Scottish Premiership

Sunday, February 20, 2022.

Celtic Park, Glasgow

CELTIC…

(Giakoumakis 34’, 38’, 86’)

DUNDEE…

(Mullen 25’ & Sweeney 60’)

It was another late show at Celtic Park as Giorgos Giakoumakis was the hero on the afternoon, bagging a hattrick to seal a crucial three points in a tight 3-2 victory over Dundee.

Once again, Ange Postecoglou’s side showed they just never know when to give up, as just when we looked to be sharing the points with our visitors, Giakoumakis popped up right at the death to slam home a header and increase our lead at the top of the table to three points.

It was almost the perfect start inside five minutes as Reo Hatate, recalled into the starting XI, steered a left-footed volley just wide after a corner was cleared to the Japanese midfielder on the edge of the area.

Celtic were dominating from the off and five minutes later had a glorious chance to take the lead, as neat build-up play on the right set up Giakoumakis who couldn’t get the right contact on the ball and swept his shot wide.

Then, against the run of play, Celtic Park was stunned on 25 minutes as the visitors took the lead. Paul McMullan whipped in a corner from the left and it wasn’t dealt with by the defence and Danny Mullen was there to steer past Joe Hart with the ball dropping inside the area.

That goal only seemed to push Celtic into a higher gear and within nine minutes they were back on level terms.

With the men from the back up for a corner, the ball was whipped back into the area after the initial cross was cleared by Dundee. Carl Starfelt got his head onto the ball but it bounced into Giakoumakis’s path, who swivelled to readjust his body and smash the ball home on the half-volley from eight yards.

The Greek striker was a hassle for the Dundee defence all half and two minutes later he almost set up the second, but Daizen Maeda couldn’t stretch at the back post to reach his shot that just trickled wide.

However, on 38 minutes, it was roles reversed as Giakouamkis would get a quick-fire double to put the Celts into the lead. Maeda’s cross from the left wasn’t dealt with by Ian Lawlor in the Dundee goal and it fell perfectly for the Greek who was in the right place to steer the rebound home from close range.

On 41 minutes, Giakoumakis was at the heart of everything again as he had strong claims for a penalty turned down after he was brought down in the box when trying to reach Callum McGregor’s cross. Maeda did get his head on the ball but could only steer his header at the keeper.

Another late show at Celtic Park as Giakoumakis's hat-trick extends Celtic's lead in the league