Marshall rides to rescue

[Scotsman]

CELTIC 0
GUADALAJARA 0 CELTIC'S uninspiring pre-season form continued in this goalless draw in New Jersey. In the Giants Stadium, it was Celtic who proved the pygmies and it was only thanks to goalkeeper David Marshall that Chivas de Guadalajara did not inflict Celtic's fourth defeat in a row.row.Playing in front of 17,000 fans on a newly-laid plastic pitch which was not conducive to passing football, Celtic laboured to contain Chivas and posed little danger themselves. Despite the clean sheet, Celtic again struggled defensively and, though the SPL champions did improve considerably from their 4-0 midweek hammering by DC United in Washington, manager Gordon Strachan does not have his problems to seek. His patience with moaning want-away Stilian Petrov also finally ran out, the Bulgarian international being dropped for the match. Aiden McGeady and Stephen Pearson came into midfield for Petrov and a rested Shaun Maloney, while Derek Riordan replaced Craig Beattie up front alongside fellow new signing Kenny Miller, who had been sent off for serious foul play against DC. Chivas are a slick outfit. They recently beat world club champions Sao Paolo in the Copa de Libertadores - the Champions League of South America - to reach the quarter-finals of that tournament, and had four of Mexico's World Cup side in their line-up. It was no wonder, then, that they penned back Celtic for much of the first half. After only eight minutes, Marshall had to dive to fingertip away a 20-yarder from Patricio Araujo after the defence failed to deal with a corner. And after captain Ramon Morales opened the defence with a clever header, Adolfo Bautista's lob went just wide and high of Marshall's goal. Captain Neil Lennon was in impressive form until he gave the ball away and Chivas broke upfield, Omar Bravo's shot going astray to Lennon's relief. Celtic did manage to deal with most of the Mexicans' attacks after a fashion, but rarely threatened Luis Ernesto Michel's goal. Miller and Riordan hardly touched the ball as Celtic failed to notch a single shot on goal before the break and, three minutes before half-time, Gary Caldwell was booked for a wild tackle on Bravo. Craig Beattie came on for Riordan at the interval and Celtic certainly began the second much more positively, though the best chance fell to Chivas, Marshall punching a Morales corner off the line. It was almost an hour before Celtic had a meaningful shot on goal, McGeady cutting inside from the right wing to send a low left-footed shot straight at goalkeeper Michel. Strachan eventually sent on Evander Sno for Jiri Jarosik in the 70th minute and then replaced Lennon with another veteran, Alan Thompson. But it was the Chivas substitutes who nearly won the game, Alberto Medina hitting the side net in the 78th minute before Marshall managed to beat clear a curler from Sergio Santana. Marshall was now in inspired form, saving with his feet as Bautista bore down on him and then blocking a shot from Medina beside the upright. It would have been an unfair result, but Celtic very nearly won the game in injury time. Beattie was clear at the back post, but could only head across goal and the ball went wide. After the match, the Celtic manager was surprisingly upbeat: "I know we'll get goals once we get our sharpness back and our squad comes up to its full complement. The back four played well and Jiri Jarosik did well in the middle of the park." Celtic now move to Boston for Wednesday night's friendly against New England Revolution, managed by former Scotland player Steve Nicol.