Iheanacho's Six-Month Goal Drought Ends in Dramatic Celtic Ding-Dong at Dundee!
Celtic edged Dundee 2-1 at Dens Park thanks to Yang Hyun-Jun's early opener and Kelechi Iheanacho's 82nd-minute winner, his first in six months. Simon Murray's penalty had levelled it, but a late red for Ryan Astley sealed the points. The win cuts the gap to leaders Hearts and rivals to three points with six games remaining.
Iheanacho's Six-Month Goal Drought Ends in Dramatic Celtic Ding-Dong at Dundee!
Picture this: Celtic rocking up at Dens Park with the Scottish Premiership title race hotter than a vindaloo, needing to banish their Dundee hoodoo. They'd lost all three previous visits this season, but on this day, they finally put the Dee in their place with a 2-1 thriller. Late sub Kelechi Iheanacho smashed in the winner, his first goal in half a year, slashing the gap to the top three – Hearts and Rangers included – to just three points. As reported by FromTheSpot for OneFootball and The Independent.
Blitzkrieg Start: Yang's Scrappy Opener
Celtic didn't mess about. From the off, Daizen Maeda and Kieran Tierney were tearing down the left like kids chasing an ice cream van. Tierney whipped in a beauty, Tomáš Čvančara controlled it slickly, but keeper Jon McCracken parried. Cue chaos: Yang Hyun-Jun nodded it goalwards, Benjamin Nygren bundled it over the line too – Yang got the final touch in the 8th minute. 1-0, and Dens Park was deflated quicker than a whoopee cushion.
The Hoops could've been three up by half-time. Nygren slid a pearler to Maeda, who fluffed it tamely. Čvančara – on loan from Borussia Mönchengladbach – spurned a hatful: clean through courtesy of Maeda's pressing, he smacked the post. Later, one-v-one again post-interval, but a horror touch let McCracken smother it. Even Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's volley was pawed away. Celtic dominated, but Dundee hung on like a stubborn limpet.
Murray's Spot-Kick Leveller Shakes Things Up
Dundee started the second half with more bite, and boy, did they get a lifeline. Ryan Astley's shot cannoned off Colby Donovan's arm – VAR had a gander, ref Steven McLean pointed to the spot in the 57th minute. Skipper Simon Murray slotted it cool as you like into the bottom corner. Celtic's clean sheet drought hit eight games. The hosts fancied it now, Finlay Robertson nearly nicked one with a flick on Yan Dhanda's cross.
Brendan Rodgers' men – wait, sources reckon Martin O'Neill's at the helm here, but you get the drill – were wobbling. No starting No.9 has scored in 12 games since Čvančara's brace at Falkirk. Junior Adamu, Iheanacho, even Maeda (goalless since Jan 10) have been tried up top. Maeda missed another sitter. It felt like Dundee might nick it, ending Celtic's woes on their manor.
Iheanacho Clutch, Astley Sees Red – Title Race Bonanza!
Enter the Nigerian ninja. Sub Marcelo Saracchi swung in a cross from the left in the 82nd minute, Iheanacho muscled Astley off it, swivelled, and rifled home from six yards. Pandemonium! 2-1, and the away end erupted.
Dundee's day went pear-shaped moments later. Astley, already in the wars, hauled down Yang in the box – straight red for denying a goalscoring chance. Celtic saw out the final throes, grabbing three massive points. With Hearts stumbling at Livingston earlier, the top trio are separated by a measly three points. Six games left in this Premiership rollercoaster – Rangers, Hearts, Celtic, it's game on!
Iheanacho's hamstring hell is behind him; this could be the spark. Čvančara was profligate, but Yang stepped up. Dundee battled gamely but lacked punch. Celtic's away-day demons at Dens exorcised – for now. Fancy a pint to toast this madness?