2014-08-16: Celtic 6-1 Dundee United, SP

Match Pictures | Matches: 2014 – 2015 | 2014-15 Pictures

Trivia

• League flag raising day.
• Former chairman Fergus McCann guest of honour to raise the flag.
• Should have been first match but was postponed due to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
• Deila's first competitive home match at Celtic Park.
• Debut Goals for Berget & Denayer.
• Legia lose appeal and Celtic remain in the Champions League.
• Big game against Maribor of Slovenia next week in Champions League, first leg.
  Transfer Window open:
  Fraser Forster sold to Southampton for £10m estimate.
  Transfers in: Craig Gordon; Jo Inge Berget (loan)
  Transfers out: Mouyokolo (free); Tony Watt, Fraser Forster (£10m)

Review

(Jimmy Mac of KDS)
Thought this was going to be a tough match and thought we would struggle. The first few attacks for both sides showed how open it was going to be and there were a few bomb scare moments for us. Once we got the opeining goal we gained confidence and DU regressed into a tighter defensive unit. At 3-0 up and despite all the possession, I didn't think we were looking that good, tempo was good but I just didn't think we created that much. Stokes and Commons were of the pace like in midweek, with commons in particular struggling to get any space. I was surprised at the number of times he was showing for the ball and no one was passing to him.

The last 15 minutes of the first half and the first 15 minutes of the second half were a joy to watch. The tempo was great, the players movement was great and Commons, by dropping an extra 5-10 yards deeper, was getting the ball more and influencing the game. Stokes too was finding space in the right areas. Something just seemed to click with the team. Inevitably in the last 20 minutes, the tempo dropped a bit and DU got a sniff of our half of the field.

Overall, much better performance and a step towards how the manager wants us to play. Defensively, we need to work on our shape better. No negative performances, bonus! Plenty of positives. I liked Berget, nothing fancy but seemed to have good technical ability and awareness, getting into the right positions in the box or in a support role. Stokes played well, pity his finishing was a bit off and Izzy seemed to enjoy himself with the one twos with whoever dropped out to the left. Special mention for Kayal. I think he tried hard today, burst forward with the ball at the right time and thrived with the little give and goes.

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Stats

Celtic Dundee United
Possession
37% 63%
90mins

Shots
29 7

On target
14 3

Corners
10 1

Fouls
8 10

Articles

Celtic 6-1 Dundee United: Big win for Celtic
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/latest/celtic-6-1-dundee-united-big-win-for-celtic-1-3511742
by ANDREW SMITH

Updated on the 16 August
2014
21:52
IT MIGHT have been a new Celtic manager’s first caning of an opponent on his home debut in Glasgow’s east end, but there could have been an old-time’s sake element in the ransacking of Dundee United by Ronny Deila’s side.

SCORERS: Celtic – Denayer 4, Commons 27, Johansen 34, Stokes 54, Berget 62, 90; Dundee United – Rankin 71

Fergus McCann was back, and so was the sort of one-sided home encounter that his so-called Three Amigos of Paolo di Canio, Jorge Cadette and Pierre van Hooijdonk served up when the former owner’s resuscitation of a near-expired Celtic first began to see the team coursing with new life.

It was one of those six-going-on-16 goalfests – “embarrassing” admitted Tannadice manager Jackie McNamara. The sort of swashbuckling success that many predicted only a fortnight ago, when his team didn’t have a pulse in going down to Legia Warsaw at Murrayfield, that Deila would struggle ever to deliver.

His team were no doubt helped into the right mood by the home support putting to rights the wrong of the mixed reception that McCann received when in 1998, he stepped out to unfurl Celtic’s first league for a decade. The 20th anniversary of his takeover that was marked earlier this year brought a reappraisal of his single-minded, spat-strewn rebuilding of a club and its stadium, and it showed in the raucous reception given to a man who is a true one-off.

