FALKIRK 0 CELTIC 1
BENJAMIN NYGREN was the matchwinner with his twelfth goal of the season to settle a dramatic encounter at Falkirk Stadium this evening.
But the Swede will have to share top billing with Great Dane Kasper Schmeichel who proved to be an unbeatable barrier for the frustrated hosts.
And the keeper, who has had his critics in recent weeks, responded to the challenge with a brilliant performance which included a memorable stop in the 81st minute as Falkirk pushed for an equaliser.
Nygren was the man who mattered at the other end with the strike that kept Martin O’Neill’s men six points behind Hearts who beat St Mirren 2-0 at Tynecastle.
Celtic got the all-important winning goal two minutes from the interval after surviving some anxious moments in front of Schmeichel with the team living dangerously.
HANDS UP IF YOU’RE HAPPY…Benjamin Nygren celebrates his matchwinning header against Falkirk.
John McGlynn’s men were well up for the test as they snapped into challenges all over the field, winning more than most of the 50/50 balls.
It looked as though it was heading for a scoreless stalemate in the first-half, but Nygren emerged to change the complexion of the contest.
Arne Engels had sent in a succession of corner-kicks from both wings without reward until he whipped it another from the left that landed smack in the danger zone.
Nygren climbed above a pyramid of players to get his head to the ball to send an effort crashing into the net behind stranded Scott Bain.
The roar from the Hoops support that greeted the goal was as much in relief as delight.
In fact, the champions’ only other opportunity in the opening half had also emerged from a corner-kick from the same wing by the Belgian playmaker. On this occasion, though, Bain managed to beat away a six-yard header from Daizen Maeda to deny his former colleague.
ONE THAT GOT AWAY…a relieved Kasper Schmeichel, Kieran Tierney and Liam Scales can only look on as Falkirk’s Kyrell Wilson hits a drive off target.
The home side had created consternation for their opponents on several occasions and should have gone in front in the 24th minute when Kieran Tierney was worryingly left in Kyrell Wilson’s slipstream in a race for the ball on the right.
The pacy youngster swept into the box, cut inside the Scotland international defender, but, just when it looked as though he must score, he hurried his shot and slashed it wide of Schmeichel’s right-hand post.
That was a let-off for the Celts and they had their keeper to thank five minutes when a dreadful backpass from Maeda was seized upon by Barney Stewart, but his low drive was well held by the sprawling Dane.
Celtic had the ball in the net in the 54th minute, but substitute referee Sean Murdoch, who came on for hamstring victim John Beaton at the interval, correctly ruled it offside.
Maeda touched the ball back to Liam Scales who fired home, but the Japanese forward, who had just botched a header from an Engels free-kick, was clearly in an illegal position.
In the 64th minute, O’Neill shuffled the pack when he sent on Reo Hatate and Luke McCowan for Yang Hyun-jun and Sebastian Tounekti who were producing little as the game progressed.
Johnny Kenny joined the action in the 79th minute as he replaced Engels.
HOOP HOOP HOORAY…points-clincher Benjamin Nygren celebrates his winner with Arne Engels, Yang Hyun-jun and Daizen Maeda.
O’Neill’s side were put under pressure at every twist and turn by their opponents who were desperate to get something from the confrontation.
The Hoops didn’t help themselves with some sloppy passing and a wayward ball from McCowan would have proved costly if he hadn’t been bailed out by Schmeichel.
The midfielder was way out with a backpass that created confusion in the box before the ball fell to Ethan Henderson. He took a touch to open a clear look at goal and walloped a close-range effort that appeared to be netbound.
Schmeichel, though, spread himself to beat the ball away and keep his goal intact.
It could prove to be an enormous save when the points are being tallied at the end of the season.
This was not a spectacular display from Celtic, but games like this on a wet Wednesday on a dodgy artificial pitch are the ones that go a long way to winning titles.
TEAM: Schmeichel; Araujo, Trusty, Scales, Tierney; Engels (sub: Kenny 79), McGregor, Nygren; Yang (sub: McCowan 64), Maeda, Tounekti (sub: Hatate 64).
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