Gould keeps Celtic in the hunt

Now, however, they might well find a way through this qualifying round into the tournament proper. But it will be tough in the second leg at Parkhead in two weeks' time because, as the Austrian team coach, Heinz Peischl, said: ''We will be suited by having to play a counter-attacking game and we believe we can still win in Glasgow.''

The names may change in the Celtic squad, but the flaws of old were still detectable, particularly in the first half when their attempts at holding the fort in the Tivoli Stadium were as inept as on many an occasion in the past. Unfortunately the man who would shoulder most of the blame this time is one of the new boys, Stephane Mahe.

The Frenchman was twice beaten very easily as Tirol went two up in the first half. However, while his replacement at half-time by Jackie McNamara was not a surprise, it transpired that the Frenchman had been suffering from the recurrence of a rib injury, and that may have explained his inadequate performance.

Mahe, who cost #650,000 from Rennes, no doubt will make amends in due course and in that opening period he was by no means the lone failure in the Parkhead line-up.

But he and his team mates owe a great deal to the performance of a player who cost nothing, goalkeeper Jonathan Gould, signed from Bradford. Gould had a series of fine saves, particularly in the second half, and but for his excellence it could have been an embarrassing evening.

Manager Wim Jansen acknowledged that the first half display was well below par. ''We knew what Tirol could do but yet they still managed to score twice. At half-time, we changed things and it got better especially as we scored a very important goal.

''With that goal we now have a real chance of getting through the tie.''

The goal that could be worth many thousands of pounds to Celtic was also the first scored by Stubbs since his #3.5m move from Middlesbrough just more than a year ago. ''I have waited a long time for that goal,'' he said, ''and although it was deflected, the free kick was on target.

He may be called Christian, but the Austrian forward of that name, Mayrleb, showed very little charity towards his Scottish peers when he scored two goals inside a seven-minute period of the first half to put Celtic in serious bother.

The goals were perhaps predictable as Celtic suffered the usual severe pressure that goes with away European ties, but until the breakthrough in 21 minutes, the small group of Celtic fans in the far corner of the stadium might have been beginning to believe the worst was over.

They had seen their team survive a number of hairy moments, including a disallowed goal, but any optimism they felt turned out to be off target this time. The omens were there from very early on when striker Francis Severeyns tried an impudent chip over Gould that had the keeper beaten, but the ball landed on the roof of the net.

The Celtic keeper then held a well struck shot by Prudio comfortably enough but was happy a little later to see a volley by Vulic go only a foot past his left-hand post.

The goal that wasn't came in 11 minutes when Kirchler's cross from the right reached Severeyns who hit it firmly back across goal to the same player but, fortunately for Celtic, when he knocked it into the net, the standside linesman had his flag raised to signal offside.

The goal that was came in 21 minutes when Kirchler, an impressive midfield player, gave the ball down the right to Mayrleb, who went past Mahe with alarming ease, cut inside and, after his first shot was gallantly blocked by Gould, had an easy job to knock the rebound over the line.

Larsson had a chance to nullify that when he was put through by a good Burley pass but the Tirol keeper did well to race out and block his shot. That scorned opportunity nonetheless proved costly as the Austrians moved back upfield to score the second. The man who did the damage again was Christian Mayrleb. Accepting a headed pass from Vulic, he went past Mahe once more and, as Gould came out, lifted the ball over his body and into the net.

Not to anyone's surprise, Mahe was replace by Jackie McNamara at the start of the second half, with the task of marking Mayrleb going to Tommy Boyd. He took the responsibility too literally when he was booked immediately for a foul on the scorer.

The Austrians made a change in 59 minutes, replacing Vulic with Krinner and they would have gone three up but for a superb touch over the bar by Gould from a shot by Kirchler.

In 70 minutes, Tirol decided it was time for another substitution, bringing on Yilmaz for Severeyns, and at the same time, Celtic replaced Wieg-horst with David Hannah.

Ten minutes from the end , Simon Donnelly replaced Jackson, and two minutes later Celtic were given an unexpected reprieve when they pulled a goal back.

It may have been a bit fortunate as Stubbs' free kick from just outside the area hit the defensive wall and was deflected past a despairing keeper.

Tirol - Tchertchessov, Tangen, Kirchler, Vulic, Severeyns, Brzeczek, Prudlo, Knavs, Mayrleb, Marasek, Abou El Dahab. Substitutes - Weber, Wazinger, Baur, Krinner, Yilmaz, Jochum, Aichner.

Celtic - Gould, Boyd, McKinlay, Mackay, Stubbs, Larsson, Burley, Thom, Jackson, Mahe, Wieghorst. Substitutes - Marshall, McNamara, Donnelly, Hannah, Gray, O'Donnell, Grant.

Referee - Mr R Lunge (Holland)