2018-05-13: Celtic 0-1 Aberdeen, SP

Match Pictures | Matches: 2017 – 2018 | 2017-18 Pictures

Trivia

• Final league match. Celtic are league champions

• Celtic to end the season next weekend with possible back-to-back treble, must defeat Motherwell.
• Celtic lose unbeaten home league record, first domestic defeat at Celtic Park for Brendan Rodgers. First since Dec 2015 (v Motherwell who Celtic are playing next Saturday).
• Aberdeen's Shay Logan gets sent off after the final whistle for abusive & foul language, caught in spat with firstly Lustig and took aim at him and then with Boyata as both leaving the pitch. A sore loser and a daft character.
• Celtic are installing a stunning state-of-the-art light and sound show as part of a massive £4million stadium investment. Hoops chiefs are spending £2.3m on a spectacular entertainment system similar to those used in Ajax’s Amsterdam ArenA and Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena to create a spectacular backdrop to major matches. The multi-million upgrade will push Celtic Park even further up the ladder of Europe’s elite venues. The club will also put down the final £1.3m outlay to complete the installation of their new Hybrid pitch.
• Ross County relegated, Aberdeen are second, and Sevco make third despite a 5-5 draw with Hibs today (but Hibs needed to win by around 6-0). Huns targeting ex-Celt & Hibs manager Neil Lennon with sectarian abusewho got himself into a little trouble when the final equaliser went in and he over-celebrated! We all love him so.
• Paddy Roberts reveals he likely prefers to move on from Celtic.
• Former Celtic forward Lassad Nouioui has sadly been forced to retire from football at 32 after he suffered a heart attack while training and went into a ten-day coma, but has thankfully fully recovered. We wish him the best.
• Goalkeeper loanee Scott Bain has signed permanently for 4 years: “I don’t think it could have gone any better. It’s funny, there’s a lot of little things that went my way to get to Celtic on loan and then to play the game against Rangers, which sent me on my way to this four-year-deal. It’s been great and I’ve loved every minute.”
• Scott Brown is announced as Scottish Writers Player of the year.
• Edouard states to l’equipe (a French sports paper) he wants to stay at Celtic.
• Rumours: Bournemouth to make £20m bid for Tierney; Wayne Ronney for Sevco? Completely knocked back by player who moved to the States.
• Celtic star Mikael Lustig has slated the quality of both Hamilton and Kilmarnock’s pitches, saying they are “s**t”. Both teams use a 4G synthetic surface and have been widely criticised for doing so over the last few years.
• Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson admitted it would be difficult to bring Nadir Ciftci back to Fir Park after the striker ended his season with a double in a 3-0 win against Hamilton. The Turkish hitman is currently on loan from Celtic.
• Tommy Burnsremembrance (10 years since his passing) held by the CGS yesterday. Very well attended, and a very good day. Attendees included Gordon Strachan amongst others.
• Anyone talking of Celtic lying down against Aberdeen(in order to ensure Sevco don't come second) hasn't been paying attention, look at the match stats for this game (Celtic had 19 shots on goal, 6 on target), hardly show a lying down attitude.
• Celtic have
  – failed to score in 5 of the last 9 home SPFL games
  – failed to score in 8 of the last 21 SPFL games
  – won only 11 of 19 home SPFL games
  Today was sadly par for this season's course, but regardless Celtic still won the league and deservedly so.

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Away37%

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Away5

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Away1

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Away1

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Articles

Celtic 0 – 1 Aberdeen: Considine goal enough for Dons to finish second

Stephen Halliday
Published: 14:21 Sunday 13 May 2018
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https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/competitions/premiership/celtic-0-1-aberdeen-considine-goal-enough-for-dons-to-finish-second-1-4738850
Seldom has a second prize been celebrated as lustily as it was by Aberdeen and their supporters at Celtic Park.

Andrew Considine’s 47th minute goal earned the Dons their first league win at the stadium for 14 years, ensuring they finish runners-up in the Premiership for a fourth consecutive season.

In becoming the first Scottish side to win at Parkhead since Brendan Rodgers took charge of Celtic almost two years ago, the Pittodrie men rendered events involving their closest rivals Rangers at Easter Road irrelevant from their perspective.

Derek McInnes couldn’t have picked a better time to oversee his first win over either half of the Old Firm this season.

In what has been a transitional campaign in many ways for his club, the Aberdeen manager deserves great credit for making them the best of the rest once again.

The victory took just a touch of the shine off a party afternoon for Celtic, but not for too long as the trophy presentation and aftermath was enjoyed fully by the home support for a seventh successive year.

