2016-12-17: Celtic 2-1 Dundee, SP

Match Pictures | Matches: 2016 – 2017 | 2016-17 Pictures

Trivia

• Craigan over the merits of Ian Cathro as new head coach of Hearts. Sutton totally humiliating Craigan with the facts!
• The SFA are appoint ex-Celt Malky Mackay as the new performance director after a five-month search for Brian McClair’s replacement. A controversial choice after some unsavoury comments whilst at Cardiff.
• Celtic fans are said to be planning to wear hard hats usually seen on construction sites at Ibrox on Hogmanay – to poke fun at the stadium’s roofing problems.
• Green Brigade announce that due to having to concentrate on countering charges brought against 8 of their members by the police, so have to scale back TIFO displays. Regardless of your views on them, they do a great amount of good work for
• Celtic fans & charities, so deserve some slack and support.
• Andy Murray wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year award for 3rd time, a record. Great achievement for the Hibbee who has ended the year as no.1 tennis player. It's all a backslapping exercise but still he is deserving of it.
• Transfer window to open soon:
• Torino are poised to resurrect their interest in Celtic defender Jozo Simunovic. He’s done well since he returned to the Celtic First XI. Celtic saying no chance.
• Ambrose/Scott Allan/Boyata/Ciftci on books to possibly move on.
• Hibs have completed an emergency loan deal for Commons. We wish him the best. Practically ends his playing time at Celtic, but what a fine player & transfer to Celtic he has been. Will be looked back on very fondly.
• Boyata rumoured to be interesting two Belgian clubs and Efe said to be a target for Wolves.

Review

(Paulfg of KDS)
Good first half, despite all the changes, and we should have been out of sight by half time. Second half was a bit more ropey and the last ten minutes were very nervy. Still, a very good win in the circumstances.

Armstrong was probably our best player. Gamboa was good offensively in the first half and saved us with his pace a few times in the second. Christie did well until being shifted to the right. The chemistry between Sinclair and Dembele was clear to see, although the latter's efforts on goal were powder puff.

GMS just isn't good enough and McGregor was hopeless. Bitton slows the game down too much.

Never seen a goalie take a shy before so two in the same game …

Madden was a disgrace. Dundee players getting away with tackles from behind, culminating in the game-ending tackle on Rogic. According to the stats, we committed 17 fouls and Dundee 4. His performance today went far beyond the usual incompetence.

(33rpm of KDS)
We played some very good football in the first-half, absolutely penned them into their own half and we really deserved more than just that excellent Griffiths free-kick to show for it. I'm sure I saw the possession stats read 60-40 at half-time and thought that couldn't possibly be right; probably wasn't as they had the score at 0-0 as well.

I like that we have this seemingly new found ability to grind out a result. Even if today wasn't so much grinding out a win as it was vaguely holding on to what we had, as Dundee should have equalised at the end. This is a tough period of games – even if not a period of tough games – and we'll be doing very well if we get to Ibrox with maximum points.

Armstrong drove us forward a lot today. Maybe wasn't his most effective performance of late, but he is virtually unrecognisable from the player he was last season. Like him a lot. Of the second string I felt Gamboa and Christie impressed. The latter gave the ball away a wee bit, but boy did he work to win it back. Has a wee trick in his locker too.

The abiding memory of this game, however, will be Craig Gordon taking throw-ins out of sheer boredom in the first-half

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Stats

Celtic
Dundee

Possession
Home62%
Away38%
Shots
Home22
Away6
Shots on Target
Home7
Away2
Corners
Home4
Away3
Fouls
Home17
Away4

Articles

Celtic defeat Dundee to move 11 points clear

By: Mark Henderson on 17 Dec, 2016 17:03

Scottish Premiership
Celtic Park, Glasgow
Saturday, December 17, 2016

CELTIC…2
(Griffiths 45+1, Bitton 57)

DUNDEE…1
(Haber 69)

CELTIC restored their 11-point lead at the top of the table and extended their domestic unbeaten run to 20 matches after a narrow but dominant 2-1 over Dundee.

