ABERDEEN 1 CELTIC 2
DEAD-EYE Benjamin Nygren was the Celtic matchwinner to move the champions into second place in the Premiership after a dramatic, tension-laden encounter at Pittodrie tonight.
The Swede had just come on as a 65th-minute substitute when he struck the crucial points-clincher with only his fifth touch of the ball.
And what a touch it was!
GOAL-DEN BHOY…matchwinner Benjamin Nygren celebrates another crucial strike.
Reo Hatate, rolling back the years to turn in a Man of the Match performance, opened up the opportunity with an astute pass across the pitch to all-action Julian Araujo.
The Mexican international picked out James Forrest, who had also just joined the action, and the evergreen Celt’s low ball in from the right was perfection.
Nygren arrived with his customary uncanny timing to get a touch to the cross and that was enough to send the ball whipping past the stranded Dimitar Mitov into the net.
PICK IT OUT…Banjamin Nygren flashes the winner past Dons keeper Dimitar Mitov.
And Daizen Maeda should have made certain five minutes later when Jack Milne slipped to present him with the ball.
The Japanese international raced onto the gift and then woefully screwed his angled shot yards past the far post with just the keeper to beat.
That set up a nervy grand finale, but the Hoops held out for the win that pits them a point above Rangers and five behind leaders Hearts.
It was another Jekyll and Hyde performance from the champions as they went from a whirlwind to a whimper after netting in the fifth minute.
Thirteen minutes later, the Dons were back on level terms with the softest of penalty-kick awards and the visitors were knocked out of their stride for spells.
The Hoops got off to a perfect start when Luke McCowan fired over a left-wing corner-kick which was acrobatically flicked on by Liam Scales.
PERFECT START…Kieran Tierney pounces to give Celtic an early lead after a superb knock-on from Liam Scales (extreme left).
The ball dropped to the feet of Kieran Tierney, a goal hero in the 2-2 draw at Ibrox on Sunday, and the left-back thundered the ball high past the helpless Dimitar Mitov from four yards.
It was the boost Martin O’Neill’s men had craved and the struggling Dons were chasing shadows as Celtic went in search of a quickfire second.
In the tenth minute, Sebastian Tounekti and Hatate combined on the right before the Tunisian knocked the ball in front of Callum McGregor.
The captain took a touch before hitting a sizzling low drive that was netbound until Mitov sprawled to his right to grab the ball with both hands.
And just as the visiting fans settled back to watch their favourites turn on the afterburners, the Dons were invited back into the contest after a series of sloppy and wayward passes.
AIR WE GO…Kieran Tierney celebrates another vitally important Celtic goal.
One of the Hoops’ main problems was that nothing was sticking to towering frontman Tomas Cvancara. The Czech Republic striker found difficulty getting into the rhythm of the game and moves were breaking down all too frequently.
The hosts equalised in the 18th minute when referee Nick Walsh adjudged Scales had kicked Toyosi Olusanya who went down way too theatrically.
The decision stood, though, and Kevin Nisbet stepped up to blast the ball into Viljami Sinisalo’s left as the keeper took off for his right.
SPOT OF BOTHER…Kevin Nisbet sends Celtic keeper Viljami Sinisalo the wrong way for the Dons’ penalty-kick equaliser.
But the Finnish international denied the striker just two minutes after the turnaround with a stunning save following a thumping header from the Dons frontman.
Former Celtic prospect Mitchel Frame hit a superb cross from the left and Nisbet got in behind Benjamin Arthur and in front of Scales to direct an effort towards the roof of the Celtic net.
It looked like a goal all the way until Sinisalo took off in spectacular style to touch the ball over the crossbar for a breathtaking save.
In the 61st minute, O’Neill made his first changes as he took off the ineffective Cvancara and McCowan and put on Maeda and Nygren.
HOW’S THAT, BOSS? Benjamin Nygren celebrates his Pittodrie points-clincher as Martin O’Neill applauds from the touchline.
Four minutes later, Tierney, who hadn’t recovered from a nasty challenge from Olusanya in the first-half, was replaced by Marcelo Saracchi while Forrest came on for Yang.
In the 67th minute Nygren struck with what turned out to be the winner. There was an anxious delay while Chris Graham at VAR studied the goal before deciding the Swede was just onside.
In the 87th minute, Colby Donovan came on for Araujo as Celtic saw out the game for the much-needed three points.
Now the focus is on the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox on Sunday.
Bring it on!
TEAM: Sinisalo; Araujo (sub: Donovan 87), Murray, Scales, Tierney (sub: Saracchi 65); McCowan (sub: Nygren 61) McGregor, Hatate; Yang (sub: Forrest 65), Cvancara (sub: Maeda 61), Tounekti.
LOOKING FOR A PERFECT GIFT FOR ST.PATRICK’S DAY? Celtic Confidential is the stunning new book that brings the exclusive inside stories behind the headlines. Alex Gordon’s sixteenth Celtic book is available NOW. Order a copy and get £5 OFF the cover price of £25. All is revealed in a sensational new publication. Just click SHOP HERE and your book will be on its way. Happy St Patrick’s Day!
