ABERDEEN 0 CELTIC 1
A SUBLIME moment of magic from Reo Hatate powered Celtic SEVEN points clear of Aberdeen at the Premiership pinnacle after a colossal trial of strength at Pittodrie this evening.
The game was locked at 0-0 when the Japanese international produced that something special to win a ferocious contest that was played in gusty, rainswept conditions in the north east.
Greg Taylor opened the way for Hatate to have the final say in a no-holds barred meeting with Jimmy Thelin’s men putting their bodies on the line to get something from this confrontation.
However, second-half substitute Taylor kept his head as he looked up to see the midfielder take up a great position in the box.
With almost nonchalant ease, the left-back chipped the ball forward, Hatate took it perfectly on his chest and then hit a superb left-foot drive as the ball fell to the ground.
MATCHWINNER…Reo Hatate fires a left-foot drive past the stranded Ross Doohan.
Ross Doohan, the former Celtic prospect who had earlier denied the Japanese ace and Adam Idah, was left helpless as the drive eased in at the far post.
It was no more than a battling, gallant Celtic team deserved.
The main talking point in an ultra-competitive first-half, in which there were four bookings and three from the hosts, was the no-goal call to deprive the Hoops of the breakthrough strike in the 43rd minute.
Paulo Bernardo was terrorising the Dons defence with his wicked left-wing corner-kicks and only moments earlier Jamie McGrath had smuggled a header from Alistair Johnston round the post after one of the Portuguese playmaker’s deliveries.
Second time around, the Hoops midfielder whipped in a drive with pace and the ball eluded the struggling Doohan as it flew unerringly into the net.
However, referee Don Robertson blew for a foul from Daizen Maeda on the keeper and the home side escaped.
TV pictures didn’t show much wrong, but, unsurprisingly, VAR official Andrew Dallas agreed with his onfield colleague and the goal was disallowed.
NO GOAL…Ross Doohan misses Paulo Bernardo’s inswinging left-win corner-kick as the ball flies into the Dons net, but referee Don Robertson disallowed the effort for a foul by Daizen Maeda on the keeper.
It had been a fairly undistinguished opening period with the Dons snapping and snarling into every challenge. They were there to get the job done against the champions and they weren’t going to be too concerned how they went about it.
There was barely a minute on the clock when their captain Graeme Shinnie decked Hatate. It was a mere prelude for what was about to follow.
It had been a towsy 45 minutes plus four minutes stoppage-time after an early accidental clash between Kyogo Furuhashi and Doohan when the striker and the netminder had a coming-together as the Japanese forward chased a Callum McGregor pass into the box.
The game was held up for a spell while VAR checked to make sure there was no wrong-doing from the Celt. Thankfully, they got that right.
COLLISION COURSE…Kyogo Furuhashi is about to clash with keeper Ross Doohan in the coming-together early in the game.
Kasper Schmeichel had two shots on target throughout the opening half to address and he dealt capably with both, coincidentally from the same player, Duk.
The first came in 11 minutes when a through pass from Topi Neskenen eliminated Alex Valle and dropped into the tracks of the galloping Portuguese forward.
He took a touch before unleashing a low powerful drive on target, but Schmeichel diverted the effort to safety.
The second came from a 25-yard free-kick which was saved with some ease by the Dane.
Ref Robertson flashed yellow cards at Shinnie – surprise! surprise!- and his team-mates Kevin Nisbet and Sivert Nilsen and the Hoops’ Alex Valle.
The Spaniard struggled with the pace and conditions and was replaced for the start of the second-half by Taylor.
Kuhn came close to breaking the deadlock 10 minutes after the turnaround with a dipping drive from the edge of the box, but, unfortunately, it carried just over the bar.
In the 66th minute, Luke McCowan and Adam Idah joined the action as they replaced Bernardo and Kyogo.
Four minutes later, Johnston had two shots blocked in a packed penalty area before the ball fell to Hatate. He lashed a left-foot effort at goal, but Doohan pulled off an amazing save to his right to push the ball away.
PICK IT OUT…Reo Hatate leaves Dons keeper Ross Doohan helpless with his low drive for the crucial winner at Pittodrie.
In the 75th minute Idah thumped in a six-yard header from a cute McCowan lobbed pass, but once again the Dons keeper responded with a superb one-handed save.
James Forrest came on for Maeda only moments later as the Hoops continued their search for three points.
And they got the barrier-breaking clincher thanks to the clever ball from Taylor and the exquisite finish from Hatate who was replaced in the 88th minute by Arne Engels.
Celtic weathered the storm from the Dons and the elements to get the victory that could go a long way to the destination of the title in May.
A quick word about Cameron Carter-Vickers. The rock-like defender was invincible tonight and one late block from Ester Soklar made certain the points were heading for the east end of Glasgow.
Take a bow, Cameron!
TEAM: Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Valle (sub: Taylor 46); Bernardo (sub: McCowan 66), McGregor, Hatate (sub: Engels 88); Kuhn, Kyogo (sub: Idah 66) and Maeda (sub: Forrest 76).
