ABERDEEN 1 CELTIC 5
CELTIC pulverised their demoralised opponents into submission with a devastating performance at Pittodrie this evening.
As far as putting down markers before the Scottish Cup Final a week on Saturday, the Dons might be contemplating not bothering to turn up.
Of course, football doesn’t work like that, but the champions, with eight changes in their starting line-up from the side that beat Hibs 3-1 at the weekend, shredded their opponents in a breathtaking display that must send tremors through the north-east support before making the trip to the national stadium for the grand finale.
Goals from Maik Nawrocki, Yang Hyun-jun, Luke McCowan, Johnny Kenny and Adam Idah got the job done on this occasion.
And the strike from Kenny was especially greeted with enthusiasm as the young Irishman at last got on the scoresheet for the first time in his first start.
IRISH EYES ARE SMILING…Johnny Kenny runs away in delight after leaving keeper Dimitar Mitov helpless with his first goal for Celtic.
The only sour note on the evening was the injury to Reo Hatate near the end that saw the Japanese midfielder leave his team a man down as he limped off and was forced to sit out the remainder of the contest.
Brendan Rodgers was incensed that the clattering challenge and follow-through from Pape Gueye went unpunished.
It has to be hoped the wayward tackle does not see Hatate struggle to take his place in midfield when the curtain comes down at Hampden in 10 days’ time.
Comeback Bhoys Nawrocki and Hyun-jun were on target in an extended first-half to give the visitors the advantage at the interval.
The central defender, making a rare first-team start, bulleted in the opener before Kevin Nisbet levelled. However, it was the lively South Korean winger who put the champions back in front deep in stoppage-time.
The game was held up for almost seven minutes due to a medical emergency in the stand at a stage when the Hoops were dominating.
Dimitar Mitov had already blocked a blistering first-time drive by Paulo Bernardo before James Forrest passed up the ideal opportunity to claim his first goal of the season.
Callum McGregor set up the 29th-minute opening with a pass to Kenny who drilled an effort at goal. It took a deflection and fell to the feet of the winger who was searching for the strike that would keep his 15-season sequence intact.
However, the evergreen winger snatched at the chance and sent a tame effort wide of the keeper’s left-hand post.
PICK IT OUT…Yang Hyun-jun slams in No.2.
Nawrocki had more luck two minutes later when he broke the deadlock with a simple goal.
McCowan curled in an inviting right-wing corner-kick and the £4.3million purchase from Legia Warsaw in the summer of 2023 rose in a packed penalty area to thump a header wide of Mitov to his right.
Then came the lengthy interruption which undoubtedly interrupted the flow of the game.
The Dons came back into the contest and Topi Neskenen and Gueye combined on the left to set up Nesbit who flashed a header wide of the helpless Viljami Sinisalo.
But Celtic showed why they are champions by taking the lead again deep in stoppage-time when Forrest skipped past two challenges on the right, zipped in a low cross that gave Mitov a problem and Yang, coming in like an express train, rammed in the loose ball.
Three minutes after the turnaround, the Hoops were celebrating again after a superb third goal from McCowan.
THREE AND EASY…Luke McCowan is congratulated by James Forrest after making it 3-1 for the Hoops.
McGregor and Ralston were involved in some quick passing on the right that set up Forrest for a run at the Dons rearguard.
He switched the ball inside to McCowan who took a touch, steadied himself and then lashed an unstoppable angled drive into the roof of the net.
In the 53rd minute came the goal that had Irish eyes smiling – Kenny’s first competitive goal for his boyhood idols.
And it was a beauty!
Yang sent the hard-working McCowan clear on the left, the midfielder whipped in a perfect ball and Kenny’s timing couldn’t have been bettered as he arrived six yards out to glance a header wide of Mitov to his left.
FOUR-MIDABLE…Johnny Kenny thumps a header past Dimitar Mitov for No.4.
With Celtic coasting, Rodgers made his first changes in the 61st minute as he replaced Anthony Ralston and McGregor with Alistair Johnston and Hatate with the Canadian international right-back also taking over the captain’s armband.
Ten minutes later, Nicolas Kuhn and Idah joined the action as they took over from Yang and Kenny and Sean McArdle completed the set when he came on for McCowan in the 82nd minute.
Just before the teenager made his arrival, the Dons were reduced to 10 men when Alfie Dorrington, booked in the second minute for sending Yang flying, tripped Idah as he attempted to run onto a cute through ball from Bernardo.
Referee Steven McLean had no option to reach for the red card and banish the on-loan Spurs defender.
Celtic continued to force play and Mitov made a spectacular save to deny Idah, Jeffrey Schlupp fired one over and McArdle came close with a clever effort that was pushed away by the sprawling keeper.
A BUNCH OF FIVES…Adam Idah rounds off a great night for Celtic with No.5.
However, Celtic were not to be denied a fifth goal and it duly arrived in stoppage-time when a neat touch from McArdle sent Kuhn through.
The German saw Nicky Devlin clear his shot off the line, but Idah followed up to thunder the ball into the net from close range.
As dress rehearsals go, it wasn’t a bad show from the Cup holders!
TEAM: Sinisalo; Ralston (sub: Johnston 61), Nawrocki, Trusty, Schlupp; McCowan (sub: McArdle 82), McGregor (sub: Hatate 61), Bernardo: Yang (sub: Kuhn 71), Kenny (sub: Idah 71), Forrest.
