Scottish Premiership
Sunday, November 28, 2021
Celtic Park, Glasgow

CELTIC… 2
(Jota 19, McGregor 60)

ABERDEEN… 1
(Ferguson 31pen)

On a day when the Celtic Family paid tribute to Bertie Auld, it was Callum McGregor who provided the winnnig goal with a touch of fortune to give Celtic a 2-1 win over Aberdeen.

Before kick-off, Callum McGregor and Scott Brown both laid a wreath in the centre-circle in memory of Bertie Auld, before a rousing rendition of the Celtic Song was followed by a minute’s applause for the Lisbon Lion.

It was a disjointed start to the game, with Joe Hart requiring treatment following a late challenge by Christian Ramirez. It would lead to four added minutes at the end of the first half.

When the play restarted, it was the home side who took the game to their opponents, with Jota seeing a lot of the ball down the left flank.

On 14 minutes, the Portuguese attacker did well to keep the ball in play on the Aberdeen goal-line before slotting it back into the path of David Turnbull, but his shot was blocked.

A minute later, Callum McGregor threaded a superb ball through the inside-left channel for Josip Juranovic, but he opted to cross the ball into the six-yard box rather than take the shot, and the danger was cleared.

However, on 19 minutes Celtic got the goal their attacking efforts deserved. This time it was Turnbull who floated a delightful pass over the defence for McGregor, and the captain’s cutback inside the box was brilliantly finished by Jota from eight yards out.

Two minutes later, Aberdeen showed some rare attacking intent down their left, but Marley Watkins’ cross into the box was cleared by Juranovic.

On 28 minutes, Turnbull had a set-piece opportunity with a 24-yard free-kick that he had won, but his effort was blocked, and just three minutes later, Aberdeen grabbed an unexpected equaliser.

Liel Abada was adjudged to have tripped David Bates inside the box and the visitors were awarded a penalty. Replays showed that it was the Aberdeen’s trailing leg which caught the stationary Abada rather than the other way round.

However, Lewis Ferguson stepped up and fired the ball beyond Joe Hart to make it 1-1.

Ange Postecoglou’s side continued pressing for a second goal, but their best effort came in added time when McGregor’s shot from the edge of the box was blocked.

McGregor provides the winning touch as Celtic beat Aberdeen