Celtic's home and away missions as one in Hartson's mind

Timing is everything. Celtic, and John Hartson in particular, simply didn't have it on Thursday. Fortunately, just like the movies, the Uefa Cup offers a second take.

Celtic Park's biggest occasion for 29 years did not produce a performance to match. The leading men, Hartson and Henrik Larsson, fluffed their lines against Boavista, but the final is not yet out of reach. The Welshman has promised it will be all right on the night in Portugal.

Perhaps the lighting was not quite right. European nights in the east end of Glasgow have a magical quality. The crescendo that pours out from a dark backdrop is what unnerves visitors.

Yet television tinkered with the magic. A 7pm kick-off to suit the BBC's live screening of the first leg of the semi-final meant that many struggled to get to Parkhead in time, and the first half was played under sunny skies that must have convinced Boavista they were on a day trip to the Algarve.

Only when the floodlights popped into life at the start of the second half did Celtic do the same. Though Joos Valgaeren struck an unfortunate own-goal, Larsson swiftly equalised with his ninth goal of this Uefa Cup campaign. Ricardo, the Boavista keeper, stopped the Swede moving into double figures by keeping out a late penalty.

Hartson could empathise. He missed from the spot in the CIS Cup final against Rangers last month but rebounded five days later with a glorious goal at Anfield that put the final nail in Liverpool's coffin.

"Henrik has nothing to worry about," said Hartson. "Their keeper simply made a great save. Henrik is still the penalty taker. The reason I took one in the CIS final was that I had scored two while he was out with a broken jaw and he told me to carry on."

The Bessa Stadium will not be the most intimidating place Celtic have visited. It will hold 30,000 when it is completed for Euro 2004, but a week on Thursday just half that number will see if Oporto's second club can complete a unique double by matching city rivals Porto, who appear to have booked a place in the final with a 4-1 first-leg win over Lazio. But Celtic require the spirit, performance and, most importantly, the away goals they delivered at Blackburn Rovers, Celta Vigo, Stuttgart and Liverpool.

"The boys were a bit quiet in the dressing room this morning before training, but the manager pulled us together and told us we can make it, we are still in this tie," Hartson said. "We felt worse after the Liverpool game here, because we knew we had a huge test at Anfield. Yet we went there and beat them. We have scored goals in every away game in the Uefa Cup this season and we can do it again. The bottom line is that we have to win or we are out.

"Boavista are a good side, but not the same quality as the ones we have already beaten. I was annoyed with myself, because as a striker all you ask for is a few good chances, and I had four and didn't score."

Hartson will attempt to restore Celtic's equilibrium today by securing a much-needed win at home to Kilmarnock to reignite their pursuit of the Premier League title. He cannot, will not, separate the twin prizes that seem to be drifting off in opposite directions on Celtic's horizon.

"We know we are capable of winning the next eight games and keeping our title and getting to the Uefa Cup final," he said. "We are not going to give up our title easily. People can talk about a Rangers Treble all they like, but we are still in two competitions and we want to win them both."