2001/02 Celtic FC 4-3 Juventus: Report

Halloween brought a seven-goal treat for a sell-out crowd in Glasgow, and the glory of a stirring UEFA Champions League victory against the Old Lady of Italian football – yet the night fate would ultimately play a cruel trick on the Scottish titleholders.

Martin O'Neill's side went into the game knowing that beating the section's runaway leaders represented their only chance of pipping FC Porto to runners-up spot in the first group stage. It did not begin well, with Alessandro Del Piero breaking the deadlock on 19 minutes, but Celtic hurried and harried, and two goals from Chris Sutton helped turn things around. The partisan crowd were in raptures; then news of Porto's win against Rosenborg BK filtered through.

The hosts deserved more, having taken the game to Juventus from the start, fuelled by the powerful running of Didier Agathe on the right and the creative probing of Lubomír Moravčík in the middle. The Slovakian international was twice denied by Fabián Carini, and his frustration was exacerbated when the visitors took the lead against the run of play. Del Piero, fouled 25 metres out, picked himself up to curl an immaculate free-kick into the top corner.

The stadium fell eerily silent, but not for long as five minutes later the home side were level, Joos Valgaeren diving to head in Moravčík's cross. Now Celtic were on in the ascendant, Agathe firing wide and Henrik Larsson misdirecting a header from close range. Larsson, on the stroke of half-time, then saw his elaborate back-heel turned wide, but from the resulting corner Sutton rose to head in Moravčík's corner.

Half-time substitute David Trezeguet restored parity but back came Celtic. Larsson converted from the spot after Mark Iuliano used foul means to keep Sutton in check, and the Englishman made it 4-2 with an unstoppable volley on 64 minutes following another Moravčík set piece.

Still Juventus would not lie down and Trezeguet reduced the arrears, reward for his determination after two ricochets fell favourably in his path. Thirteen anxious minutes ensued but Celtic held on – only to learn that Porto had beaten Rosenborg to clinch the runners-up spot. It was cruel luck on the Glasgow giants, who had to make do with a place in the UEFA Cup, not to mention the respect of their esteemed opponents.