Football: Pedersen's own goal spoils perfect day

By Simon Buckland

Dundee United 2 Celtic 3

ERIK PEDERSEN'S injury-time own goal put Celtic into the Scottish Cup semi-finals to complete an eventful afternoon for the Dundee United defender.

It had looked a perfect day for the Norwegian as his wife, Beate, delivered a baby boy at lunchtime. But with 90 minutes on the clock Harald Brattbakk broke through the middle and released Henrik Larsson, whose low cross was put through his own net virtually on the goal-line by Pedersen at the far post.

That was after Morten Wieghorst had already struck a vital leveller to ensure that a Kjell Olofsson double did not end Celtic's treble chance at Tannadice. It proved much more of a tussle than the Coca-Cola Cup which Celtic won 3-0 at Ibrox.

Brattbakk put Celtic ahead after 11 minutes to keep up his record of scoring in every round, but after Olofsson's goals United struggled to hold their nerve and their lead.

Goals: Brattbakk (11) 0-1; Olofsson (18) 1- 1; Olofsson (52) 2-1; Wieghorst (55) 2-2; Pedersen og (90) 2-3.

Dundee United: Dykstra; Bowman, Malpas, Pressley (Skoldmark, 46), Perry, Pedersen, Olofsson, Zetterlund, Winters, Dolan (Easton, 82), McLaren (Omoyinimi, 72).

Celtic: Gould; Boyd, Mahe, Donnelly, Rieper, Stubbs, Larsson, Burley, Brattbakk, Lambert, Wieghorst. Substitutes not used: O'Donnell, Hannah, Annoni.

Referee: K Clark (Paisley).

Bookings: United: Bowman, Malpas. Celtic: Burley, Lambert, Wieghorst.

Man of the match: Olofsson.

Attendance: 12,640.