Somehow, despite perhaps exhibiting a little frailty not uncommon among septuagenarians, McCann cut a more emboldened, a more at-home presence, than on any occasion during his five-year stewardship he was passed a mic to address a Celtic Park crowd. The words he offered up today spoke of a humility, a pride and a pointed nod to the footballing vagaries that caused a section of the support to jeer him six years ago.

“What an honour it is to be here; just to be here at Celtic Park with you,” he proclaimed. “Things can go up, and things can go down. Celtic, I hope, will go on forever. Three years as champions is something to celebrate; it’s not just one. I’m delighted chairman Ian Bankier is here and want you all to help raise the flag that tells us we are champions.”

Celtic, for the first time in Deila’s five-game tenure, played like champions. In the manner they went after what were the Premiership leaders, the approach that the Norwegian seeks could be clearly witnessed. Aside from United squandering several one-on-ones with Craig Gordon early on, it was an afternoon when the new manager’s imprint was a hallmark rather than a stain.

As double scorer Jo Inge Berget touched on, never was this truer than what brought Celtic a third goal through his countryman Stefan Johansen. United ­piddled about the back with the ball clumsily passed from keeper to Callum Morris, to Ryan Dow. The danger looked minimal until Johansen steamed in, robbed the United midfielder and slotted past Radoslaw Cierzniak.

“That’s how we want to play, fast, entertaining football, and defensively as well, in getting the ball back,” said Cardiff City loanee Berget. “Stefan’s goal is an example of what the manager wants to do. Win the ball up there and straight to work. We showed a lot of good things today and I think he’s pleased.”

So were the crowd. Spontaneous applause greeted passages of play wherein the combined efforts of the impressive Anthony Stokes and the unusually industrious Kris Commons. McNamara bemoaned the loss of four goals from set-pieces and that failure with the “fundamentals” began after only four minutes when teenage Belgian Jason Denayer marked his debut after his temporary move from Manchester City by sweeping in at the back post after the visitors were calamitous defending a Commons corner. In 28 minutes, they handled an inswinger from Stokes worse to allow Commons to nod in from two yards.

Berget had battered the bar before he joined the scorers with a powerful header from close range just after an hour, his first effort minutes on from Charlie Mulgrew claiming he had applied a feather touch to a Stokes free-kick from the left channel. After Rankin had a shot evade Gordon – who pulled off a brilliant finger-tip save just after the break – with the help of a Virgil van Dijk deflection, Berget brought up his second and his team’s sixth by slotting in a low effort after the United keeper had spilled a shot in his direction.

Berget, thrown in for the away leg against Legia Warsaw having joined three days earlier, was in the last month’s Champions League qualifier as a liability. Now he could figure in the play-off away to Maribor in midweek as a potential attacking asset.

“It’s a long time since I scored twice. it is the second game I start now, I’m getting into it. I know all the boys now and I’m settling in. I have already played more games here than I did [in a six-month loan spell] with Cardiff, and scored two goals today, so that is great.”

BBC
By Alasdair Lamont Senior football reporter, BBC Scotland at Celtic Park

Celtic produced a performance full of drive, skill, belief and, most importantly, goals to end Dundee United's unbeaten start to the season.

First-half goals from debutant Jason Denayer, Kris Commons and Stefan Johansen put the result beyond doubt.

Anthony Stokes' strike and a double from Jo Inge Berget put a little gloss on a sublime afternoon.

John Rankin's consolation after Celtic's fifth barely tarnished the reigning champions' flag day.

It was the type of display Ronny Deila has yearned for since taking over and gives them the perfect platform for Wednesday's Champions League play-off against Maribor.

The build-up to the match had been dominated by the continuing debacle surrounding Legia Warsaw's appeal, but Celtic quickly put that controversy behind them.

The mood inside the stadium was already buoyant as the former owner Fergus McCann, very much considered the club's saviour and the man who created the foundations for their more recent success, unfurled the league flag to mark last season's triumph.

That set the tone for a game that sparked into life from the off.