Aberdeen approached the contest very much in the mode of a side determined to ensure they claimed the second place under their own steam, rather than relying on favours from elsewhere.

McInnes deployed a positive formation, with central striker Sam Cosgrove offered support from an attacking midfield trio of Gary Mackay-Steven, Greg Stewart and Kenny McLean, while skipper Graeme Shinnie was as willing as ever to step forward from his more defensive role whenever the opportunity presented itself.

Their ambitious approach almost brought them a tenth minute opener from a set piece conceded by Mikael Lustig for a foul on his former team-mate, Mackay-Steven. The free-kick was taken by Stewart whose curling effort smacked off the crossbar with Celtic ‘keeper Scott Bain flat-footed.

With the exception of Craig Gordon, who is expected to return at Bain’s expense next Saturday at Hampden, this was a full-strength line-up close to the one Rodgers is likely to send out for the Scottish Cup final.

Moussa Dembele was back to lead the line and was provided the first moment of real concern for the visitors defence when he bustled his way into the penalty area from the left and saw his close-range shot well saved by Joe Lewis at the goalkeeper’s near post.

Aberdeen continued to produce some progressive football of their own and a dangerous cross from Mackay-Steven almost reaped a reward as Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer’s attempt to cut it out saw him come very close to putting it into his own net.

James Forrest then sliced a shot off target from an inviting position after Aberdeen had failed to clear a corner properly, play going from end to end in the early stages.

Celtic gradually established the kind of dominance in possession they are accustomed to at home and it needed a brilliantly timed challenge from Anthony O’Connor on the edge of the six-yard box to deny Dembele a clear sight of goal.

Kenny McLean, making his final appearance for Aberdeen before he completes his move to Norwich City this summer, appeared determined to leave on a high note. But the midfielder let his emotions get the better of him when he picked up the first booking of the afternoon for dissent.

McLean, however, made a far more positive contribution when Aberdeen took the lead two minutes into the second half. A driving run infield from the right saw him surge away from Olivier Ntcham before threading a neat pass into the path of Considine. The Aberdeen full-back’s run hadn’t been tracked by Lustig and he steadied himself before sweeping a low left-foot shot beyond Bain.

Rodgers responded fairly quickly by making a double substitution, replacing Kieran Tierney and Dembele with Scott Sinclair and Leigh Griffiths as he attempted to inject some attacking urgency into what had become a pedestrian display from the champions.

Griffiths had the chance to make an immediate impact when Ajer did well to set him up on the right of the penalty area but his tame shot was easily gathered by Lewis.

The changes had the desired effect for Celtic and they came close to an equaliser in the 60th minute. Lewis could only parry a stinging long-range effort from Ntcham but the ‘keeper then reacted brilliantly to block Callum McGregor’s follow-up attempt from close range.

For Aberdeen, it was now simply a case of holding on to what they had as they closed the space in midfield, defending ever deeper but no less diligently.

As Celtic tried to preserve their long unbeaten domestic home record, Lewis came under increasing pressure in the closing ten minutes. He made a comfortable save to keep out a Griffiths free-kick which wasn’t struck with sufficient power, then had to show greater reactions to keep out a shot from substitute Stuart Armstrong. With three minutes remaining, Lewis made his best save of the lot as he got down to his left to stop a close-range header from Griffiths.

The final whistle was greeted with unrestrained glee from the Aberdeen players – a little too much so in the case of Shay Logan who was shown a straight red card by referee Craig Thomson after clashing with Lustig and Dedryck Boyata who seemed to take exception to the manner of the full-back’s celebrations in front of the home support.

BBC

By Chris McLaughlin

BBC Scotland at Celtic Park

5 hours ago From the section Scottish Premiership

Andrew Considine scores
Andrew Considine's early second-half goal gave Aberdeen a famous win at Celtic Park

Aberdeen became the first Scottish team to inflict a home defeat on Brendan Rodgers' Celtic as the Dons secured second place in the Premiership.

Derek McInnes' side finish as runners-up for a fourth year in a row thanks to Andrew Considine's second-half strike.

Greg Stewart had earlier curled a free-kick on to the top of the hosts' bar.

Champions Celtic, who were presented with the trophy after the match, came close through substitutes Leigh Griffiths and Stuart Armstrong.

Goalkeeper Joe Lewis denied the Scotland duo and Aberdeen had Shay Logan sent off after the match as the Dons finished three points in front of Rangers, who drew 5-5 with Hibernian at Easter Road.

