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Page last updated at 22:51 GMT, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 23:51 UK

Rioch proud of players after draw

Bruce Rioch
Rioch says the result against Celtic is great for the city of Aalborg

Aalborg manager Bruce Rioch was full of praise for his team after they took a point from their Champions League match with Celtic in Glasgow.

"They were fantastic tonight - 'super' as they say in Denmark," said the former Scotland internationalist.

"My players have a great mentality and I was confident they'd enjoy the occasion, they were superb.

"We're going to enjoy this campaign, but we also have a job to do."

The Danish champions were billed as overwhelming underdogs for the group E opener.

But, they proved to be equal to their Scottish counterparts.

"We didn't come here just to play for a draw, we came to play football and give it our best effort," said Rioch.

"I've been here before and it's great, a theatre.

"And you don't know how the players will cope with the atmosphere, but they won't forget the memory.

"I said to them this afternoon that you mustn't let occasions like these pass you by."

Aalborg were reduced to 10 men after Michael Beauchamp was red-carded, despite his teammate Michael Jakobsen committing the professional foul on Georgios Samaras.

"Straight away I thought it was the wrong player," said Rioch.

"There was some confusion amongst the officials, and Beauchamp is really disappointed as he wasn't involved in the incident.

"But we've just had a super evening, we've got a draw, and we're really happy."


see also
Celtic 0-0 AaB Aalborg
17 Sep 08 |  Europe
Champions League as it happened
17 Sep 08 |  Europe
Champions League photos
17 Sep 08 |  Football


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