Celtic hold on after Larsson's invaluable penalty
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Your support makes all the difference.Bordeaux 1 Celtic 1
Bordeaux 1 Celtic 1
The Swedish striker Henrik Larsson cancelled out Christophe Dugarry's opener from the spot as Celtic secured a draw and a valuable away goal from their tough Uefa Cup trip to Bordeaux.
The Parkhead men could have made a dream start in the very first minute when Bobby Petta's cross was pushed out by the home goalkeeper Ulrich Ramé, but only as far as Henrik Larsson, who headed just inches over the bar.
Celtic were clearly fired up to score an early away goal - spurred on by their boisterous travelling army. Jackie McNamara should have done better in the eighth minute when Dugarry headed a Lubomir Moravcik free-kick straight to him - but he hit a tame effort which Ramé saved comfortably on his line.
In the 12th minute the visitors survived strong penalty claims from Bordeaux after Pauleta went down under a challenge from Johan Mjallby.
Celtic paid for missed chances when they fell foul to a sucker punch from Bordeaux in the 23rd minute. Grenet won a corner off McNamara and his cross found Dugarry, who headed home from six yards.
Celtic hit back almost immediately and it was Larsson who produced composure when needed. The Swede drew David Sommeil into bringing him down in the area and Larsson coolly sent Ramé the wrong way.
The home side laid siege to the Celtic goal in the second half, but Martin O'Neill's men held on for a solid result to take back to Parkhead for the return leg in a fortnight.
Bordeaux: Ramé, Roche (Saveljic 79), Laslandes, Legwinski (Batlles 80, Grenet, Sommeil, Diabate, Basto, Pauleta, Dugarry, Feindouno. Substitutes not used: Roux (gk), Afanou, Alicarte, Bugnet, Jemmali.
Celtic: Gould, Boyd, McNamara, Valgaeren, Lambert, Petrov, Agathé, Petta, Moravcik (Healy 90), Mjallby, Larsson. Substitutes not used: Kerr (gk), Stubbs, Berkovic, Johnson, Riseth, Smith.
Referee: T H Ovrebo (Norway).
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