Lyon Tamed by Lions – Perhaps Martin O’Neill’s finest victory as Celtic manager

On this day in 2003 we played Lyon at Celtic Park in our second group game of the Champions League. Placed in a tough group which consisted of Bayern Munich, Lyon and Anderlecht, It was vitally important that Celtic got a result form this game as we had lost our first game away in Munich a few weeks earlier.

Alan Thompson had a chance to put Celtic ahead 5 minutes before half time after Lasson had been tripped in the box and a penalty was awarded. Thompson didn’t strike it well and the Lyon keeper Coupet easily saved it although it was clear as day that he was way off his line when the penalty was struck, a rule that unfortunately wasn’t implemented so strictly in those days. Celtic at the time were going through a bit of a bad patch with missed penalties at the time, this being another inglorious failure.

A young Cork man by the name of Liam Miller then came off the bench in the second half to head the goal that started Celtic’s hard-won victory and took them back into contention for honours in Group A. For a player only measuring in a 5ft 7″ it was a tremendous leap by the Irishman.

Just eight minutes later Celtic were two up, Chris Sutton with another header, both goals coming from exquisite crosses by Henrik Larsson. This was to be enough to lead Celtic to all three points with the match ending 2-0 in front of a raucous crowd at Celtic Park.

The teams that day were as follows:

Celtic: Hedman, McNamara, Balde, Varga, Agathe, Lennon, Sutton, Petrov, Thompson, Larsson, Hartson (Miller 64).
Subs Not Used:- Douglas, Gray, Sylla, Petta, Maloney, Kennedy.
Scorers Miller (70), Sutton (78)

Lyon:- Coupet, Deflandre, Edmilson, Muller, Reveillere, Govou (Malouda 79), Diarra, Dhorasoo (Luyindula 74), Juninho, Carriere (Essien 63), Elber.
Subs Not Used:- Vercoutre, Sartre, Berthod, Viale.

Attendance: 58,027

Referee: Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez (Spain).

This really was what looked to be the starting point of a fantastic Celtic career for young Liam Miller under Martin O’Neill. Unfortunately Manchester United had other ideas and snapped him up from under Celtic’s noses.

Former Ireland international Miller sadly passed away after a short battle with pancreatic cancer aged 36.

Unfortunately this Champions League campaign ended in agonising fashion as Celtic would end up going out of the competition due to a late penalty. Over in Lyon in the last match of the group stages Celtic twice pegged back Lyon but untimely went out when Bobo Balde was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball in the area. Juninho, who had earlier embarrassed Magnus Hedman with a wonderful free kick, slotted home the penalty to break Celtic hearts.

Watch highlights of Celtic’s 2-0 win below…

30th September 2003, Celtic 2:0 Lyon.

2 excellent goals from Liam Miller and Chris Sutton. @chris_sutton73 pic.twitter.com/R6wQGqSVr6

— Li’l Ze (@LilZe_7) September 29, 2021

Full buildup for Liam Millers opening goal.

25 passes and 95 seconds possession against an excellent Lyon side before a great cross and header. pic.twitter.com/kcptoBnfef

— Li'l Ze (@LilZe_7) September 30, 2021

Celtic fans are presented with the FIFA Fair Play Award for 2003, ahead of the UEFA Cup match against FK Teplice pic.twitter.com/cSpYmVBSH0

— Liam Kelly (@cfcliamk96) April 12, 2021