2011-05-08: Kilmarnock 0-2 Celtic, SPL

Match Pictures | Matches: 2010 – 2011 | 2010-2011 Pictures

Trivia

  • Rangers still in pole position win the league….
  • Rangers bought over by Craig Whyte on Friday past.
  • Kayal injured and out for season.

Review

After the heartbreaking defeat at Inverness in midweek we rolled up at this game in a somewhat subdued mood. Even the normally tasty Killie pies were a trifle off today.
After his poor showing in the aformentioned ICT game Emilio Izaguirre got a tremendous reception from the support in the Chadwick when he came out for his warm up.
The Huns had won the previous day so we knew nothing other then 3 points were acceptable.
Killie had had a fairly decent season up till that point but we had gubbed them 4-0 at Rugby Park only a few weeks beforehand.

To make matters worse for Celtic, the match referee was none other than the bug eyed one himself, Willie Collum.

We were never in danger of losing this game although the mood amongst the support was not helped after we had two first half goals disallowed. The second one in particular was of the dodgy variety as we had an excellent shout for a penalty before Commons was flagged for offside.

On the stroke of halftime we did manage to put the ball in the net and the goal stood this time. Our captain Scott Brown (who was having a fine game) sclaffed the ball in from a yard out via his head/chest/shoulders/knee. Regardless it went in.

Second half was much of the same again bar a moment of stunning quality from Kris Commons. From at least 25 yards out he struck the ball woth his left foot as sweet as the proverbial nut directly into the top corner.
Goal of the season candidate.

The game petered out after that although there was time for a further Gary Hooper goal to be chalked off.

After the game Izaguirre, who had been substituted due to a persistent ankle injury, made his way over to the support in the Chadwick Stand and threw his jersey in a a gesture of thanks for the magnificent backing he has had from the Celtic support.

During the after match interviews the media flew into a particular frenzy by twisting Neil Lennons comments about him hoping someone gives Rangers a game, into Lennon claiming other teams lie down against the mighty Rainjurs.

Teams

Kilmarnock

  • 13Bell
  • 02Clancy
  • 03Hay
  • 06Sissoko (Pursehouse 57)
  • 07Bryson
  • 14Silva (Taouil 65)
  • 22Kelly
  • 23Dayton (Fisher 77)
  • 29Pascali; yellow card
  • 17Agard
  • 20Eremenko; yellow card

Substitutes

  • 21Letheren,
  • 15Berntsson,
  • 34Fisher,
  • 10Taouil,
  • 26Pursehouse,
  • 28Gross,
  • 87Aubameyang

Celtic

  • 26Forster
  • 03Izaguirre (Mulgrew 70)
  • 05Majstorovic
  • 12Wilson
  • 25Rogne
  • 08Brown; yellow card
  • 18Ki Sung-Yeung; yellow card
  • 15Commons
  • 27Murphy
  • 49Forrest (Maloney 65)
  • 88Hooper (McCourt 87)

Substitutes

  • 24Zaluska,
  • 04Juarez,
  • 11Cha Du-Ri ,
  • 21Mulgrew,
  • 14McGinn,
  • 20McCourt,
  • 13Maloney

