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Celta Clinch After Astonishing Comeback
Rueters
The match ended in confusion as a goal from Goran Drulovic with the last kick of the game—completing the Red Star striker's hat-trick—was at first thought to have been ruled offside. The goal was eventually given, though, bringing the score on an incredible night to 5-3 in favour of Celta. The Spanish side, trailing 1-0 from the first leg, looked down and out as Drulovic increased his side's lead with a breakaway goal after 14 minutes of the return. Celta recovered with a Benni McCarthy strike midway through the second half but seven minutes before the break a loss of concentration in the home defence let in Drulovic for his second of the night and third of the tie. At that stage, Celta were 3-1 down and needed to score three times to make it through to the third round—a tough task against the massed ranks of Red Star defenders. The game was turned on its head in an incredible start to the second half, though. Gustavo Lopez got the sides level on the night with a penalty on 49 minutes after Catanha had been bundled over in the box. Six minutes later, Lopez was again the protagonist as his powerful run and accurate cutback from the left wing set up McCarthy for his second. A foul on Alexander Mostovoi saw Celta awarded a second penalty, still with only 65 minutes gone, and Lopez duly side-footed in the same place as his first, beating Red Star keeper Aleksandar Kocic to his right. Four minutes later Spanish international striker Catanha capped a wonderful comeback with the best goal of the night. He ran from inside his own half before producing a superb chip that left Kocic flapping. Drulovic eventually completed his hat-trick four minutes into injury-time with a great turn and shot just inside the area but there was no time for a further turnaround as the referee immediatley blew for full time.
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Soccer
