2014-03-29: Celtic 1-1 Ross County, SP

Match Pictures | Matches: 2013 – 2014 | 2013-14 Pictures

Trivia

• Celtic crowned Champions on Wednesday past. First match at home since title victory.
• Title party match, but no trophy presentation
• Debut for Eoghan O'Connell.
• Newspaper report claims disgraced former Rangers board member Campbell Ogilvie to be nominated by SFA for FIFA vice presidency. Absolute disgrace if true.
• Season is effectively over for Celtic (out of the Scottish Cup already), and the preparations for the Champions League qualifiers should begin now.
• Reports that The Rangers from accountants that they will not meet their going concern prerequisite due to the proposed withholding of season ticket money by their own supporters. Running out of cash. Lost £3.5m 2013 H2. £3.5m cash left Dec 2013.
• Oscar Knox update: Young cancer sufferer from Ulster who captured all our hearts: Oscar Knox's health has deteriorated significantly this week and with very heavy hearts he has been moved him to the phase of managing his pain. Our thoughts are with him.

Review

(flinchy of KDS)

We were slow and looked nervous from the start. No midfield apart from Johansen, even after Kayal came on. Never had any real control of the game.

Another target for the season out of the window. Maybe using Henderson a little too much the now, the boy drowned in that midfield today.

Plus sides: Virgil – again, Johansen played well for the most part, Stokes dropping deep to get involved, Commons getting into the box for his goal.

Championees.

Teams

Articles

• Match Report (see end of page below)
• Audio Report: Paradise Report

Pictures

• Match Pictures

Forum

• Pre-match
• Match
• Post Match

MOTM

• Voting Thread
• Result Thread
• Winner –
• 2013-14 Winners

Stats

Celtic Ross County
Possession
43% 57%
90mins

Shots
12 6

On target
5 1

Corners
7 3

Fouls
16 9

Articles

Celtic 1 Ross County 1: celebrations fall flat as Staggies stave off Hoops win
Saturday 29 March 2014

Celtic's belated Scottish Premiership title-winning celebrations fell flat as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Ross County at Parkhead.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/celtic-1-ross-county-1-celebrations-fall-flat-as-staggies-stave-of-hoops-win.1396113075
Neil Lennon's side had clinched their third successive title with a 5-1 win over Partick Thistle at Firhill on Wednesday night and were looking to put on a show for their supporters, but the home crowd were silenced in the 15th minute when Dutch striker Melvin de Leeuw fired the visitors ahead.

Kris Commons equalised from close range in the 34th minute with his 28th goal of the season and both sides hit the woodwork after the break before settling for a point which better suited the resolute visitors, who are battling to remain out of the relegation play-off spot.

The visitors applauded Celtic on to the park, but many expected the Hoops to then play Derek Adams' side back off it.

And as early as the first minute, Commons set up Emilio Izaguirre on the left and his driven cross was only just missed by Anthony Stokes.

Commons and Norwegian midfielder Stefan Johansen fired long-distance efforts wide of the target to suggest a long day for the Staggies.

However, Parkhead was stunned when De Leeuw took a pass from former Hoops midfielder Graham Carey and arrowed a low drive past Hoops keeper Fraser Forster and into the far corner of the goal for his eighth of the season.

The goal was not in the script and it took time for Celtic to respond as County looked as if they had the audacity to grab a second.

Stokes' free-kick from 25 yards in the 21st minute was grabbed by former Celtic keeper Mark Brown at the second attempt, but moments later, at the other end, De Leeuw attempted a back-flick from a Carey corner which cleared the bar, drawing murmurs of appreciation around the ground.

When the Parkhead side drew level, there was no surprise that top-scorer Common was the name on the scoresheet.

Brown could only parry Leigh Griffith's drive from the edge of the box and the former Derby and Nottingham Forest player was first to react, knocking the ball in from around eight yards.

As Lennon's men took control all the way to the interval, County defender Erik Cikos denied Griffiths a certain goal with a block on the stretch at the expense of a corner which came to nothing.

With only seconds gone in the second half, Stokes set up Efe Ambrose, playing right-back in the absence of injured Adam Matthews, but after dribbling past a few tackles inside the County box his shot was blocked.

