FULHAM 3 CELTIC 1

Pre-season Friendly
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Craven Cottage, London

FULHAM v CELTIC

KICK-OFF: 15:00

FULHAM (4-4-2) Stockdale, Konchesky, Pantsil, Hangeland, Andranik, Nevland, Gera, Hughes, Bullard, Davies, Zamora.
Subs: Etheridge, Volz, Ki-Hyeon, Healy, Murphy, Johnson, Cook, Dempsey, Andreasen, Kallio.
MANAGER: Roy Hodgson
CELTIC (4-4-2) M Brown; Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor; Robson, S Brown, Donati, McGeady; Killen, McDonald.
Subs: Fox, Balde, Samaras, Hartley, Wilson, Nakamura, Sheridan, Mizuno, O’Dea, Caddis, McGowan.
MANAGER: Gordon Strachan

CELTIC TEAM NEWS: Gordon Strachan has made just one change to the side which started against Southampton last night at St Mary's, with Massimo Donati replacing Paul Hartley in the centre of midfield. Right-back Andreas Hinkel is the only player in the starting XI this afternoon who played the full 90 minutes during last night's 2-0 win. There is also a place on the bench for Shunsuke Nakamura - who joined up with his team-mates last night.

Fulham kick off, with Paul Konchesky launching a ball forward that goes through to Mark Brown.

Hinkel cross cut out by the Fulham defence, with a well-timed challenge from Massimo Donati halting a breakaway run from Bullard.

Celtic under pressure again, with a lovely first touch from Nevland allowing the Norwegian to lift in a ball from the byline which is headed over by Bobby Zamora.

Chance for Celtic with Scott McDonald getting on the end of a ball over the top, taking a touch and just lifting his shot over the bar as Aaron Hughes slides in with a challenge.

Mark Brown forced to hook the ball away under pressure from Konchesky as the left back charges down a ball over the top by Andranik. Simon Davies then follows this up with a shot on goal, just failing to make the right connection eight yards out and Brown collecting easily.

Good save from David Stockdale as Barry Robson stings his palms with a rasping drive from the edge of the box.

Celtic free kick around 40n yards out on the left after Bullard unlucky to be penalised for a challenge on McGeady. Naylor takes, Fulham clear.

Bullard shot ricochets off McManus, then Caldwell before Naylor plays the loose ball out to McGeady.

Hangeland penalised for a barge in McDonald's back as he attempts to get on the end of a Hinkel ball down the channel. Robson takes and Hughes clears under pressure. Play then stopped to allow Stockdale treatment after a clash of heads with Chris Killen.

Lovely play from McGeady! Ties Pansil in knots on the left before turning on the ball and lifting a ball into the box which McDonald heads over under pressure. Great play from the Irish internationalist.

Nice possession play by Celtic, started by Donati and largely involving McGeady. Ends with Stockdale collecting the ball under pressure from Killen.

Chris Killen fails to really test the keeper after a Naylor cross finds him unmarked and in space in front of goal. The ball may have held up in the wind, but Killen cannot hide his disappointment.

Poor pass from Caldwell sees Robson robbed of possesion. Zamora picks up the ball 25 yards out, turns and hammers it at goal, driving it straight at Gary Caldwell.

GOAL FULHAM - Celtic caught out at the back again. Ball delivered from the left by Davies, who does well to beat Hinkel. His cross finds an unmarked Zamora at the back post who has time to look up and drive an excellent finish past Brown. FULHAM 2 CELTIC 0

Fulham continue to impress with Pansil heading away Caldwell's long ball and Bullard beating Donati. The midfielder then loses his balance and falls flat on his face as he breaks into the box.

Donati felled by a heavy challenge from the back by Pansil. The referee has a word with the Fulham defender, but produces no card.

Donati does well to find McGeady, but Naylor fails to read the winger's intentions, with the ball going out of play.

Good reactions save from Mark Brown as Davies exploits a hole in the Celtic back four and squeezes off a shot from point-blank range.

Bullard skies a set piece, high wide and handsome from 30 yards out.

Referee adds on two minutes of injury time.

Nevland sends a header spinning wide from a difficult angle. HALF TIME WHISTLE SOUNDS - Fulham 2 Celtic 1

SECOND HALF KICKS OFF - Celtic changes, Mark Wilson on for Naylor, Paul Hartley for Donati, Samaras for Killen.

FULHAM CHANGES - Leon Andresen, Danny Murphy, Eddie Johnson and Clint Dempsey all on for Fulham. Andranik, Bullard, Davies and Zamora all go off.

Celtic play the ball out of defence, with McManus robbing Johnson of possesion. Samaras and Robson involved, before McGeady plays in a cross for McDonald, who fails to make the right connection.

Dempsey bursts in from the left, but hammers his shot off of Wilson.

Gera harshly penalised for a challenge on McGeady. Naylor lifts in a ball which Hughes heads out for a corner. Robson takes, Brown flicks the ball on at the near post, but Fulham clear.

Murphy attempts a clever pass through the Celtic defence which flashes inches past the run of Nevland.

Celtic build on their momentum, with an O'Dea cross driven back across goal by Samaras and eventually cleared by Fulham.

Double substitution for Fulham - Erik Nevland and Zoltan Gera off, David Healy and Lee Cook on.

DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION FOR CELTIC - Scott McDonald and Barry Robson off, Paul Caddis and Cillian Sheridan on.

Samaras run at goal halted by a challenge from Hangeland. McGeady picks the ball up, attempts to thread it through for the Greek striker, but sees his pass cut out by Hughes.

FULHAM SUBS - John Pansil and Paul Konchesky off, Toni Kallio and Moritz Volz on.

Johnson squeezes off a hopeful shot from the edge of the box that is easily collected by Brown.

Today's attendance - 16,508

Paul Hartley lifts in an inviting ball from the right after Wilson wins a free kick. But the ball fizzes across the six yard box and is easily collected by Stockdale.

CELTIC SUBSTITUTION - Aiden McGeady goes off to rapturous applause, being replaced by Koki Mizuno.

Mark Wilson forced to concede a corner. Murphy lifts the ball high into the box, but McManus clears.

Good challenge by Darren O'Dea halts Volz as he attempts to get to the byline. Kick out taken by Brown.

Dodgy moment for Fulham as Stockdale collects the ball and steps outside his box with it. It's an obvious free kick for Celtic, but the referee waves play on.

GREAT ATTEMPT BY SCOTT BROWN - over 25 yards from goal and receiving the ball at pace to feet, he turns and strikes the ball with venom, seeing his shot rattle off the post with Stockdale well beaten.

Koki Mizuno does well to beat Volz down by the touchline. His cross is deflected out for a corner. Mizuno takes and Stockdale collects at full stretch at his near post.

Good through ball almost finds Samaras inside the box as Celtic surge forward in a late push.

FULL TIME WHISTLE SOUNDS - after two minutes of time added on - Fulham 3 Celtic 1.