Sore heads shaken off at Parkhead
CELTIC 4 BORUSSIA DORTMUND 2
SCOTT BROWN saluted 30,000 supporters for shaking off sore heads to watch his Celtic Legends triumph.
Brendan Rodgers and James Forrest carried the Premiership and Scottish Cup trophies onto the park before making way for the old guard to have their day against Borussia Dortmund counterparts.
Punters got an occasion to enjoy as their old favourites managed to overcome their German opposition. Brown reckons it was walking football at times, but paid tribute to the huge crowd who turned out to back the Celtic FC Foundation’s Charity Match.
The former skipper knows there would have been a few hangovers following Saturday night’s Double celebrations.
But he said: “It was brilliant from the fans, especially after yesterday as there would have been a lot of sore heads but they still came in their thousands.”
Gary Hooper scored twice as the old Celts won 4-2 with Georgios Samaras and Charlie Mulgrew also netting for the hosts.
Brown said: “It was good meeting all the lads again and actually seeing them for a bit
of craic in the changing room, then going out and playing walking football! It was exceptional, that’s the new sport for the older generation!”
Murdo MacLeod kicked the game off in his suit and Celtic took the lead when captain Brown’s pass released Mikael Lustig down the right and his centre was knocked home by Samaras. Hooper doubled the advantage before both were interviewed for the crowd during a mid-half water break.
Many of the Dortmund side were part of the 2013 Champions League Final side at Wembley under Jurgen Klopp and David Odonkor smashed a cracker past Artur Boruc.
But Hooper restored the two-goal lead before the interval and Paul Lambert, who was actually the manager for the home team on the day, was on for the Germans at the restart.
Dortmund’s old boys kept working to get back into it as all the legs turned to jelly and Jakun Blaszczkowski made it 3-2 with five minutes to go. But their hopes of completing a fightback were dashed when Mulgrew tapped home a fourth goal for the hosts.