Inverness CT 0 Celtic 1
14/08/2010 16:17:12 by SPLBanter filed in Match Reports.
Inverness CT 0 Celtic 1 To coin an old cliché this was the stereotypical 'game of two halves'.
Caley at home on their return to the SPL after a year in exile came flying out of the blocks and had a nervy looking Celtic on the back foot for the best part of the first half.
But although the Highlanders had the majority of the possession in the opening period they missed a real punch in the final third being restricted mainly to half chances.
Celtic came onto a game in the latter part of the first half and had the best two chances, with Maloney rattling Ryan Esson’s cross bar with only the keeper to beat, and Samaras striking the upright with a header from a Charlie Mulgrew corner.
The second half was a different story as whatever Neil Lennon said during the break appeared to sink in.
Celtic lifted the tempo, took the game by the scruff, and ten minutes in the game was lit up by a brilliant individual dribble and finish by Paddy McCourt who up until that point had been largely anonymous.
It would also prove to be his last contribution as he was bizarrely injured in a clash with teammate Shaun Maloney as he turned to celebrate.
Celtic should have been out of sight but missed several good chances in front of goal and forced Esson into a couple of really decent saves.
The lively James Forrest, on for McCourt, came closest when he crashed a shot off the cross bar from distance.
In truth the margin of the victory probably didn’t reflect Celtic’s dominance in the second half.
Inverness CT: Esson, Tokely, Munro, Gillet, McCann, Cox, Duncan, Hayes (Sutherland 86), Ross (Blumanshtein 61) (Proctor 78), Odhiambo, Rooney
Celtic: Zaluska, Hooiveld, Cha Du-Ri, Mulgrew, Loovens, Brown, Ledley, McCourt (Forrest 62), Samaras, Fortune (Juarez 89), Maloney
Goals: Celtic; McCourt [56]