Scottish Premiership Sunday, October 6, 2024 Global Energy Stadium, Dingwall ROSS COUNTY…1 (Hale pen 43) CELTIC…2 (Johnston 77, Kuhn 88) Celtic bounced back from Champions League disappointment midweek to maintain their perfect start to the Premiership campaign with a late win in Dingwall with Alistair Johnston and Nicolas Kuhn striking in the second half for the Champions. It keeps up Brendan Rodgers’ side excellent start to the season winning every game they’ve played domestically this season as the international break for October now looms. The Hoops’ record against Ross County has been exemplary with only one defeat in their last 17 matches in Dingwall with their last defeat back in February, 2021 and today the Celts looked to continue that excellent record. Celtic started brightly, pinning County back in their own half for much of the opening exchanges. Kuhn and Aistair Johnston combined well on the right in the seventh minute, with the Canadian’s cross finding Adam Idah, but the Irishman’s header drifted narrowly wide of the far post. Idah continued to pose a threat, heading over from an Arne Engels corner in the 10th minute as Celtic asserted their control. Just a few minutes later, Alex Valle unleashed a powerful effort from distance that had Ross Laidlaw scrambling, but the shot flew just over the bar. County struggled to get out of their half, but the Hoops were unable to convert their chances. Another opportunity went begging in the 30th minute when a pinpoint delivery from Johnston found Daizen Maeda unmarked at the back post, but the Japanese forward’s header sailed wide of the goal. The game took a dramatic turn in the 38th minute when Ross County were awarded a penalty after a VAR check. Liam Scales was judged to have handled the ball while trying to block a cross in the box. Ronan Hale stepped up to take the spot-kick, only for Kasper Schmeichel to pull off a superb low save to his right. However, there was a cruel twist for Celtic as the referee ordered a re-take, deeming that Schmeichel had moved off his line. Hale made no mistake with his second attempt, burying the ball into the bottom corner to give Ross County a 1-0 lead and hand the Champions the first goal conceded in the league this season.The Hoops, who had gone into the break a goal down, were immediately on the back foot in the second half when Ross County came close to doubling their lead. Hale, looking to capitalise on a rare sight of goal, spotted Schmeichel off his line and sent a speculative long-range effort just wide of the target in the 52nd minute. Celtic responded quickly as Callum McGregor took matters into his own hands just two minutes later, brushing off a couple of challenges before unleashing a low shot from the edge of the area that whistled narrowly past the post. The captain’s effort injected fresh energy into the side, and moments later, Daizen Maeda burst through on goal, only to be denied by a sprawling save from Ross County keeper, Ross Laidlaw. In an attempt to shift the momentum, Brendan Rodgers made a triple substitution on the hour mark, introducing Kyogo, Luke McCowan, and Paulo Bernardo for Adam Idah, Reo Hatate, and Arne Engels. This injection of fresh legs added an extra spark to Celtic’s attack, and the champions began to ramp up the pressure. James Forrest, brought on for Maeda in the 68th minute, was quickly into the action. His curling effort from the left in the 73rd minute was comfortably saved by Laidlaw, but the chances kept coming as Celtic hunted for an equaliser. Their persistence was finally rewarded in the 77th minute. A corner kick was flicked on at the near post by Kyogo, prompting a brilliant reaction save from Laidlaw. However, the ball fell kindly for Johnston, who was able to bundle it over the line with the aid of a deflection from a McGregor shot. The Canadian’s fortuitous touch levelled the score at 1-1 and set up a tense finale. With the clock winding down, Celtic remained composed and pounced clinically on the counter-attack. McCowan won a free-kick deep in his own half, and the Hoops took it quickly to catch Ross County off guard. Johnston surged forward before finding Kuhn on the right flank. The German winger cut inside with a burst of pace and slotted a low shot into the bottom corner, sparking wild celebrations in the away end. Celtic’s comeback was complete, and they held firm in the dying stages to secure another vital three points on the road to maintain an excellent record in the Highlands. It sets up a potential top of the table clash as Celtic host Aberdeen in Paradise after the international break.FixturesRoss County Vs. Celtic – Sun, Oct 6th 2024, 12:00
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