Report: Hibernian 5-5 Rangers
'Every year it's more special' – Brown

Trophy time for Celtic

There was a familiar party feel in the Glasgow sunshine before the game. Celtic, having won seven successive league titles, have become used to celebrating at this time of year but Aberdeen were desperate for a final-day flourish that could see them claim the best of the rest spot.

As expected it was the home side who dominated early proceedings, but the first real effort fell to the men in red. Gary Mackay-Steven was brought down on the edge of the box and Stewart smashed the resulting free-kick off Scott Bain's crossbar.

It gave the visitors a confidence boost and after Lewis blocked a Moussa Dembele shot from close range, they poured forward and Kristoffer Ajer cleared a cross that almost crept past Bain into the Celtic goal.

Both sets of fans were clearly well aware of the rollercoaster match between Hibs and Rangers in the capital, with each goal for the home side being met with cheers from those in red and green in equal measure.
Leigh Griffiths heads an effort towards goal
Griffiths was unsuccessful with three second-half efforts for Celtic

But goals were what was lacking at Celtic Park and what started off as an interesting tussle turned fairly scrappy with neither side looking particularly threatening in the final third of the pitch.

Sensing how the tide was turning at Easter Road, Aberdeen came out after the interval with real intent. Stewart curled a shot just over but less than a minute later they were ahead.

The Celtic defence failed to clear on the left-hand side and, with some help from Kenny McLean, the ball fell to Considine, who powered through on goal and blasted low past Bain at his near post. It was a fine finish and it felt very much like a crucial finish.

Rodgers made a couple of changes, perhaps with the Scottish Cup final in mind, and one of those changes, Griffiths, should have done better 10 minutes after the goal. Ajer slid the ball through at the edge of the box but the striker could only toe poke a weak effort into the thankful hands of Lewis.

Celtic were starting to turn the screw, though, and Olivier Ntcham watched Lewis desperately scramble across his goal to block his long-range effort, Anthony O'Connor superbly blocking Callum McGregor's rebound attempt. It was all beginning to look a little ominous for the visitors.

It was Lewis who continued to come to Aberdeen's rescue as his goal was peppered with Celtic shots time and time again – Griffiths and Armstrong both on target but denied by the Englishman.

McInnes could hardly watch as he prowled the Aberdeen technical area desperate for the clock to read 90.

But when the whistle was blown he jumped in then air as did the small band of Aberdeen fans who had travelled to Glasgow hoping this could be their day.

It all got a little too much for Logan, who was sent off after the final whistle for over-celebrating in front of the Celtic fans.

Why Shay Logan was sent off against Celtic as Aberdeen star faces ban

https://www.footballinsider247.com/shay-logan-takes-brutal-swipe-at-celtic-fans-after-aberdeen-win-at-parkhead/
Daily Record

Record Sport Online

It all got a bit heated following the final whistle at Parkhead this afternoon.

Aberdeen had just secured their first victory at Celtic since 2004, a result that wrapped up second place for the fourth straight season.

Graeme Shinnie and Scott Brown had words on the pitch following an intense midfield contest.

And then, seemingly out of nowhere, Shay Logan was shown a red card by ref Craig Thomson.

TV cameras didn't pick up the initial incident, but the Aberdeen right-back was involved in an altercation with Mikael Lustig before having to be ushered down the tunnel by the Dons' backroom team.

Derek McInnes ecstatic as Aberdeen boss hits out at Rangers and Hibs

He certainly didn't go quietly, cupping his ears at the home support as he was marched off the pitch.

But what happened between him and Lustig? Footage that emerged online shows the Celtic man taking offence to Logan celebrating in front of the home crowd, making his way over to confront him.

The Swede gestures towards the away support, seemingly telling Logan to go and celebrate with his own fans.

But the Englishman responds by appearing to shove Lustig in the face, all in view of the ref.

He's eventually shown a straight red by Thomson, but not before Dedryck Boyata hits him with the ball.

Celtic 0 Aberdeen 1 as Andrew Considine winner sees Dons finish second – 5 talking points

Leigh Griffiths then has a go, picking up the ball and launching it at Logan – and missing.

Boyata continues to follow the defender as he heads for the tunnel in a bizarre end to the game.

Logan now faces a ban from SFA bosses and will miss the start of next season's league campaign.

He doesn't seem too bothered, mind you.

The Dons star took to Twitter afterwards, posting a picture of himself and Shinnie with the caption "Angels".

He followed that up with another post about "gettin grief off a bunch of folk with 4 teeth between the 6 of em".