CELTIC: Douglas, Mjallby, Balde, Crainey, McNamara, Lambert, Lennon, Moravcik (Petta 57), Petrov, Larsson, Hartson (Sylla 80). Subs Not Used: Gould, Tebily, Healy, Maloney, Guppy. Booked: Balde, Hartson.

Referee: D Messina (Bergamo).