DUTV
STORY OF THE MATCH | MOTHERWELL (H)
31st October 2024
CELTIC 4-2 DUNDEE UNITED
CINCH PREMIERSHIP
3PM SATURDAY 5TH NOVEMBER 2022
CELTIC PARK
United hit back twice against the league leaders but two late goals secured Celtic the three points in Glasgow.
ROTATION
There were two changes to the United side defeated by Motherwell as Arnaud Djoum and Ian Harkes featured in place of Dylan Levitt and Tony Watt.
Watt was available for selection in the matchday squad after his red card was overturned following a successful appeal.
EARLY CELTIC PRESSURE
Celtic almost opened the scoring just three minutes into the match. Building from back to front, Cameron Carter-Vickers offloaded the ball to Anthony Ralston. The full-back looked up and threaded a cross-field pass right around the United defence which found Jota lurking at the back post, but the Celtic winger skewed his effort wide of the target.
Celtic did break the deadlock just three minutes later. A lovely through ball from Reo Hatate found Jota in space again in the United area. The Portuguese winger cut the ball across for Sead Hakšabanovic who despite Ryan Edwards’ best efforts managed to turn it in at the back post.
ON THE RIGHT SIDE
It was only a matter of minutes before United hit back – through the aid of a VAR intervention.
Steven Fletcher sent a header goalward which Alexander Bernabei clearly blocked using his arm.
Play continued for what seemed like a minute or so before the referee was advised to have a look at the monitor. After considerable deliberation, referee David Dickinson re-entered the field of play and pointed to the spot.
Despite the boos of the 50,000-strong crowd, Fletcher made no mistake and smashed the ball straight down the middle to level the score.
THE CENTREPIECE
VAR was involved again just after the 20-minute mark. A coming together between Craig Sibbald and Georgios Giakoumakis left the Celtic player in a heap. A potential red card check was carried out for serious foul play by Sibbald but it was nothing doing in the referee’s eyes.
CELTIC HIT BACK
With ten minutes until half-time, the hosts were back in front - again through Haksabanovic. A deep cross was recycled out to Celtic’s number 9 who fired a low shot across goal from the corner of the box. Birighitti got a hand to it but it wasn’t enough to stop the net from bulging - sending the hosts in a goal to the good at the break.
SECOND HALF
David Turnbull twice went close to putting Celtic further in the driving seat.
Jota did well to work space for a cross - finding Turnbull in the middle - but a combination of Aziz Behich and Birighitti stopped the ball from crossing the line at the back post.
Moments later the Scotsman was involved once more, this time solely fashioning a shooting opportunity from 25 yards out but his effort flashed by the upright.
ATTACKING INTENT
United failed to get a foothold in the opening period of the second half. Liam Fox responded with two substitutions before 70 minutes - with Levitt and Glenn Middleton replacing Djoum and Fletcher.
Levitt showed glimpses of his quality - keeping the ball well in tight areas and linking up play well.
Two more changes followed with Watt and Meekison replacing Harkes and McGrath with 15 to play.
A change in momentum followed with the Terrors carving two great opportunities to restore parity.
A smartly taken free-kick from Levitt found Middleton racing through. He evaded the Celtic defence but his shot was blocked on the line and deflected wide for a corner.
Edwards met the resulting ball into the danger area in the air, but his header came back off the post.
JUST REWARDS
After considerable pressure, United appeared to have salvaged a point two minutes before the whistle.
Dylan Levitt picked up the ball on Celtic’s right and delivered a curling ball into the box - looking for the head of Watt or Freeman. However, the Welshman’s cross evaded everyone in a tangerine shirt and nestled in the far corner giving United a well-deserved leveller.
A SICKENING BLOW
The hosts however had other ideas on sharing the spoils.
In a frantic end, Celtic retook the lead through Kyogo’s glancing header before Liel Abada had Celtic two in front moments later with a delicate chip over the onrushing Birighitti.
It’s an afternoon in which United can take solace but the overriding feeling will be disappointment for Liam Fox’s men.
TEAM LINES
Starting XI: Birighitti, Smith, McMann, Fletcher (Middleton 70’), Djoum (Levitt 63’), Edwards, Sibbald, Behich, McGrath (Watt 75’), Freeman, Harkes (Meekison 75’)
Unused subs: Eriksson, Graham, Niskanen, Pawlett, A.Sadat.
NEXT UP
With two matches to go until the break, join us at Tannadice on Wednesday as we take on Kilmarnock in the cinch Premiership.
A trip to Pittodrie awaits afterwards for a 6pm kick-off next Saturday evening.
CLICK HERE for full ticket information.
