MOUSSA DEMBELE HELPED Celtic retain their nine-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a goal and an assist in Sunday’s 2-0 win away to Aberdeen.
Frenchman Dembele headed the defending champions ahead on 37 minutes at Pittodrie before triggering a late counter-attack that resulted in Kieran Tierney sealing the victory.
Celtic crashed out of the last 32 of the Europa League in midweek following a 3-1 aggregate defeat by Zenit St Petersburg but showed their domestic quality against an Aberdeen side that has now lost back-to-back matches.
“It was brilliant win for us 72 hours after the game in Russia at, arguably, one the most difficult places to come,” Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers told the BBC.
“Moussa (Dembele) is a big game player and we are at the stage of the season where he comes alive in terms of what the team needs from him.”
Scott Sinclair and Tom Rogic returned to the starting line-up for the Hoops, but it was Aberdeen who nearly struck first when Kari Arnason was inches away from connecting with a Kenny McLean free-kick.
Celtic then began to assert their authority with Sinclair hitting the crossbar from a corner in the 16th minute, before Rogic was denied by a save at point-blank range from Freddie Woodman.
Aberdeen escaped again when Olivier Ntcham drilled a 25-yard effort against the upright, but the hosts fell behind with half-time approaching as James Forrest crossed for Dembele to nod in for his 10th goal of the campaign.
The Dons threatened an equaliser in the 73rd minute when Dorus de Vries parried a McLean drive, with follow-up efforts from Niall McGinn and Anthony Connor blocked by Celtic defenders.
The visitors were forced to play out the final 15 minutes with 10 men following the dismissal of Mikael Lustig for a second yellow card, but Aberdeen were punished on the break while chasing a way back into the game.
Dembele raced forward from inside his own half before slotting through a precision pass to Tierney to slam home from the edge of the area and ensure Celtic stayed nine points clear of old rivals Rivals, with Aberdeen — who had Sam Cosgrove sent off late on — now 12 points adrift.
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The only reason they won the six nations last year is because Scotland and ourselves played the majority of the game with 14 or less men and they were awarded the most dubious of tries against England with the water carriers and medical staff still on the pitch.
@Peter Dunne: Definitely got a good bit more than a slice of luck, but at the same time you make your own too at times and can only play whats infront of you. Players like LRZ, L.Williams, J Tips, AWJ, Wyn Jones, Faletau, Navidi etc were incredible through out for them.
Wales we’re poor really. Fiji we’re unlucky, played well. Rees-Zammit’s try should not have been given, he was clearly not in control of the ball on (attempted) touchdown.
@Teddy O’Brien: In fairness as Berry said, all they look for is separation with the ball and there was none. I partly agree with you tho as the ball rolled up from his palm to wrist, but that’s still contact I guess… Still he probably deserved it for the effort alone. The speed he has is freakishly good.
@Teddy O’Brien: The 2000s called, they want their laws back. There doesn’t need to be control.
@Ultan Corcoran: baloucane faster?
Hopefully the new Super Rugby team can help Fiji progress. The talent is there for them to be a real powerhouse, just need funding to build a genuine international set up!
@TheCraftyCulchie: 5 teams – Us, Scotland, France, Argentina and Fiji have had a man red carded against Wales in the last 9 months
@Jonny Walls: Could it be a tactic? To orchestrate situations where an opposition player has a high risk of fouling. Theoretically, it could be easy enough to do.
@SomeGuy: that would be handy! Hard to do I’d say!
Sau is clearly a bit of an id iot, has a recent history of nasty tackles. Tried to take the head off Connacht’s Niall Murray with a late hit in Touch last season at the Sportsground which unbelievably didn’t even get a yellow card…
https://twitter.com/RonanB/status/1371104555405094913?t=xQVRjAV_64IB7bRwVkdLiw&s=19
Ehhh …….. did wales play a large part of that game against 13? You’d expect them to win. Unlucky fiji but discipline is an issue