Celtic on this Day – The Battle of Montevideo…
4 November 1967, Racing Club 1-0 Celtic
The Battle of Montevideo is firmly in Celtic’s history books. It was the final segment of the infamous Intercontinental Cup matches between the European Cup winners and the Copa Libertadores champions.
The third game was played in ‘neutral’ Uruguay territory. Initially, Jock Stein had been against playing a deciding game versus Racing Club following the violence that ensued towards his players in the first two encounters at Hampden Park and then in Buenos Aires.
However, having been convinced by board members and in particularly Desmond White, who complained that Celtic hadn’t travelled 20 hours to South America for nothing, the Hoops played the fierce match. In total, six players were sent off, four of which were Celts; Lennox, Johnstone, Hughes and Auld were all binned.
Although, Auld refused to leave the pitch in protest despite being red carded and amazingly, Paraguayan whistler Rodolfo Osorio allowed Bertie to continue. So, technically it was only three dismissals. In reality, Celtic players were brutally assaulted with Racing Club players producing some of the worst kind of antics the game has witnessed.
Ironically, had there been the away goals rule, the last game would never have happened, and Jock Stein’s men would have been crowned World Club champions. Unjustifiably, the Hoops were beaten 1-0 on the night, with the match going down as a brutal day for both football and the Lisbon Lions.
4 November 2012, Dundee United 2-2 Celtic
Neil Lennon’s side were two goals up with one minute of regulation play remaining. Three days before our iconic 125th anniversary match with Barcelona in the Champions League, it was Tony Watt and on-loan Getafe forward Miku [remember him?]that fired Celtic into a comfortable lead. But, future Celt Gary Mackay-Steven pulled one back for Peter Houston’s talented Dundee United team which also featured Stuart Armstrong in the Tangerine’s starting XI. Subsequently, a spectacular stoppage time own goal from Efe Ambrose sent Tannadice rocking as Dundee United snatched a point. It was a perfect example of Efe doing Efe things…
4 November 2006 – Celtic 2-1 Hearts
More OG drama on this day 18 years ago. Lithuanian Andrius Velicka dispatched past Artur Boruc to score the opening goal for Hearts at Celtic Park on 4 November 2006. However, Jiri Jarosik headed home from an excellent Shunsuke Nakamura corner to give Gordon Strachan’s men a crucial equaliser. Moments later, Craig Gordon’s absolute clanger saw the future Celtic goalkeeper drop the ball into his own net handing the Hoops a victory when it looked like for large spells in the second half that they were going to lose it.
4 November 2017 – St Johnstone 0-4 Celtic
Seven years ago today, St Johnstone 0-4 Celtic. The Celts under the guidance of current boss Brendan Rodgers broke their own 100 year-old British record of 62 domestic matches unbeaten with a comfortable win at McDiarmid Park. The record was established by Willie Maley’s Celtic heroes in 1917 but was duly dismantled across seasons 2016/2017 and 2017/2018. The long unbeaten run would last until Celtic were finally beaten at Tynecastle 4-0 seven domestic games later.
Conor Spence
Celtic in The Thirties – out tomorrow!
Matt Corr’s highly anticipated Celtic in the Thirties (Volumes One & Two) are published tomorrow on Celtic Star Books. Order your copies today and receive signed copies which will be posted on Wednesday morning. Order at celticstarbooks.com
