Source: Team_Talk
McCourt magic secures win for Hoops
Paddy McCourt's wonder goal put a strong Celtic team on their way to a comfortable 2-0 friendly victory over St Pauli on Tuesday evening.[LNB] McCourt netted a spectacular solo effort just before the hour in Hamburg as Neil Lennon continued his winning run in what may yet be his last match as Celtic manager.[LNB]The former Derry player beat three men after collecting the ball on the halfway line on the left flank, before cutting into the penalty box and nutmegging the St Pauli keeper to find the far corner.[LNB]Morten Rasmussen sealed the win late on after an impressive second-half display in a match to mark the hosts' centenary.[LNB]Celtic were missing the likes of Georgios Samaras, Aiden McGeady and Darren O'Dea as they prepare for international duty but Lennon otherwise went for continuity after winning eight Clydesdale Bank Premier League games in a row.[LNB]Lukasz Zaluska was in goal behind Josh Thompson, Mark Wilson, Paul Caddis and captain Andreas Hinkel. Marc Crosas lined up alongside Scott Brown, Marc-Antoine Fortune and McCourt in midfield with Paul McGowan and Rasmussen up front.[LNB]The home fans indulged in several renditions of Celtic anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone' but Brown was in no mood for a display of mutual appreciation.[LNB]The Scotland midfielder livened up a low-key opening by pushing 6ft 7in striker Morike Sako following an innocuous foul. Both players received a yellow card after their team-mates intervened.[LNB]Zaluska was grateful to see a long free-kick from Rouwen Hennings curl just past before making an acrobatic stop from Richard Sukuta-Pasu's swerving effort.[LNB]Fortune was harshly penalised for an aerial challenge as McGowan rolled the ball home and Rasmussen them missed a sitter as he blazed over from 16 yards after Brown had burst through.[LNB]Crosas saw two powerful 20-yard drives well saved before Sukuta-Pasu flicked the ball wide after Wilson had misjudged a long ball.[LNB]Lennon's side stepped up a gear after the restart and McCourt came close following a great piece of skill in the box.[LNB]Thompson crashed a header off the bar from Crosas' corner before McCourt lit up the contest by cutting in from the left and finishing with aplomb in the 59th minute.[LNB]Celtic continued to dominate and McGowan earned himself a rebuke from Brown after shooting weakly at the keeper from 18 yards as the Hoops had men over following the midfielder's break.[LNB]Zaluska took a painful blow to his chest after an outrageous studs-up challenge from Deniz Naki, who was surrounded by angry Celtic players and pushed by Brown.[LNB]McCourt almost added another spectacular strike after running at the German defence but his 22-yard strike was touched wide at full stretch, before Zaluska was replaced by Dominic Cervi, although he seemed to have incurred only superficial damage.[LNB]Celtic survived a brief spell of pressure and doubled their lead in the 83rd minute.[LNB]Rasmussen controlled Fortune's low cross with his back to goal before turning a defender and finishing from six yards.[LNB]Late substitute Ben Hutchinson had a chance to make it three but he found the side-netting from a tight angle.
