Even for a club without a major honour to their name since 1927, it seems unlikely that Cardiff City will return home to a tickertape reception or embark on an open-top bus tour of the Welsh capital after lifting the Algarve Challenge Cup.

In a tournament where genuinely memorable incidents were about as infrequent as supporters passing through the turnstiles, few could argue that Dave Jones' side were deserved winners after following an opening day victory over Vitorio Guimaraes with this single-goal success over a Celtic side greatly weakened by absentees and looking jaded in what was their fourth game in just seven days. Even fewer will remember it.

For Celtic, options to experiment are diminishing by the hour. Gordon Strachan had told reporters earlier in the day that he would not be rushed into recruiting fresh blood although the paucity of the resources available to him last night may have prompted a quick re-think.

Injuries having deprived him of the services of Shunsuke Nakamura, Aiden McGeady, Koki Mizuno, Pat McCourt, Ben Hutchinson, and Cillian Sheridan, and with Evander Sno and Chris Killen posted at the Olympics, the Celtic manager was left with just 16 players to put together a matchday squad.

With Scott McDonald, Gary Caldwell, and Stephen McManus all rested - until they were summoned from the bench later in the game - it meant Celtic, voluntarily or otherwise, road-tested unfamiliar partnerships both in defence and in attack.

Barring a rash of casualties to rival the Crimean War, it seems unlikely we will witness again this season Darren O'Dea and Bobo Balde in tandem at the heart of the Celtic defence. It seems unimaginable that the Guinean will still be at Parkhead come the start of September considering his weekly salary - a burden Celtic can ill afford.

His agricultural style may not be to everyone's taste but he was afforded a hearty roar by the smattering of Celtic supporters when he took to the field and responded with a typical performance that was solid if unspectacular.

He again proved susceptible to genuine pace whenever Cardiff attacked through the middle although he make a monkey of Ross McCormack with some neat touchline trickery in one first-half incident, proving that he is not entirely without finesse.

O'Dea remains a brighter prospect although may need to stock up on Creatine if he is to become a truly imposing centre-half, his physical frailties in the air regularly exposed by Steven Thompson, the former Rangers player.

At the other end, Cardiff had the task of keeping out Paul McGowan and Georgios Samaras. Both forwards showed some neat touches although neither possessed the astute off-the-ball running of McDonald or the physical menace of Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink in their armoury.

Ally McCoist and Ian Durrant, the Rangers first-team coaches, had travelled out to the Algarve to further monitor Glenn Loovens, Cardiff's Dutch defender, but were given little evidence from which to form a detailed assessment.

Loovens' biggest contribution was to flatten Scott Brown with one thunderous tackle that elicited the second biggest roar of the evening from the Cardiff fans gathered behind one goal.

The loudest cheer, naturally, arose when the FA Cup finalists scored the only goal of the game after 17 minutes.

Celtic had survived a near scare when Thompson powered a shot against Mark Brown's crossbar but were not so fortunate minutes later. Thompson was the provider, sending in a cross from the right that McCormack diverted to Joe Ledley lurking at the far post. There seemed plenty for the Welsh international still to do but he finished powerfully and accurately past Brown to put Cardiff in front and further underline why he is wanted by a host of clubs in the Barclays Premier League.

McCormack, recently arrived from Motherwell, had lit up the opening night of this sparsely-attended event with two goals against Guimaraes.

His garish yellow boots and pre-match comments that Celtic were the team of choice for this former Rangers striker had ensured the spotlight would remain on the 22 year-old as he lined up against his boyhood heroes.

His assist in the goal aside, he created little throughout a torpid 90 minutes, giving Balde one of his most comfortable evenings in a Celtic jersey. The Scottish giants may be the only club McCormack wants to play for but it may be some time before the feeling becomes mutual.

Gavin Rae remains a figure revitalised in the valleys. A peripheral figure at Rangers and perennially stricken with injuries, the Aberdonian midfielder has rediscovered a diet of regular football and regained his international place as a result.

In an efficient performance for Jones' side, he thwarted the attacking intentions of Massimo Donati and Scott Brown time and time again.

Rae was often the understudy to Barry Ferguson at Ibrox during the troubled Paul Le Guen era and may yet be asked to replace his injured former team-mate when Scotland commence their World Cup campaign in the autumn.

Celtic take on Porto, their opponents in the 2003 UEFA Cup Final, tomorrow evening.