Celta 0 - Rijeka (Cro) 0

Celta: Cavallero; Velasco (Djorovic 89'), Cáceres,Yago, Manolo (Pablo Couñago 55'); Giovanella, Vagner; Mostovoi, Karpin, Jesuli; Catanha. 4-2-3-1.

Goals: None.

Celta came up against a brick wall in their first leg match in Balaidos, with Croatia's Rijeka determined to hold on to a draw. Rijeka packed their defence with players, and with keeper Tafra stopping everything Celta threw at him, the Gallicians were unable to break through. Víctor Fernández made a couple of changes to his defence, bringing in new signings Cavallero, Yago and Manolo, and replaced Doriva and Gustavo López by Giovanella and Mostovoi in midfield. Giovanella was the first to try his luck, firing in a couple of long shots, but he was off target. Apart from one header over the bar by Kremenovic, Rijeka didn't trouble Cavallero's goal, and the Argentinian couldn't have had an easier debut. Just before half time Tafra saved at point blank range from Karpin, and on the other side of the break Scottish referee Mr. McCurry hotted things up, turning down an appeal for a penalty for a hand ball by Mijatovic. Víctor decided he didn't need all his defenders and brought on Pablo, but the Celta attackers were getting in each others' way as they drove forward. The closest chance of the match went to Velasco, who hit the crossbar with a great shot, but with Catanha for once not on form the Rijeka goal remained intact. According to a local sports paper (who count these sort of things) Celta had 36 shots on goal, which works out at more than one every three minutes. In the end the crowd were shouting for Benni McCarthy, who has scored six goals to date in the Intertoto cup this summer. He couldn't hear them though, being on the other side of the world in Sydney with the South African side. The fans must be hoping he's back in time for the second leg in Croatia on the 28th.