There would be an opportunity to salvage both the tie and damaged reputation the following Tuesday, as Artmedia Bratislava visited Celtic Park for the return leg. A crowd of 50,063 turned out to see if the new manager and his team could make a different kind of European history, by becoming the first side to overturn a five-goal Champions League defeat and thus progress to the next round.
Gordon Strachan made three changes to his Bratislava starting line-up. The ‘Holy Goalie’ Artur Boruc made his competitive debut between the sticks, whilst young Stephen McManus replaced Stan Varga to partner Bobo Balde at centre-half, the Slovakian defender’s groin injury not healing in time for him to face his countrymen.
Another youngster, Ross Wallace, came into the side on the left side of midfield, replacing broken-cheek victim Chris Sutton. Making their European debuts, both McManus and Wallace would play a key role in that evening’s events, as Celtic lined up as follows.
Artur Boruc: Paul Telfer, Bobo Balde, Stephen McManus & Mo Camara:
Alan Thompson, Stan Petrov, Neil Lennon & Ross Wallace: John Hartson & Maciej Zurawski.
The game kicked off to a deafening roar, the Celtic support looking to rattle Slovakian confidence from the off. In their previous attempt to recover from a four-goal loss, against Neuchatel back in 1991, Celtic had been awarded an early penalty, a godsend. On that occasion, Charlie Nicholas had missed, and the tie was gone long before Joe Miller’s solitary response.
Midway through the first half against Artmedia, history would repeat itself, a softish decision as Maciej Zurawski turned his opponent in the box. The magic wand that is the left-foot of Alan Thompson made no mistake this time, drilling the ball to his right as keeper Juraj Cobej went the other way. “That’s one of the four back. Come on Celtic!”
With seconds remaining before the break, Parkhead erupted as Celtic notched a crucial second goal, keeping them on course for an implausible recovery. Ross Wallace was as brave as his legendary Scottish namesake William as he won an aerial challenge in midfield, the winger flicking the ball on before feeling the sickening impact of a defender’s head on his. John Hartson provided the class finish such raw courage deserved. 2-0. Game on.
Early in the second half, the Celtic manager introduced Shaun Maloney to the fray, young Wallace having played his part heroically for the cause by setting up the second goal. Within seconds, the little substitute had teed up the shaven-headed Stephen McManus for a close-range header, following a vicious Thompson corner on the right, a fortunate deflection taking the ball through Cobej’s legs for 3-0. “We couldn’t, could we?”
A quick fourth goal then would surely have swung the tie in Celtic’s favour. Crucially, though, we were into the final 10 minutes before Mo Camara, in his one productive input to the tie, swung over a delicious left-foot cross which Craig Beattie, who had replaced the tiring Zurawski on the hour mark, headed cleanly past Cobej for 4-0. Cue absolute bedlam around the stadium, with the dream back on.
