Celtic faced Aberdeen on the road, with manager Brendan Rodgers making a single alteration to the lineup from last weekend’s win against St Mirren, bringing in James Forrest for Yang.
The match began with intensity, marked by the frequent sound of the referee’s whistle and the discontent expressed by Aberdeen fans. However, video replays confirmed that the free kick decisions made by the officials were accurate. The first real moment of quality emerged in the seventh minute when Auochiche launched a powerful shot towards the upper corner, but Celtic’s goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel made an impressive save.
Both teams struggled with ball possession, featuring a mix of tackles, blocks, and careless passes. Kieran Tierney provided a breakthrough in the 26th minute, skillfully maneuvering past his marker and delivering a low cross that Nygren converted with a precise volley. This goal mirrored Nygren’s prior performance, where he hit the woodwork instead of scoring.
Just three minutes later, Tierney demonstrated his speed again along the left flank. He cut the ball back to Hatate, whose curling shot was deflected to Nygren, who unfortunately missed the chance to score again, sending the ball over the crossbar.
Clear opportunities were scarce for both teams. After Auochiche’s initial attempt, Aberdeen couldn’t manage a shot for 40 minutes, while Celtic found it challenging to break through a tightly organized Dons defense. Nevertheless, Celtic maintained control over the game.
As the halftime whistle blew, the score remained Aberdeen 1, Celtic 0. Although the match wasn’t a showcase of exhilarating football, Celtic supporters remained optimistic, as a win would put them three points ahead of Heart of Midlothian and four ahead of their rivals.
Fans are hopeful for a more dynamic second half as Celtic continues its pursuit of the title.