Celtic pay price for European progress

FK Teplice 1 Celtic 0 Celtic win 3-1 on aggregate

Last season's Uefa Cup finalists survived a slump in form and some anxious moments here in the Czech Republic last night to make the fourth-round draw. Teplice, trailing 3-0 from the first leg, could only muster a consolation goal by Jiri Masek.

With John Hartson, Ulrik Laursen and Shaun Maloney already out for the season, the Celtic manager, Martin O'Neill, will have been worried to see Chris Sutton limp out here, with Sunday's Tennent's Scottish Cup quarter-final against Rangers next on the agenda.

It should have been much easier after the 3-0 win at Parkhead last week but Celtic made hard work of it. Until the 35th-minute goal, the biggest concern to Celtic had been from a pre-match power cut, which delayed kick-off by 10 minutes, and the persistent fall of snow.

To add to the drama, both sets of players struggled to stay on their feet early on. John Kennedy and Emil Rilke both appeared to slip as they tussled for the ball but the referee awarded Teplice a free-kick and booked the Celtic youngster.

Alan Thompson attempted to put the tie well beyond reach in the seventh minute with an audacious long-range shot which was plucked out of the air by Tomas Postulka as it headed for the top corner of the net.

Robert Douglas looked a tower of strength and, with the help of his solid defence, coped with everything that came near him in the box. That was until the 35th minute when a poor header from Stanislav Varga went straight to Masek and he shot through the Celtic goalkeeper's hands from 18 yards.

The goal gave Teplice hope but a reckless challenge from behind by Tomas Hunal on Sutton deservedly earned him a yellow card.

O'Neill's decision to field arguably his strongest side soon became justified as his men battled to fend off the pressure from a revitalised Teplice. Lambert should have destroyed their new-found confidence in the 52nd minute. The midfielder exchanged passes with Thompson, but instead of shooting he became caught in two minds and his weak cross was saved by Postulka, who had left his near post free.

Celtic breathed a huge sigh of relief just a few moments later when Karel Rada rose well to Tomas Kuchar's corner, but headed over from six yards out with Douglas flapping about in the box.

Rilke was the next man booked on the hour for a foul on Stilian Petrov. The Celtic manager looked concerned 10 minutes later when Sutton picked up his injury and was forced to hobble off, to be replaced by Stephen Pearson. Celtic put together their best move of the match after the Englishman left the field, as Didier Agathe picked out Larsson and his volley was well saved by Postulka.

But despite being below par, Celtic were assured of their place in the fourth round of the Uefa Cup and all thoughts now turn to Sunday's Old Firm clash.

FK Teplice: Postulka; Leitner, Rada, Tesarik, Verbir, Dolezal, Skala, Hunal, Masek, Rilke, Kuchar. Substitutes: P Kolar, J Kolar, Ryska, Styvar, Sigmund, Kostecka, Vorisek.

Celtic: Douglas; McNamara, Balde, Larsson, Thompson, Sutton (Pearson, 70), Lambert, Agathe, Petrov, Varga, Kennedy. Substitutes: Marshall, Sylla, Valgaeren, Wallace, Beattie, Smith.

Referee: T Ovrebo (Norway).