Callum McGregor had already rattled the post and Gary Mackay-Steven slipped a fabulous opportunity wide by the time Denayer found the net.

A Commons corner was dealt with poorly by Callum Morris and, when the ball fell to the feet of the young Belgian defender, he side-footed it into the top corner with all the aplomb of a top striker.

Celtic were moving the ball more slickly than they had done so far this season and Emilio Izaguirre stung the palms of Radoslaw Cierzniak, but the home side's desire to press the opposition high up the park left them vulnerable to precise counter-attacking.
Kris Commons rifles home for Celtic

Commons stooped to head Celtic's second

That was what United were offering on occasion and Mackay-Steven latched onto a swiftly-taken Rankin free- kick and rounded Craig Gordon, only for Virgil van Dijk to make a terrific saving tackle.

But United's downfall was slack defending and Commons was left unmarked at the near post to nod into the net from a Stokes corner.

Paul Paton was then caught out by Johansen – snapping at the United midfielder's heels – who robbed his opponent before slotting past Cierzniak.

Those goals bred confidence and Celtic turned on the style, Berget battering the ball off the bar and Stokes forcing a terrific save from Cierzniak before the half-time whistle sounded.

Much as the game looked beyond United, there was still a large sigh of relief from Charlie Mulgrew when Gordon got down superbly to tip Nadir Ciftci's shot round the post after the Turk had robbed the Celtic captain of possession.

Moments later Celtic's cushion was even more comfortable as Stokes' free-kick appeared to sail all the way across goal and into the back of the net, though Mulgrew claimed a touch.

Stokes was central, too, to Celtic's fifth. Cierzniak saved brilliantly from the striker's venomous drive, but when Stokes' resultant corner was headed back across goal by Efe Ambrose, Berget was on hand to head home his first goal for the club.

Gordon, who appears to have put his injury woes behind him, was unhappy to miss out on a clean sheet as Rankin's low shot from the edge of the box was deflected beyond him and into the net.

Berget added a sixth with the final kick of the ball, though that move was tinged with anxiety as substitute James Forrest pulled up with an injury.

But those were minor blemishes on an otherwise superb day for Celtic, while United will have to address the defensive frailties if this result is to go down simply as a blip in their quest to challenge for second place.

Live Text Commentary
Full time

Full Time Match ends, Celtic 6, Dundee United 1.
90:00 +1:39 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Celtic 6, Dundee United 1.
90:00 +0:50 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 6, Dundee United 1. Jo Inge Berget (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the centre of the goal.
89:54

Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
89:54

Foul by Mario Bilate (Dundee United).
86:30

Attempt missed. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
85:14

Jason Denayer (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
85:14

Foul by Mario Bilate (Dundee United).
83:38

Attempt missed. Jo Inge Berget (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is too high.
83:20

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Radoslaw Cierzniak.
83:10

Attempt saved. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
82:49

Kris Commons (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
82:49

Foul by Jaroslaw Fojut (Dundee United).
80:11

Foul by Beram Kayal (Celtic).
80:11

Blair Spittal (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
78:37

Attempt missed. Nadir Ciftci (Dundee United) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
77:32

Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Celtic).
77:32

Mario Bilate (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
75:29

Foul by Efe Ambrose (Celtic).
75:29

John Rankin (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
74:05 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Dundee United. Blair Spittal replaces Gary Mackay-Steven.
72:40

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Keith Watson.
70:49 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 5, Dundee United 1. John Rankin (Dundee United) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Mario Bilate.
70:08

Attempt missed. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the right.
69:02 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Leigh Griffiths replaces Anthony Stokes.
68:54 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. James Forrest replaces Callum McGregor.
68:29

Attempt missed. Mario Bilate (Dundee United) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
67:50

Attempt missed. Kris Commons (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
66:18

Foul by Kris Commons (Celtic).
66:18

(Dundee United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
65:56

Attempt blocked. Callum McGregor (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
64:36

