REDS HAD THE HOOPS LEGEND
Lambo: Handball like Michael Jordan
Paul Lambert reckons a dodgy handball call at Anfield was more like basketball as his Celtic Legends got slam dunked by Steven Gerrard’s Liverpool.
The Hoops heroes lost an entertaining charity clash but the Parkhead ex-pros felt they were robbed.
Celts had TWO goals ruled out for offside calls and were denied a stonewall penalty for that handball.
Gerrard scored a spot-kick – and was nearly caught by a few f lying missiles after the former Rangers boss gave a bit back to the away end – before a second goal from Mark Gonzalez after the break.
A few Hoops fans were huckled for lobbing plastic cups and bottles but the majority of the near 50,000 crowd lapped up watching their favourites roll back the years.
Lambert – who fielded stars such as Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Mikael Lustig and
Robbie Keane – joked: “I thought it was Michael Jordan out there with the handball!
“As for the ruled- out goal I don’t how the ball can go out the pitch then hit the front of the bar unless there was a hurricane in the six-yard box.
“The guys worked so hard and played really well. The way they performed is testament to their character.
“They are sportsmen so they will always have that competitive edge about them.”
Hoops captain Sti l iyan Petrov admitted it was a special feeling pulling on the greenand-white shirt again – and returning to the scene of one of the club’s greatest triumphs.
The midfielder was part of Martin O’Neil l ’s side who stunned the Reds 2- 0 in the
UEFA Cup quarter-finals in 2003 and there was no way he’d swap that win for anything.
Gerrard scored before halftime with Gonzalez doubling the lead before Darren O’Dea was flagged offside and an OG was bizarrely ruled out too.
A late handball call was ignored but Petrov still loved going down memory lane.
He said: “Those memories stay with us all the time.
“The football has gone now so to have the opportunity to play in front of 50,000 again n was great.
“To be back at Anfield after er so many years was special. I wouldn’t change a moment of f it, even though we lost.”
A few Hoops fans went over r the line but Lambert was amazed by the 5000-strong backing in the Celtic end.
He said: “The atmosphere CRUNCH TIME Petrov tackles Charlie Adam was ter r i f ic. Celt ic fans travelled a long way and I’m pretty sure if they got more tickets they would taken even more. They were fantastic.
“I’ve no doubt they took over Liverpool and drank the place dry. The noise and the songs, you can’t ask for any more.
“I could watch that all day – even the Liverpool fans were joining in with the Huddle.
“Although I suspect there were a few Celtic supporters in
there too.”