Leigh Griffiths’ fabulous free-kick sent the Hoops into the interval in the lead after they had controlled a one-sided first half and Nir Bitton doubled the advantage 12 minutes into the second period.

At that point, it looked like it would be a comfortable afternoon for the champions but Marcus Haber’s deflected strike made it a more nervy finish. However, Brendan Rodgers’ side saw out the closing stages to march on in the title race.

Ryan Christie made his second league start of the season in one of five changes to the team that saw off Hamilton on Tuesday night. Cristian Gamboa, Emilio Izaguirre, Bitton and Gary Mackay-Steven also came into the side, while Griffiths, who had also scored the winner against Hamilton Accies, continued to lead the line for the Bhoys.

Stuart Armstrong donned the captain’s armband in the absence of the suspended Scott Brown, and Mikael Lustig, Patrick Roberts, Callum McGregor and Moussa Dembele were the other players to drop out. All were named among the substitutes.

Celtic began at a furious tempo, quickly pinning the visitors back deep in their defensive third and moving the ball around with pace and purpose.

Gamboa was prominent in the early exchanges, using his devastating speed to good effect to send in some dangerous deliveries from the byline, while only a last-ditch tackle from Kostadin Gadzhalov denied Christie a clear strike at goal after he had darted into the box.

Christie had another shot charged down by Tom Hateley and some quick counter-pressing from Armstrong culminated in Griffiths seeing a shot deflected wide.

In the 10th minute, a wonderfully-worked move almost saw Brendan Rodgers side open the scoring. Following a short corner, Christie fed Griffiths on the edge of the area. Showing tremendous technique, he collected a return pass from Nir Bitton in his stride and sent a guided effort off the far post.

Armstrong and Rogic had shots from distance saved by Bain as the pressure continued unabated – and then Rogic spurned a golden chance to break the deadlock. Christie picked out the midfielder’s run into the box with a sublime pass leaving him with only Bain to beat but he scooped the ball over the bar.

It had been completely one-way traffic and it took until the 24th minute for Dundee to emerge from their defensive shell, with Hateley shooting over following a set-piece.

Normal service quickly resumed and Rogic had a curling shot held by Bain at the second attempt, before Kevin Holt lashed wide for the visitors with a speculative shot.

As half-time approached, the champions continued to probe for a route through the sea of dark blue shirts, moving the ball from side to side as Gamboa and Emilio Izaguirre operated as auxiliary wingers.

It was taking a series of last-gasp challenges and blocks to keep the Bhoys at bay, and one desperate clearance from Gadzhalov cannoned off his own player Holt and whizzed past the post.

Finally, on the stroke of half-time, the visitors’ resistance crumbled – but only through a moment of magic from Griffiths. Rogic was sent crashing the ground 30 yards from goal by Darren O’Dea, a foul which forced the Australian internationalist to make a premature exit from the fray, and Griffiths brilliantly swept the resulting set-piece over wall and into the corner for his 12th goal of the season.

Callum McGregor replaced Rogic for the start of the second half and after a short lull, the Hoops picked up the tempo and began to flood forward again.

Nimble footwork from the Christie in the box saw him dig out a cross from the byline that forced Holt to head off the line.

Moments later, Dundee's defence was breached again. After another swift interchange of passes down the left, Izaguirre’s cross from the byline was only partially cleared and Bitton picked his spot with an accurate finish from the edge of the box.

Griffiths lashed a half-volley narrowly over from 25 yards as Celtic threatened to inflict further punishment but it was the Dens Park side who grabbed the next goal.

The Hoops failed to heed a warning in the 66th minute, when Armstrong had to head Wighton’s attempt off the line following a corner as two minutes later, Haber collected a pass in the box and found the net via a deflection off Jozo Simunovic.

Scott Sinclair then made a welcome return from injury in place of Mackay-Steven before Izaguirre and Griffiths flashed shots wide. Moussa Dembele, in the running for the prestigious Young French Player of the Year prize, was also introduced and he had a couple of efforts on goal as the game became stretched.

Dundee substitute Faissal El-Bakhtaoui missed a wonderful chance to steal a point for his team, before Sinclair almost capitalised on a couple of late counter-attacks as the Hoops prevailed to cement their position at the league summit.