Foul by Anthony Stokes (Celtic).
64:36

Nadir Ciftci (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
63:05

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Keith Watson.
61:29 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 5, Dundee United 0. Jo Inge Berget (Celtic) header from very close range to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Efe Ambrose.
61:11

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Radoslaw Cierzniak.
61:03

Attempt saved. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top right corner.
59:56

Attempt blocked. Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
58:17

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by John Rankin.
58:08

Attempt blocked. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
57:32 Booking

Booking Callum Morris (Dundee United) is shown the yellow card.
57:26

Beram Kayal (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
57:26

Foul by Callum Morris (Dundee United).
56:15 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Dundee United. Chris Erskine replaces Ryan Dow.
56:02

Attempt missed. Mario Bilate (Dundee United) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
53:51 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 4, Dundee United 0. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
53:21

Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
53:21

Foul by Nadir Ciftci (Dundee United).
53:10

Attempt saved. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
49:32

Corner, Dundee United. Conceded by Craig Gordon.
49:19

Attempt saved. Nadir Ciftci (Dundee United) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
47:01

Attempt saved. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the centre of the goal.
46:14 Booking

Booking Jaroslaw Fojut (Dundee United) is shown the yellow card.
46:09

Kris Commons (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
46:09

Foul by Jaroslaw Fojut (Dundee United).
45:00

Second Half begins Celtic 3, Dundee United 0.
45:00 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Beram Kayal replaces Stefan Johansen.
45:00 +1:56 Half time

Half Time First Half ends, Celtic 3, Dundee United 0.
45:00 +1:42

Attempt saved. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
45:00 +0:50

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Jaroslaw Fojut.
44:43

Jo Inge Berget (Celtic) hits the bar with a left footed shot from the centre of the box.
43:31

Attempt saved. Kris Commons (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
40:54

Stefan Johansen (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
40:54

Foul by John Rankin (Dundee United).
39:27 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Dundee United. Mario Bilate replaces Stuart Armstrong because of an injury.
37:16

Attempt missed. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the right.
37:05

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Callum Morris.
35:25

Attempt saved. Nadir Ciftci (Dundee United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
34:39

Foul by Kris Commons (Celtic).
34:39

John Rankin (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
33:15 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 3, Dundee United 0. Stefan Johansen (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
31:57

Delay over. They are ready to continue.
31:56

Delay over. They are ready to continue.
30:17

Delay in match Stuart Armstrong (Dundee United) because of an injury.
26:49 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 2, Dundee United 0. Kris Commons (Celtic) header from the left side of the six yard box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Anthony Stokes with a cross.
26:31

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Keith Watson.
22:52

Attempt missed. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left.
20:18

Callum Morris (Dundee United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
20:15

Foul by Callum McGregor (Celtic).
17:36

Attempt saved. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner.
16:20

Attempt missed. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
15:29 Booking

Booking Paul Paton (Dundee United) is shown the yellow card.
15:22

Efe Ambrose (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
15:22

Foul by Paul Paton (Dundee United).
15:08

Foul by Jason Denayer (Celtic).
15:08

Nadir Ciftci (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
14:14

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Radoslaw Cierzniak.
14:05

Attempt saved. Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
10:29

Virgil van Dijk (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
10:29

Foul by Nadir Ciftci (Dundee United).
9:39

Attempt missed. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
6:00

(Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
6:00

Foul by Nadir Ciftci (Dundee United).
4:35

Attempt missed. Callum McGregor (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
3:08 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 1, Dundee United 0. Jason Denayer (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner.
2:55

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Conor Townsend.
2:48

Attempt blocked. Callum McGregor (Celtic) left footed shot from long range on the right is blocked.
1:09

Attempt missed. Gary Mackay-Steven (Dundee United) left footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
0:37

Callum McGregor (Celtic) hits the left post with a right footed shot from outside the box.
0:00

First Half begins.
0:00

Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

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