| Match Pictures | Matches: 2005 – 2006 | 2005-2006 Pictures |
Trivia
- Strachan was delighted with Celtic's 10th straight win.
- Shunsuke Nakamura scored twice as relaxed champions Celtic inflicted a clinical defeat on Kilmarnock.
- Celtic play in all green.
Review
Nakamura was brought down 22 yards from goal by Naismith and the Japanese playmaker sent a left-footed shot over the wall and inside the near post beyond Combe's left hand.
David Marshall was given a rare starting place, And the young goalkeeper was called into action to block Nish's effort on the turn from eight yards. But that was a rare moment of danger as McGeady, Nakamura, Maloney and Paul Telfer took turns to show moments of trickery.
Celtic could have been made to pay just before the break, Gary Wales took a quick free-kick that sent Naismith clear on goal, but the striker was pulled up for offside after slipping the ball into the corner of the net.
Celtic made Killie pay when Hartson turned the ball home after Maloney's low cross was palmed clear by goalkeeper Alan Combe.
And Nakamura was sent clear for Celtic's third by substitute Dublin.
Dublin was then played in by Maloney to score the fourth, before Nish broke clear to fire home for Killie.
Teams
Kilmarnock:-
Combe, Wilson, Hay, Wright, Ford, Fowler, Johnston, Naismith, Invincibile, Wales (Di Giacomo 70), Nish.
Subs not used:- Smith, Greer, McDonald, Locke, Campbell, Bell.
Booked:- Johnston.
Goal:- Nish 89.
Celtic:-
Marshall, Telfer, Wilson, Varga, McManus, Lennon (Lawson 85), Petrov (Pearson 66), Nakamura, McGeady, Hartson (Dublin 75), Maloney.
Subs not used:- McGovern, Thompson, Camara, Wallace.
Goals:- Nakamura 8, Hartson 64, Nakamura 82, Dublin 84.
Booked:- Petrov.
Att:- 10,978
Ref:- C Thomson.
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
- Match Report (BBC)
- 'We took liberties' – Strachan (BBC)
Pictures
Articles
Kilmarnock 1-4 Celtic
BBC
Shunsuke Nakamura scored twice as relaxed champions Celtic inflicted a clinical defeat on Kilmarnock.
Nakamura gave Celtic a great start, curling home a superb free-kick then Killie's Steven Naismith had a goal harshly ruled out for offside.
Naismith also missed two great chances before Celtic's John Hartson scored following a Shaun Maloney cross.
Nakamura pounced on a backheel from Dion Dublin, who then converted from 12 yards, before Colin Nish's consolation.
Kilmarnock had been unchanged from the midweek defeat by Hibernian, but their hopes of leapfrogging the Edinburgh side into fourth spot suffered a blow after just eight minutes.
Nakamura was brought down 22 yards from goal by Naismith and the Japanese playmaker sent a left-footed shot over the wall and inside the near post beyond Combe's left hand.
David Marshall was given a rare starting place for Celtic, along with Stan Varga and Aiden McGeady, in place of the injured Artur Boruc.
'We took liberties' – Strachan
And the young goalkeeper was called into action to block Nish's effort on the turn from eight yards.
But that was a rare moment of danger as McGeady, Nakamura, Maloney and Paul Telfer took turns to show moments of trickery.
Celtic should have been made to pay just before the break for their showboating following their midweek title triumph.
Gary Wales took a quick free-kick that sent Naismith clear on goal, but the striker was pulled up for offside after slipping the ball into the corner of the net.
Replays suggested that Naismith was several yards onside, leaving manager Jim Jefferies seething as the half-time whistle blew.
Jefferies wants linesmen disciplined
Kilmarnock appeared to be fired up by a sense of injustice as the second half began.
Naismith beat Marshall to a long ball to the edge of the box, only for his toe-poke to slip just wide of the far post, and pounced on more hesitation from Stephen McManus but fired wide.
Celtic made Killie pay when Hartson turned the ball home after Maloney's low cross was palmed clear by goalkeeper Alan Combe.
Marshall saved at point-blank range to deny Wales, then Danny Invincibile lofted the ball over the goalkeeper but just wide.
And Nakamura was sent clear for Celtic's third by substitute Dublin, who was then played in by Maloney, before Nish broke clear to fire home for Killie.
Kilmarnock: Combe, Wilson, Hay, Wright, Ford, Fowler, Johnston, Naismith, Invincibile, Wales (Di Giacomo 70), Nish.
Subs Not Used: Smith, Greer, McDonald, Locke, Campbell, Bell. Booked: Johnston.
Goals: Nish 89.
Celtic: Marshall, Telfer, Wilson, Varga, McManus, Lennon (Lawson 85), Petrov (Pearson 66), Nakamura, McGeady, Hartson (Dublin 75), Maloney.
Subs Not Used: McGovern, Thompson, Camara, Wallace.
Booked: Petrov.
Goals: Nakamura 8, Hartson 64, Nakamura 82, Dublin 84.
Att: 10,978
Ref: C Thomson
'We took liberties' – Strachan
BBC
Gordon Strachan was delighted with Celtic's 10th straight win but admitted that his side were over-indulgent at times in the 4-1 defeat of Kilmarnock.
"Kilmarnock have done fantastically well this year considering their resources," said the Celtic boss.
"So to come here and score four, both sides could have had more, is great.
"But, at times, I thought we took liberties at the back and you cannot do that with Kilmarnock as they have good, determined forwards."
Shunsuke Nakamura scored twice for Celtic at Rugby Park during a week in which some reports suggested that the Japanese midfielder was unsettled at the club.
"He has a touch of an angel and he was fantastic out there," said Strachan.
The shackles are off
Celtic captain Neil Lennon
"He must have been one of the lads who stayed in after the title win on Wednesday."
Celtic captain Neil Lennon admitted that his side were given a break when Killie striker Steven Naismith had a goal controversially ruled off just before the interval with the visitors leading 1-0.
"It probably would have changed things," said the Celtic midfielder.
"Goals do change the course of the game and, at the time, it looked touch and go whether he was offside or not.
"But we got the benefit of the doubt and we were happy going in at 1-0 up.
"But I felt we were in control of the game for the most part and maybe overcooked it in the final third, but we got our rewards in the second half for our good football.
"We went 4-3-3 and it worked well for us, although maybe the scoreline flatters us a bit.
"The shackles are off are I told the players before the game just to relax and enjoy themselves."