CELTIC (4-2-3-1) Gordon; Gamboa, Simunovic, Sviatchenko, Izaguirre; Bitton; Rogic (McGregor 46) Armstrong; Mackay-Steven (Sinclair 68) Griffiths (Dembele 78), Christie
Not Used: De Vries, Toure, Lustig, Roberts

DUNDEE (5-4-1) Bain; Kerr, Gomis, O’Dea, Gadzhalov, Holt; Wighton, Hateley (El-Bakhtaoui 87), Vincent, Williams (O’Hara 64); Haber
Not Used: Mitchell, Loy, Etxabeguren, Ross, Curran

Website Man of the Match: Ryan Christie

Leaders Celtic march on
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/article/165/10700098/scottish-premiership-leaders-celtic-march-on-afrer-edging-out-dundee
Last Updated: December 17 2016, 17:13 GMT

A review of Saturday's Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership action as league leaders Celtic beat Dundee 2-1.
Celtic's Leigh Griffiths (centre) celebrates after scoring
Celtic's Leigh Griffiths (centre) celebrates after scoring

Champions Celtic maintained their unbeaten start to the Ladbrokes Premiership season with a 2-1 victory over struggling Dundee at Parkhead.

Leigh Griffiths' 11th goal of the season was added to by Nir Bitton's second-half strike as the Hoops secured an 11th consecutive league win to take them 11 points clear of Old Firm rivals Rangers, who have played two games more, at the top of the table.

Dundee ended a five-match goal drought against Celtic in the league when Marcus Haber halved the deficit with 21 minutes remaining.

Third-placed Aberdeen missed the chance to close the gap on Rangers following a 2-1 defeat at Ross County.

Liam Boyce's 10th goal of the season fired County in front and, after Niall McGinn levelled, Alex Schalk headed in the winner with two minutes to go.

County, who moved into the top six, had Kenny van der Weg sent off in the 82nd minute.

Ian Cathro is yet to taste victory as Hearts head coach following a 1-1 draw with Partick Thistle at Tynecastle.

Cathro's side, who lost to Rangers in his first game in charge last week, went ahead in the 17th minute as Bjorn Johnsen netted.

But bottom-placed Partick levelled two minutes after half-time through Sean Welsh.

Gary Warren headed in a late equaliser to secure Inverness a 1-1 draw at Kilmarnock.

Souleymane Coulibaly's 11th goal of the campaign fired Killie into a 73rd-minute lead, but Warren denied them the win with six minutes remaining.

Motherwell are without a win at St Johnstone since 2012 after a 1-1 draw at McDiarmid Park.

Zander Clark's 12th-minute own goal handed Motherwell the lead before Christopher Kane equalised shortly after the hour mark.

BBC

By Jonathan Sutherland

BBC Scotland at Celtic Park

6 hours ago From the section Football

Leigh Griffiths
Leigh Griffiths scored his 12th goal of the season with a stunning free-kick

Celtic survived a late Dundee fightback to re-establish an 11-point lead at the top of the Premiership.

Leigh Griffiths' stunning free-kick put the champions ahead on the stroke of half-time.

Nir Bitton then curled home Celtic's second after the break before Marcus Haber's goal brought the visitors back into the match.

Faisal El Bakhtaoui passed up a glorious chance to claim a point for Dundee as the home side held on.

The win means it is now 20 domestic matches unbeaten for Celtic under Brendan Rodgers, and in addition to their 11-point cushion at the Premiership summit they have two matches in hand over second-placed Rangers.

Dundee are in tenth place, just a point above the bottom but only four points off the top six.
Lethal Leigh

After his winner against Hamilton Academical in midweek, Leigh Griffiths started up front with Moussa Dembele demoted to the bench.

Manager Brendan Rodgers has said that he does not feel Griffiths and Dembele playing together up front works.

Griffiths looked lively from the off. A one-two at the edge of the box gave Griffiths space in the box. His dinked shot came back off the post.

