Celtic 1 Boro 1

WELCOME to www.celticfc.net for tonight’s Algarve Challenge Cup match between Celtic and Middlesbrough.
The four-team tournament kicked off earlier this evening with Cardiff City playing Vitoria Guimaraes. The English Championship side won 2-1 with a double from former Motherwell striker Ross McCormack.
With three points awarded for a win, one for a draw and extra points for every goal scored, Cardiff sit top of the table on five points after the opening game. Guimaraes have one point.
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has picked a strong starting XI for the clash with Premiership side Boro. Having just joined up with the squad, regulars Artur Boruc and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink are on the bench.

TONIGHT’S TEAMS:
CELTIC: Brown; Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Wilson; Brown, Robson, Hartley, McGeady; McDonald, Samaras
Subs: Boruc, Naylor, Balde, O’Dea, Donati, McGowan, Vennegoor of Hesselink, Caddis

MIDDLESBROUGH: Turnbull; Young, Grounds, Shawky, Wheater, Pogatetz, Emnej, Walker, Alves, Arca, Owens
Subs: Tuncay, Aliadiere, A. Johnson, J.Johnson, Digard, Taylor, Williams, Huth, McMahon

Celtic will be wearing the new Hoops for the first time tonight

The match will now kick 10 minutes later than the intended 9.30pm kick off. The teams are just about ready to come out

Boro kick off

Boro make the early running but Celtic defend well and there are no openings

Caldwell threads a clever pass through to McDonald. He is flagged offside. It looked a very close call.

Boro's Arca floats a pass through for Owens on the left flank. Mark Brown is quick off his line to gather

McGeady gets a first run at Boro right-back Luke Young. The defender has to concede a throw as Celtic start to settle into the game

First chance for Celtic. McManus wins possession and feeds Wilson. He plays in McGeady and the winger races past two defenders before picking out Samaras in the box. His header is saved on the line

McDonald and Robson combine and the midfielder makes progress on the right wing, but his cross is blocked

Paul Hartley wins possession and fires a shot wide from 25 yards

Celtic continue to enjoy a lot of possession

Hinkel's long clearance is chased down by Samaras. He outmuscles Wheater, but Boro keeper Turnbull gathers his attempted lob

Hartley's diagonal ball is again won by Samaras on the corner of the box. Boro manage to clear the loose ball

Boro enjoy a rare attack. Celtic defend well again. Chances are scarce up to this point

Caldwell's searching pass is too strong for McDonald. At the other end, Owens almost finds a way through, but Wilson clears

Owens, who has been bright for Boro in the last few minutes, flashes a shot wide of target

Emnes breaks forward on the right for Boro. Wilson and Hartley team up to divert the danger

Sublime skill by McGeady almost creates a goal for Celtic. The winger jinks past Young with a trademark move and Samaras has a header saved by Turnbull

Caldwell's curled pass is chased by Robson. Wheater eventually clears

Brown is forced to pull off a decent save from Josh Walker

Boro enjoy a good spell. This time, Shawky fires a shot wide for the Premiership side

Real pressure from Celtic, with Hinkel heavily involved. The German fires two crosses into the box and Boro have to defend well

Emnes tries his luck from long range. Brown again deals with the danger

Caldwell fires a pass down the channel. Turnbull is quick off his line to beat Samaras to the ball

HALF-TIME: Celtic 0 Boro 0. A quiet first half in the Algarve Challenge Cup with very few chances for either side. Georgios Samaras has had Celtic's best two efforts.

Celtic kick off the second period

Boro have made 10 changes at the break. Among the subs is Jeremie Aliadiere, who had a short loan spell with Celtic in 2005

Caldwell is punished for a foul on Aliadiere some 26 yards out. The free-kick from Taylor is blocked by the Celtic wall

Good play from Celtic. Robson and Hinkel combine on the right and put Boro under real pressure.

Aliadiere surges forward for Boro and Brown has to pull off yet another diving save

Boro threaten on the right wing, but McGeady shows great pace to get back and avert the danger

Robson wins a free-kick 30 yards out. The midfielder takes it himself and Turnbull has to pull of a fantasic save

Triple substitution for Celtic. Caldwell, McManus and Hinkel all go off to be replaced by Balde, O'Dea and Naylor

Robson's lofted pass picks out McDonald, who appears to be fouled 30 yards out. Play is waved on

Hartley releases McDonald this time. He picks up possession on the right side of the box, but is crowded out

Another triple change for Celtic. Vennegoor of Hesselink, Caddis and Donati replace Scott Brown, McDonald and Robson

Celtic sub - Paul McGowan on for Samaras

Boro sub - Tuncay on for Walker

O'Dea clears a dangerous cross and Boro chase a second

McGowan tracks back well to help out the defence as Boro push forward on the right

Vennegoor of Hesslink is fouled on the right wing. Hartley delivers and Donati's shot is blocked. The ball lands with McGeady, who almost picks out Vennegoor of Hesselink

Naylor is force to concede a corner as Boro again test the Hoops defence

Bizarre decision by the ref. Boro take a free-kick and the ball is given straight to Vennegoor of Hesselink. He races towards goal but the official pulls back the play for no apparent reason

Late half-chance for Celtic. Hartley's free-kick is diverted on to Balde's head, but the defender can't get direction on the header

FULL-TIME - CELTIC 1 MIDDLESBROUGH 1 - Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink's last minute equaliser gives Celtic a 1-1 draw in the Hoops' opening Algarve Challenge Cup match. After the first two matches, Cardiff are top on five points, Celtic and Boro have two points and Vitoria Guimaraes have one point. Celtic's next match is against Cardiff on Thursday night.