Scottish PremiershipSunday, August 10, 2025Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen ABERDEEN…0 CELTIC…2(Nygren 27, Hatate 65) Celtic’s positive start to the season continued this afternoon at Pittodrie as Brendan Rodgers’ men took all three points thanks to a first Celtic goal for Benjamin Nygren and a stunning top-corner finish from Reo Hatate. The game was frantic in the opening five minutes, with challenges flying in and both sides creating half-chances which came to nothing, including an effort from the edge of the box from Kieran Tierney which drifted wide of the target. Kasper Schmeichel produced a brilliant one-handed save to deny Aouchiche who had shot from distance, with the Danish keeper pushing the effort wide of the post to keep the score level. The home support was buoyed by their side’s aggressive start to the match and the Aberdeen players continued to try and impose themselves on the game, breaking up Celtic’s patterns of play wherever and however they could. The Hoops, however, matched the home side’s physicality, with the Champions battling for every loose ball as they hunted for the opener And, with just over 25 minutes gone, Celtic showed their quality when Kieran Tierney attacked down the left wing, and sent a ball in to the box for Benjamin Nygren, who was composed as he stroked it in to the net to make it 1-0 and claim his first goal for Celtic. The Swede almost doubled Celtic’s lead a few minutes later when he was on hand after Mitov had made a good save from Reo Hatate’s curling effort, but on this occasion Nygren fired his shot over the bar. Aberdeen worked a good move just before half time and it looked like Kusini Yengi was in a dangerous position to fire a cross in to the Celtic penalty area, but the pressure from the Celts’ defence unsettled the Aberdeen forward, and he ran the ball out of play before he could create a meaningful opportunity for his side.Celtic got on to the front foot early in the second period, with Kieran Tierney clipping a perfectly weighted ball in to space for Daizen Maeda to chase. The Japanese forward raced on to it and sent a dangerous ball in to the box, which had to be forced behind for a corner. He then had a big opportunity to double Celtic’s lead with just over five minutes of the second half gone but his effort from six yards out after a great cross from James Forrest was well-saved by the home side’s keeper. With 25 minutes to go, Reo Hatate made it 2-0 to Celtic with a strike that will undoubtedly be a goal of the season contender. The midfielder took control of the ball on the edge of the box from a Nygren pass before shifting it on to his right foot and bending a shot in to the top corner of the net to give the Hoops a two-goal lead. Alistair Johnston found himself with a chance 15 minutes from the end when he got on to an excellent pass in to the box from James Forrest, but the Canadian could only hit the side-netting with his shot from an acute angle. As the game entered the closing stages, the Celts were in full control of proceedings, moving the ball around well and dealing with any threat that the home side tried to creat. The Champions will be pleased with their victory on the road and will now turn their attentions to Friday night where they will face Falkirk in the League Cup under the lights at Paradise.
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