Celtic have extended their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to 13 points with a 6-0 demolition of Dundee at Celtic Park. Arne Engels scored with a penalty in the 18th minute following the intervention of VAR before Adam Idah struck in first-half added time for his fourth goal in three games.
The Japan winger Daizen Maeda helped himself to two goals in four second-half minutes just before the hour mark and Engels produced a glorious fifth in the 71st minute before the substitute Nicolas Kühn curled in No 6 to complete the rout for Brendan Rodgers’s side.
The match was postponed last month due to damage following Storm Éowyn and for Dundee there was no stopping the green and white storm that came their way in the rearranged fixture. Celtic were unstoppable.
Portuguese winger Jota, who recently returned to the champions 18 months after leaving for spells in Saudi Arabia and France, started the game, following his goalscoring appearance off the bench against Motherwell on Sunday. Right-back Alistair Johnston and Engels were also reinstated with Anthony Ralston, Luke McCowan and Kühn dropping out. Jeffrey Schlupp, the 32-year-old utility player signed on loan from Crystal Palace until the end of the season, was on the bench.
Lyall Cameron, who is moving to Rangers in the summer, was absent for Tony Docherty’s Dundee side due to an achilles injury while fellow midfielder Finlay Robertson and defensive duo Antonio Portales and Ethan Ingram were back in the starting lineup.
The visitors managed a couple of forays forward, which offered some hope, but that dissipated when Celtic took the lead. The referee Colin Steven initially awarded a foul to Dundee when Mohamed Sylla tussled with Auston Trusty at a corner but was asked to check his pitchside monitor by the VAR, Alan Muir, and after a long look pointed to the spot. Engels fired low to Trevor Carson’s right for the lead – his sixth penalty in the league this season.
Dundee tried valiantly to push forward but their attacks were sporadic, while only poor final touches and decision-making prevented Celtic adding to their lead. However, just before the break, the visitors succumbed again – Carson saved an initial effort from Idah and then parried Jota’s drive. Idah, the former Norwich striker, then fired high into the net from eight yards.
Rodgers said of Idah: “I’m so pleased for him, he’s just moving different now and he’s getting a real handful. His goal was very good, makes a good run, gets his shot off, doesn’t lie about the floor, gets up and then he’s able to get the rebound and a really good finish.”
The second half was a straightforward drubbing. Jota showed some trickery coming in from the left before his right-footed cross to the back post was headed in by the unmarked Maeda. Then some entertaining play from Reo Hatate and Jota ended with Engels sending Maeda down the right channel and his perfect lob from the edge of the box beat Carson and dipped under the bar.
The Northern Irish goalkeeper was beaten again when Engels curled a wonderful shot from 25 yards in off the bar. Rodgers then moved quickly to replace Idah and Greg Taylor with Johnny Kenny and Schlupp.
However, it was another Celtic substitute, Kühn – on for Jota – who lifted a shot from the edge of the box into the far corner to complete a fine evening’s work for the rampant league leaders.
Of Jota, Rodgers said: “I’d obviously seen him before from the outside looking in and then I’ve seen him train and work but he’s a big player. I can’t wait for him to get up to the level in terms of that football fitness. He’s missed a lot of football, hasn’t played a great deal but he’s a class act … a big talent.”
Docherty said: “It was a tough one in the end. We lost poor goals and we addressed that with the group after the game. We take full responsibility and we have to be more resolute defensively, but we need to get back on the horse now.”
Article by:Source: PA Media
