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Trivia
- 4pts ahead at end of day (Rangers to play the next day)
- Ten homes in a row v Aberdeen now. Note last game away v Aberdeen we were whooped 4-2.
- A great result following previous games' 1-1 draw v Hearts.
- Maloney returns and plays last few mins.
- Last game before the split.
- Spat between Skippy & the ref saw Skippy get carded, Ref in general taken to have had a poor game today.
Review
Good if unspectacular win, however 3pts is 3pts and the passing and skill was generally good. Goals from JVoH (via a corner) and Skippy allowed us to take control in a game which at points we were finding it hard where to find goals from. Poor performance by Crosas & Naka, but didn't hinder us to the win. Many thought the ref was shocking (i'm not as sure) and gave Aberdeen some lax free-kicks round our penalty box but nothing thankfully came of it.
Skippy had a spat with the ref which saw him carded. Not the best thing to do in the world and could have been red carded.
Teams
Celtic (4-4-2)
Boruc,
Hinkel, Loovens, Caldwell, Naylor,
Nakamura, Crosas (Hartley 83), Scott Brown, McGeady (Mizuno 85),
McDonald (Maloney 90), Vennegoor of Hesselink.
Subs Not Used: Fox, Wilson, Misun, Ferry.
Booked : McDonald
Goals : Vennegoor of Hesselink 43, McDonald 55
Aberdeen : Langfield, Foster, Considine, Diamond (Vidal 67), Mulgrew, Jamie Smith (Wright 56), Severin, Young (Duff 33), McDonald, Aluko, Maguire.
Subs Not Used: Bossu, Mair, Stewart, Paton
Att : 58,581
Ref : D McDonald
Articles
Pictures
KStreet
Quotes
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:
"That's as good as we've played against Aberdeen for a long time.
"The way we were playing, I thought we could have got more, but they defended well and worked hard, but I was pleased with the variation of play in the team today.
"This game would have been perfect to show live. What you saw out there was magnificent football, Aberdeen having a go, players working hard, good systems, crowds, sunshine, perfect pitch.
"We don't show that. It's a complete nonsense what we have to do. Rangers and Celtic have to play away from home every week when you see them live on the telly.
"You don't see that with Manchester United and Liverpool."
Stats
CELTIC v ABERDEEN
Possession
Shots on target
Shots off target
Corners
Fouls
Bhoys maintain lead at top of the SPL
18 April 2009
Provided by: The Irish Examiner
Celtic 2 Aberdeen 0
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink’s fourth goal in four games helped Celtic beat Aberdeen at Parkhead and stretch their lead over Rangers at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League to four points.
The Dutchman broke the deadlock just before the break with a drive from close range following a Shunsuke Nakamura corner to take his tally to six for the season.
Scott McDonald’s 18th goal of the season nine minutes into the second half sealed the victory and piled pressure on the Ibrox men who play Hibernian at Easter Road tomorrow.
Vennegoor of Hesselink’s return to scoring form as the title race enters its final stages will be welcomed by the champions as they look to take enough points from the five post-split fixtures to retain their title.
Celtic should have got off the mark in the third minute when right-back Andreas Hinkel drove down the right and crossed into the six-yard box for the on-rushing Nakamura.
But the Japan international, notably poor in the air, got his timing all wrong and headed wide.
Aberdeen were forced back into their own half, and in the 17th minute Vennegoor of Hesselink had a good chance when Aiden McGeady’s searching pass from the right caught out Zander Diamond and Andrew Considine.
However, with only Jamie Langfield to beat, the former PSV player failed to connect properly with his right-footed volley, allowing the Dons keeper to gather.
Moments later, in the visitors’ first real attack, Celtic keeper Artur Boruc had to make a save from Derek Young’s flick after the Dons midfielder had latched on to a Richard Foster cross.
Boruc then had to make another save, this time from Gary McDonald after the Pittodrie midfielder had taken a Foster pass. Celtic defender Gary Caldwell headed the loose ball clear for a corner which the home side survived.
However, after Diamond had conceded a corner with a tackle on McDonald with two minutes remaining, Vennegoor of Hesselink pounced to open the scoring.
Nakamura’s cross from the left was helped on by Glenn Loovens and the Dutchman was able to slam the ball in from around four yards out.
Vennegoor of Hesselink’s goal was an obvious blow to the Pittodrie side.
However, the Dons looked sharp immediately after the break, pushing forward with pace if little purpose on a couple of occasions.
Aberdeen appeared to be let off the hook by referee Dougie McDonald in the 53rd minute when McGeady’s chip across the six-yard box was missed altogether by the swipes of Considine and Charlie Mulgrew with the ball then appearing to come off the hand of the latter.
That was the signal for the champions to reassert their superiority and a minute later McDonald doubled their lead with a well-worked goal.
The former Motherwell player worked a one-two with Vennegoor of Hesselink at the edge of the box before driving low past Langfield.
Tommy Wright replaced Jamie Smith immediately afterwards but there looked no way back for the Dons even though a couple of impressive dead-ball deliveries from Mulgrew soon afterwards had the Celtic defence under a bit of pressure.
Scott McDonald then found himself in the book after remonstrating with referee McDonald following a foul on him by Scott Severin, the Australian carrying on his haranguing of the official for minutes afterwards.
McDonald had a close-range effort blocked by Langfield after he had been cleverly set up by substitute Koki Mizuno, who had replaced McGeady.
The champions controlled the game all the way to the finish and will now look for Hibernian to do them a favour at Easter Road tomorrow.
© Irish Examiner, 2009. Thomas Crosbie Media, TCH
The Irish Examiner