It took until first-half injury time for Griffiths to give Celtic the breakthrough. A free-kick 25 yards from goal and Griffiths dispatched it expertly with his left foot into the corner of the net.
Nir Bitton
Nir Bitton celebrates after putting Celtic 2-0 up
Dogged Dundee

How do you stop Celtic? You need a game plan, and Dundee's plan was to stifle the home side.

A back three? It was more of a back five, with four in midfield. Haber had the job of leading the line.

Celtic were utterly dominant but Dundee had a couple of big chances.

Tom Hateley fired over the bar from the edge of the box but it was Kevin Holt who came even closer. The left wing-back was given far too much time and arrowed a shot narrowly wide of the post.

Haber hit the post in the second half from a corner, as they continued to carry the odd goal threat. His deflected effort then found the back of the net and the complexion of the game changed.

Dundee almost equalised at the death. El Bakhtaoui was clean through on goal but disappointingly for Dundee his shot went over the bar.
Celtic squander chances
Faisal El Bakhtaoui
Fasial El Bakhtaoui missed a big chance to equalise for Dundee late in the match

Celtic were in charge from the get-go, but despite wave after wave of attacks both sides almost went in at the break level.

The home side should have been well in front after Griffiths hit the post. Tom Rogic then fired over from six yards out when he should have scored.

After an intense period of second-half pressure Celtic made it 2-0. Dundee just couldn't get the ball clear and Bitton curled home an effort from the edge of the box.

On the balance of play Celtic deserved the points.
Reaction

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: "The overall performance I was pleased with. It wasn't perfect, that's for sure.

"We dominated the first-half, created a number of chances, some fantastic football. It's very difficult when you play against a team with 11 players behind the ball, but I thought the level of our football was very good. It was wave after wave of attack.

"Second-half we came out started to dominate again, got the second goal and I then think we got a bit carried away. We looked like we maybe thought we could get four or five so then we start to lose our tactical discipline and it then becomes a game of basketball for about 10 minutes. In that basketball period they get the goal, 2-1, and then of course have to control it again.

"We had chances towards the end to close it out for 3-1, but they had an opportunity that they'll be disappointed they didn't do better with. Overall I think the best team won but we need to learn to be better in certain moments in the game."

Dundee manager Paul Hartley: "I felt the players were terrific today. First half we had a lot pressure against us but they never really cut us open. You see their two goals, they're both from outside the box.

"We get back in the game then Bakhtaoui has a chance. He's gutted in there but we missed other chances.

"When you come here you've got to be clinical and take your chances. We hit the post, Wighton has one, Holt has one in the first-half. We knew they were going to have loads of possession, that was the game plan.

"I thought our players' attitude was first class today."

Posted at

Match ends, Celtic 2, Dundee 1.
Full Time
Posted at 90'+4'

Second Half ends, Celtic 2, Dundee 1.
Posted at 90'+3'

Foul by Ryan Christie (Celtic).
Posted at 90'+3'

Kevin Gomis (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 90'+2'

Attempt saved. Moussa Dembele (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Posted at 90'+1'

Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 90'+1'

Foul by Kevin Holt (Dundee).
Posted at 90'

Corner, Dundee. Conceded by Moussa Dembele.
Booking
Posted at 89'

Jozo Simunovic (Celtic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 89'

Foul by Jozo Simunovic (Celtic).
Posted at 89'

James Vincent (Dundee) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 88'

Attempt missed. Kevin Holt (Dundee) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Substitution
Posted at 87'

Substitution, Dundee. Faissal El Bakhtaoui replaces Tom Hateley.
Posted at 86'

Attempt blocked. Moussa Dembele (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Posted at 86'

Attempt blocked. Moussa Dembele (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Posted at 84'

Attempt saved. Moussa Dembele (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Posted at 82'

Attempt saved. Mark O'Hara (Dundee) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Posted at 79'

Foul by Moussa Dembele (Celtic).
Posted at 79'

Darren O'Dea (Dundee) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Posted at 78'

Substitution, Celtic. Moussa Dembele replaces Leigh Griffiths.
Posted at 78'

Attempt missed. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Posted at 74'

Foul by Erik Sviatchenko (Celtic).
Posted at 74'

James Vincent (Dundee) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 73'

Attempt missed. Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Posted at 70'