Goals

  • Brown 45+1
  • Commons 68
Ref:Collum
Att:9,720

Articles

  • Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

MOTM

Stats

Possession

  • Kilmarnock 45%
  • Celtic 55%

Attempts on target

  • Kilmarnock 1
  • Celtic 2

Attempts off target

  • Kilmarnock 2
  • Celtic 7

Corners

  • Kilmarnock 2
  • Celtic 5

Fouls

  • Kilmarnock 11
  • Celtic 17

Articles

Neil Lennon challenges Rangers' opponents after Celtic beat Kilmarnock

Celtic continue to live in hope rather than expectation. The key aim for Neil Lennon and his players at Kilmarnock was to ensure Rangers cannot win the title when they host Dundee United on Tuesday night.
Mission accomplished on that front, although Celtic trail their old foes by a point with two league matches remaining. The surprise defeat in Inverness last week still looks like it could be fatally damaging to Celtic hopes.
After this 2-0 victory, Lennon could not resist his latest barb towards Rangers' opponents. "We are looking for someone to compete and give Rangers a game," Celtic's manager said. "There hasn't been much evidence of that in their previous two games."
Lennon's point was undermined by the admission that he did not watch Rangers' 4-0 win over Hearts on Saturday. Vladimir Romanov, the Hearts owner, insisted that the manager, Jim Jefferies, did not select two of his best players; merely the latest curious act at that club rather than something directly linked to the title race. "Every club has its own agenda and reasons for doing what they do," Lennon said. "I'm not going to cast aspersions."
Kilmarnock did not lack spirit here, rather their admirable spells of passing weren't followed up by meaningful scoring chances. James Dayton came the closest to troubling Celtic, dragging a shot narrowly wide inside 10 minutes. In what was a low‑key affair, the visitors had already seen two goals ruled out for offside by the time their captain, Scott Brown, dived to head home after James Forrest had knocked the ball into his path just before the break.
Kris Commons, whose scoring record since moving north in January has been impressive, clinched the three points. The former Derby County midfielder slammed home from 25 yards for his 13th goal for Celtic and 28th of the season.
Celtic visit Hearts on Wednesday – they were beaten on their last visit to Tynecastle – before hosting Motherwell four days later. After facing United in Walter Smith's final home match in charge of the club, Rangers travel to Kilmarnock.
"There are two games to go, anything can happen," Lennon said.

Kilmarnock 0-2 Celtic

By David McDaid
Celtic returned to within a point of Scottish Premier League leaders Rangers after a workmanlike win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
It took until added time at the end of the first half for Celtic to break down their hosts, when Scott Brown headed in from six yards.
Kilmarnock showed some good build-up play at times, but failed to test Fraser Forster in the Celtic goal.
Kris Commons sealed the points with another wonderful strike on 68 minutes.

With Celtic missing Joe Ledley and Beram Kayal from their midfield engine room it was Kilmarnock who looked the more settled side early on.
And they might have gone ahead in the eighth minute when James Dayton, making his first start since September, shot just past the near post, cutting in from the right after a good move involving Alexei Eremenko, and James Bryson.
At the other end Momo Sissoko, being watched by his parent club Udinese, made a poor clearance to allow Daryl Murphy a strike at goal, which the Celtic forward drilled just wide from the edge of the box.
Celtic had the ball in the net on 19 minutes, but Gary Hooper was offside as he reacted to prod in Daniel Majstorovic's header, which Cammy Bell had saved.
With Celtic toiling to cut open the home defence Commons struck a couple of efforts over from distance.
But the midfielder came closer after the half-hour mark, shaving the crossbar with a 25-yard free-kick.
And he was again denied by the assistant referee's flag, having poked the ball into Bell's net when the ball broke to him in an offside position.
Eremenko, again looking composed in possession in Kilmarnock's midfield, tried his luck from outside the box, but failed to trouble Forster.
But Celtic took the lead in first-half stoppage time through their captain Brown.
Murphy hung a deep cross to the back post, James Forrest headed back across goal, and Brown dived to head the ball in from six yards.
The goal seemed to relax Celtic, who started brightly after the break, with Forrest slamming a shot against the side netting.
But Majstorovic had his defensive partner Thomas Rogne to thank for a saving tackle on Kieran Agard after the Swede was caught on the ball on the edge of Celtic's box.
Celtic eventually got the second goal they craved on 68 minutes, with Commons yet again the scorer.
The Scotland winger took a cross-field pass from Brown and, having watched earlier efforts drift off target, found the top corner of the net with a thunderous shot from 25 yards.
Kilmarnock, who have won many plaudits for their play over the course of the season, looked lacklustre in the closing stages and Celtic ended up comfortable winners.
However, one possible blight on the victory could be the departure of Player of the Season Emilio Izaguirre late on with an apparent hamstring concern.

Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/9476493.stm

Published: 2011/05/08 13:37:49 GMT

© BBC 2011

  • Final Result
  • Full Time
  • 90:00+2:51 The match has reached full-time.
  • 89:09 The offside flag is raised against Daryl Murphy. Kieran Agard takes the indirect free kick.
  • 87:29 Scott Brown challenges Garry Hay unfairly and gives away a free kick. Garry Hay restarts play with the free kick.
  • 86:03 The offside flag is raised against Gary Hooper. Indirect free kick taken by Cameron Bell.
  • 86:03 Substitution Patrick McCourt on for Gary Hooper.
  • 82:59 Craig Bryson is ruled offside. Fraser Forster takes the free kick.
  • 82:19 Garry Hay fouled by Daryl Murphy, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Garry Hay.
  • 78:38 The referee blows for offside against Gary Hooper. Indirect free kick taken by Tim Clancy.
  • 76:21 Substitution Gary Fisher comes on in place of James Dayton.
  • 74:34 Daniel Majstorovic concedes a free kick for a foul on Cameron Bell. Direct free kick taken by Cameron Bell.
  • 73:40 Shaun Maloney takes the inswinging corner, Garry Hay manages to make a clearance.
  • 72:18 Corner taken left-footed by Kris Commons, save made by Cameron Bell.
  • 69:55 Substitution Charlie Mulgrew is brought on as a substitute for Emilio Izaguirre.
  • 68:22 Foul by Garry Hay on Scott Brown, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Fraser Forster.
  • 67:12 The assist for the goal came from Scott Brown.
  • 67:12 GOAL – Kris CommonsKilmarnock 0 – 2 Celtic Kris Commons gets on the score sheet with a goal from long range to the top right corner of the goal. Kilmarnock 0-2 Celtic.
  • 66:11 Shaun Maloney takes a inswinging corner from the left by-line played to the near post, clearance by Craig Bryson.
  • 65:35 Foul by Kris Commons on Garry Hay, free kick awarded. Alexei Eremenko restarts play with the free kick.
  • 64:41 Substitution Mehdi Taouil comes on in place of David Silva.
  • 64:19 Substitution Shaun Maloney replaces James Forrest.
  • 61:20 Kieran Agard fouled by Thomas Rogne, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by James Dayton.
  • 60:14 Foul by Manuel Pascali on Scott Brown, free kick awarded. Sung-Yeung Ki takes the free kick.
  • 56:28 Substitution (Kilmarnock) makes a substitution, with Alex Pursehouse coming on for Mohamadou Sissoko.
  • 54:48 The offside flag is raised against Gary Hooper. Free kick taken by Cameron Bell.
  • 53:40 Corner taken by Sung-Yeung Ki.
  • 51:35 Short corner worked by Alexei Eremenko.
  • 50:45 Corner taken right-footed by David Silva from the left by-line, save by Fraser Forster.
  • 49:57 Effort from outside the penalty box by Sung-Yeung Ki goes wide right of the target.
  • 49:19 Kieran Agard challenges Daniel Majstorovic unfairly and gives away a free kick. Daniel Majstorovic restarts play with the free kick.
  • 47:55 Effort from inside the area by James Forrest misses to the right of the target.
  • 47:33 Handball by James Dayton. Daniel Majstorovic restarts play with the free kick.
  • 46:48 Free kick awarded for a foul by Daniel Majstorovic on Tim Clancy. Alexei Eremenko takes the direct free kick.
  • 46:19 James Forrest has an effort from just inside the box that misses to the left of the goal.
  • 45:24 The referee blows for offside against Gary Hooper. Cameron Bell takes the free kick.
  • 45:01 The referee starts the second half.
  • Half Time
  • 45:00+2:05 The referee calls an end to the first half.
  • 45:00+0:09 The assist for the goal came from James Forrest.
  • 45:00+0:09 GOAL – Scott BrownKilmarnock 0 – 1 Celtic Scott Brown scores a headed goal from inside the six-yard box. Kilmarnock 0-1 Celtic.
  • 44:17 Tim Clancy is caught offside. Fraser Forster takes the indirect free kick.
  • 43:00 Kieran Agard is caught offside. Fraser Forster takes the indirect free kick.
  • 42:10 The assistant referee flags for offside against Gary Hooper. Cameron Bell restarts play with the free kick.
