There was so much appropriate about the ending of Wednesday’s first professional soccer match at Fenway Park in 42 years.

The game was tied late. The game was forced into extra ‘innings’ and a team named Celtic came out on top.

What more would Boston fans want in the inaugural Fenway Football Challenge?

Paul McGowan scored the decisive goal in extra penalty kicks as Celtic F.C. defeated Sporting Club de Portugal before 32,162 in the inaugural Fenway Football Challenge Wednesday night at Fenway Park. McGowan’s goal came just moments after Liedson’s shot went over everything and into the right field grandstands, giving Celtic the 6-5 edge in penalty kicks.

Helder Postiga‘s header in the 82nd minute lifted Sporting C.P. into a 1-1 draw in regulation. Diogo Salomao just missed moments earlier, hitting the crossbar on a header, drawing Celtic keeper Lukasz Zaluska out of position and allowing Postiga to knot the match.

“It’s not like your normal set-up,” Celtic manager Neil Lennon said. “And it’s the history and tradition of the stadium, as well.”

Georgios Samaras scored on a penalty kick in the 72nd minute to give Celtic the lead in the first Fenway Football Challenge.

But the game was secondary to the event itself. Just ask Lennon.

“I think we enjoyed it,” Lennon said. “It’s one of the most famous stadiums in the world and to play a football game here, it was pretty unique.”

Lennon was not alone in his awe of Fenway on Wednesday night and the near-sellout crowd to watch an exhibition match.

“It was a little strange playing here,” Sporting C.P. manager Paulo Sergio admitted. “We have the habit of the crowd being in line with the pitch and when I looked today, it seemed too long. I had the impression that to the left of me was too large, said Sporting manager Paulo Sergio. But, it is a mythical stadium and I will from here become a fan of the Red Sox and be more curious about baseball.”

As is the case with Red Sox fans, the following of Celtic F.C. is loyal and well-traveled. This was a payback of sorts for Celtic to its loyal fan base.

“We knew there was a huge following, obviously the Irish and the second and third-generation Irish, it was important to come and try and connect with the supporters and important to take the team here and have all the fans over here see them in the flesh, as it were,” Lennon said. “It was important to put on a performance that sent the fans home happy because a lot of people have a traveled a long, long way to come and see them tonight, and I know the boys appreciated that and I hope the fans appreciated it as well.”

Samaras, who played for Greece in the recent World Cup, had several chances in the first and second half before getting tripped by Anderson Polga on an offensive move near the left field line. The match was a “friendly” or exhibition as both teams get ready for their regular premier leagues in Europe.

The match was the first on the Fenway pitch since Pele and Santos F.C. played the Boston Beacons in an exhibition on July 9, 1968.