Foul by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
Posted at 70'

Mark O'Hara (Dundee) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Goal!
Posted at 69'

Goal! Celtic 2, Dundee 1. Marcus Haber (Dundee) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Mark O'Hara.
Substitution
Posted at 67'

Substitution, Celtic. Scott Sinclair replaces Gary Mackay-Steven.
Posted at 67'

Attempt missed. Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Posted at 67'

Marcus Haber (Dundee) hits the right post with a header from very close range.
Posted at 66'

Corner, Dundee. Conceded by Cristian Gamboa.
Substitution
Posted at 64'

Substitution, Dundee. Mark O'Hara replaces Danny Williams.
Posted at 63'

James Vincent (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 63'

Foul by Leigh Griffiths (Celtic).
Posted at 60'

Attempt missed. Nir Bitton (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Posted at 59'

Attempt missed. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Goal!
Posted at 57'

Goal! Celtic 2, Dundee 0. Nir Bitton (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner.
Posted at 55'

Callum McGregor (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 55'

Foul by Marcus Haber (Dundee).
Posted at 54'

Corner, Dundee. Conceded by Cristian Gamboa.
Posted at 53'

Foul by Ryan Christie (Celtic).
Posted at 53'

James Vincent (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 49'

Foul by Ryan Christie (Celtic).
Posted at 49'

Kevin Gomis (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 48'

Foul by Leigh Griffiths (Celtic).
Posted at 48'

Danny Williams (Dundee) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Second Half
Posted at

Second Half begins Celtic 1, Dundee 0.
Substitution
Posted at 45'

Substitution, Celtic. Callum McGregor replaces Tomas Rogic because of an injury.
Half Time
Posted at 45'+3'

First Half ends, Celtic 1, Dundee 0.
Goal!
Posted at 45'+2'

Goal! Celtic 1, Dundee 0. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) from a free kick with a left footed shot to the high centre of the goal.
Posted at 45'+2'

Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Posted at 45'+1'

Delay in match Tomas Rogic (Celtic) because of an injury.
Booking
Posted at 45'

Darren O'Dea (Dundee) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 45'

Tomas Rogic (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 45'

Foul by Darren O'Dea (Dundee).
Posted at 44'

Attempt blocked. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Posted at 42'

Cristian Gamboa (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 42'

Foul by Marcus Haber (Dundee).
Posted at 38'

Foul by Nir Bitton (Celtic).
Posted at 38'

Marcus Haber (Dundee) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 36'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Kostadin Gadzhalov.
Posted at 32'

Attempt missed. Kevin Holt (Dundee) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
Posted at 32'

Foul by Nir Bitton (Celtic).
Posted at 32'

Danny Williams (Dundee) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 31'

Attempt saved. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Posted at 30'

Attempt missed. Jozo Simunovic (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Posted at 24'

Attempt missed. Tom Hateley (Dundee) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Posted at 24'

Foul by Tomas Rogic (Celtic).
Posted at 24'

Tom Hateley (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 22'

Foul by Gary Mackay-Steven (Celtic).
Posted at 22'

Tom Hateley (Dundee) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 20'

Foul by Tomas Rogic (Celtic).
Posted at 20'

Tom Hateley (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 18'

Attempt missed. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) left footed shot from very close range is too high.
Posted at 17'

Attempt blocked. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Posted at 16'

Attempt saved. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Posted at 12'

Attempt saved. Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Posted at 11'

Foul by Ryan Christie (Celtic).
Posted at 11'

Danny Williams (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 10'

Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) hits the left post with a left footed shot from the centre of the box.
Posted at 10'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Kevin Holt.
Posted at 10'

Attempt blocked. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Posted at 10'

Attempt blocked. Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Posted at 9'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Kostadin Gadzhalov.
Posted at 9'

Attempt blocked. Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Posted at 8'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Kostadin Gadzhalov.
Posted at 4'

Craig Wighton (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 4'

Foul by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
Posted at 3'

Kostadin Gadzhalov (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 3'

Foul by Ryan Christie (Celtic).
Kick Off
Posted at

First Half begins.

Lineups are announced and players are warming up.