  • 41:39 Alexei Eremenko produces a right-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that goes wide left of the target.
  • 41:08 Emilio Izaguirre concedes a free kick for a foul on James Dayton. Free kick taken by Liam Kelly.
  • 40:15 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Mohamadou Sissoko by Gary Hooper. Mohamadou Sissoko takes the free kick.
  • 39:22 The assistant referee flags for offside against James Forrest. Free kick taken by Cameron Bell.
  • 38:07 Mohamadou Sissoko fouled by Kris Commons, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Alexei Eremenko.
  • 37:47 Craig Bryson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Daniel Majstorovic. Direct free kick taken by Scott Brown.
  • 35:39 Alexei Eremenko takes a shot. Save by Fraser Forster.
  • 34:22 Sung-Yeung Ki gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Kieran Agard. Alexei Eremenko takes the free kick.
  • 33:41 The offside flag is raised against Kris Commons. Indirect free kick taken by Cameron Bell.
  • 31:31 Manuel Pascali gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Daryl Murphy. Kris Commons produces a strike on goal direct from the free kick,
  • 31:31 Booking Manuel Pascali booked for unsporting behaviour.
  • 30:12 Sung-Yeung Ki concedes a free kick for a foul on Alexei Eremenko. Direct free kick taken by Alexei Eremenko.
  • 30:12 Booking Booking for Sung-Yeung Ki for unsporting behaviour.
  • 28:35 The ball is crossed by Daryl Murphy, save by Cameron Bell.
  • 25:16 Kris Commons produces a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty area that goes harmlessly over the target.
  • 25:00 Free kick awarded for a foul by David Silva on James Forrest. Sung-Yeung Ki takes the direct free kick.
  • 23:56 Free kick awarded for a foul by Scott Brown on James Dayton. Free kick taken by Mohamadou Sissoko.
  • 23:56 Booking The referee shows Scott Brown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
  • 20:02 Unfair challenge on Alexei Eremenko by Scott Brown results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Mohamadou Sissoko.
  • 19:08 The assistant referee flags for offside against Gary Hooper. Cameron Bell takes the indirect free kick.
  • 18:13 Free kick awarded for a foul by Craig Bryson on Gary Hooper. Kris Commons takes the direct free kick.
  • 15:09 Thomas Rogne gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Kieran Agard. Manuel Pascali takes the direct free kick.
  • 12:55 Unfair challenge on Mark Wilson by Alexei Eremenko results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Sung-Yeung Ki.
  • 12:55 Booking Alexei Eremenko booked for unsporting behaviour.
  • 10:51 Effort from the edge of the area by Daryl Murphy goes wide of the right-hand post.
  • 9:38 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Scott Brown by Craig Bryson. Daniel Majstorovic takes the free kick.
  • 8:52 Mohamadou Sissoko gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Gary Hooper. Free kick taken by Scott Brown.
  • 7:13 James Dayton produces a drilled left-footed shot from deep inside the penalty area which goes wide of the right-hand post.
  • 5:34 Effort on goal by Kris Commons from just inside the penalty area goes harmlessly over the target.
  • 4:55 Corner taken by Kris Commons from the right by-line, David Silva makes a clearance.
  • 3:11 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Craig Bryson by Daryl Murphy. Alexei Eremenko takes the direct free kick.
  • 2:31 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Kris Commons by Liam Kelly. Direct free kick taken by Emilio Izaguirre.
  • Correction – 1:27 Daniel Majstorovic challenges Kieran Agard unfairly and gives away a free kick. Mohamadou Sissoko restarts play with the free kick.
  • 1:27 Free kick awarded for a foul by Daniel Majstorovic on Kieran Agard. Garry Hay takes the free kick.
  • 0:41 Scott Brown concedes a free kick for a foul on Craig Bryson. Tim Clancy takes the free kick.
  • 0:00 The match has kicked off.