It was a sign, though, that Celtic had been reminded of their duties by boss Lennon at the interval.

In the 51st minute Johansen reached the byline and stood a cross up at the back post for Liam Henderson, but the 17-year-old midfielder's header from a tight angle rebounded off the post.

Celtic's corner-count mounted but sheer weight of numbers in the Staggies' defence was proving a formidable barrier, although a bizarre, needless, long-distance pass-back from Carey in the 65th minute almost allowed Griffiths to go through against Brown.

Georgios Samaras replaced Commons a couple of minutes later, with Beram Kayal coming on for 18-year-old defender Eoghan O'Connell, making his debut, while for the Dingwall side, Jordan Slew replaced De Leeuw but the game was in danger of petering out.

The home side tried to up the tempo in the closing stages but it was County who came close to regaining the lead in the 82nd minute, when Carey's long-distance drive beat Forster but clipped the post before going behind.

Although some of County's defending in the final seconds was at times desperate, they held on for a deserved share of the spoils.

BBC
By Alasdair Lamont BBC Scotland's senior football reporter at Celtic Park

Celtic celebrated a third successive league title, having been unable to deliver the type of result that has secured the Scottish Premiership.

Ross County must take credit for that, putting on a confident, bullish performance to earn a point.

Melvin de Leeuw fired them into an early lead, with a cool low finish.

Kris Commons knocked in the equaliser but despite spending most of the second half in the County half, Celtic were unable to find a winner.

It wasn't a bad performance by the champions, though it perhaps lacked the spark that might have been evident had there been more riding on the outcome.

Their bright start to the match yielded nothing in the way of goals and Ross County showed a considerably more clinical edge by burying their first opportunity of the afternoon.
Melvin de Leeuw and Graham Carey celebrate Ross County's opener at Celtic Park

De Leeuw and Carey celebrate Ross County's opener at Celtic Park

Graham Carey took advantage of slack play by Celtic inside their own half and the former Celtic player timed his pass to De Leeuw perfectly, allowing the striker to drill a shot low past Fraser Forster.

At this stage County did look like a side for whom the result mattered more, belying their status as a team fighting to avoid a relegation play-off.

But Celtic's front three of Leigh Griffiths, Anthony Stokes and Commons always looked capable of creating problems for the visitors' backline and so it was with the equaliser.

Griffiths was allowed time to line up a long-range shot and when it was spilled by Mark Brown, Commons – as he has been so often this season – was on hand to turn the rebound into the net.

And Griffiths might have given Celtic the lead before the interval, but for a timely challenge from Erik Cikos to divert the striker's shot over the bar.

Liam Henderson scored his first Celtic goal in the victory over Partick Thistle on Wednesday and almost doubled that tally at the outset of the second half.

Stefan Johansen had an age to pick him out at the back post but Henderson's header from a tight angle bounced back off the upright.

Celtic were utterly dominant possession-wise, but County were defending stoutly and offering the odd counter-attack to ensure the home fans' celebrations were kept on hold.

Indeed Carey almost dampened those celebrations further with a typically ambitious and venomous effort from 30 yards. With Forster flying to his right, the keeper would have been relieved to see the ball ricochet off the post.

Live Text Commentary
Full time

Full Time Match ends, Celtic 1, Ross County 1.
90:00 +2:59 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Celtic 1, Ross County 1.
90:00 +0:28

Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Celtic).
90:00 +0:28

Scott Boyd (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90:00

Attempt missed. Evangelos Oikonomou (Ross County) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
89:17

Attempt saved. Virgil van Dijk (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
86:37 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Ross County. Ben Gordon replaces Michael Tidser.
86:24 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Ross County. Steven Saunders replaces Yoann Arquin.
86:00 Booking

Booking Stefan Johansen (Celtic) is shown the yellow card.
86:00

Michael Tidser (Ross County) wins a free kick on the right wing.
85:56

Foul by Stefan Johansen (Celtic).
83:51

Foul by Georgios Samaras (Celtic).
83:51

Scott Boyd (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
83:06 Booking

Booking Evangelos Oikonomou (Ross County) is shown the yellow card.
83:00

Liam Henderson (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
82:59

Foul by Evangelos Oikonomou (Ross County).
81:35

Graham Carey (Ross County) hits the left post with a right footed shot from outside the box.
80:38

Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
80:38

Foul by Yoann Arquin (Ross County).
78:43 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Teemu Pukki replaces Leigh Griffiths.
78:11

Corner, Ross County. Conceded by Beram Kayal.
76:34

Attempt missed. Liam Henderson (Celtic) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right.
73:23

Foul by Anthony Stokes (Celtic).
73:23

Richard Brittain (Ross County) wins a free kick on the right wing.
72:37 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Beram Kayal replaces Eoghan O'Connell.
71:56 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Ross County. Jordan Slew replaces Melvin De Leeuw.
71:47

Foul by Liam Henderson (Celtic).
71:47

Michael Tidser (Ross County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
69:07

Foul by Georgios Samaras (Celtic).
69:07

Erik Cikos (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
68:29

Foul by Liam Henderson (Celtic).
68:29

Melvin De Leeuw (Ross County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
66:28 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Georgios Samaras replaces Kris Commons.
66:14

Attempt missed. Liam Henderson (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
59:04

Foul by Leigh Griffiths (Celtic).
59:04

Erik Cikos (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
58:39

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Yann Songo'o.
56:47

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Yann Songo'o.
56:24

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Yoann Arquin.
55:34 Booking

Booking Scott Boyd (Ross County) is shown the yellow card.
55:26

Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
55:26

Foul by Scott Boyd (Ross County).
50:41

Foul by Leigh Griffiths (Celtic).
50:41

Yann Songo'o (Ross County) wins a free kick on the right wing.
50:26

Liam Henderson (Celtic) hits the right post with a header from the right side of the six yard box.
49:45

Attempt saved. Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
45:43

Attempt missed. Liam Henderson (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
45:31

Attempt blocked. Efe Ambrose (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
45:00

Second Half begins Celtic 1, Ross County 1.
45:00 +2:16 Half time

Half Time First Half ends, Celtic 1, Ross County 1.
45:00 +0:26

Eoghan O'Connell (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
45:00 +0:26

Foul by Melvin De Leeuw (Ross County).
45:00 +0:14

Attempt saved. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
44:42

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Erik Cikos.
39:32

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Erik Cikos.
39:22

Attempt blocked. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
39:00

Filip Kiss (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
38:55

Foul by Stefan Johansen (Celtic).
37:03

Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
37:03

Foul by Erik Cikos (Ross County).
34:20 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 1, Ross County 1. Kris Commons (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal.
30:55

Foul by Anthony Stokes (Celtic).
30:55

Erik Cikos (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
30:25

Attempt missed. Graham Carey (Ross County) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left from a direct free kick.
29:54

Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Celtic).
29:54

Melvin De Leeuw (Ross County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
27:45

Foul by Stefan Johansen (Celtic).
27:45

Melvin De Leeuw (Ross County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
26:20

Attempt missed. Graham Carey (Ross County) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
25:29

Foul by Kris Commons (Celtic).
25:29

Richard Brittain (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
23:39

Foul by Stefan Johansen (Celtic).
23:39

Yann Songo'o (Ross County) wins a free kick on the left wing.
23:01

Attempt missed. Melvin De Leeuw (Ross County) left footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high following a corner.
22:35

Corner, Ross County. Conceded by Eoghan O'Connell.
20:46

Attempt saved. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
20:07

Stefan Johansen (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
20:07

Foul by Yann Songo'o (Ross County).
15:16 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 0, Ross County 1. Melvin De Leeuw (Ross County) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner.
13:47

Attempt missed. Stefan Johansen (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
13:28

Anthony Stokes (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
13:28

Foul by Michael Tidser (Ross County).
11:03

Corner, Ross County. Conceded by Efe Ambrose.
9:42

Foul by Stefan Johansen (Celtic).
9:42

Filip Kiss (Ross County) wins a free kick on the left wing.
8:00

Stefan Johansen (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
7:59

Foul by Filip Kiss (Ross County).
6:47

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Scott Boyd.
2:44

Foul by Michael Tidser (Ross County).
2:44

Liam Henderson (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
1:29

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Yann Songo'o.
0:00

First Half begins.
0:00

Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

Live data and text provided by our data suppliers