SPFL

Saturday, January 27, 2024

Celtic Park, Glasgow

CELTIC… 1

(A Johnston 1)

ROSS COUNTY… 0

A first-minute goal from Alistair Johnston gave Celtic all three points in their first league game back after the winter break.

The Canadian’s first goal of the season helped the Celts to victory, with Luis Palma also missing two first-half penalties in what could and should have been a more comfortable afternoon at Celtic Park – despite some late Ross County pressure.

As starts go, it was pretty much perfect as Alistair Johnston put the Hoops into the lead inside the first minute.

It came from good work down the left with Alexandro Bernabei’s cross finding Liel Abada, with the winger laying it into the right-back’s path 20 yards out and his shot deflected beyond goalkeeper George Wickens for his first of the season.

A goal down, Ross County did try and hit back immediately and they put the Celtic defence under some pressure over the next 10 minutes, but it was still Celtic creating the chances.

Kyogo had a sniff on the 14^th minute, but the two big chances came on the 19^th when O’Riley had a shot parried by the keeper into the path of Paulo Bernardo, but his first-time follow-up went over the crossbar with Wickens on the floor.

The pressure would soon mount to a golden opportunity for the Celts to double their lead five minutes later, as Callum McGregor - on his 450^th appearance for the club - was brought down inside the box by Simon Murray.

Penalty awarded, Luis Palma stepped up but his spot-kick low to the bottom left corner was saved by Wickens.

However, VAR got involved with three Ross County players encroaching into the area and the penalty was retaken, but Palma and Wickens went the same way and it was the exact same outcome with the score remaining 1-0.

It could have been costly with Ross County hitting the crossbar on the 39^th minute when Yan Dhanda’s corner was missed by Joe Hart and Will Nightingale headed onto the woodwork from close range.

Palma went close to attaining for his missed penalty before the interval but he saw a close-range volley saved by Wickens as the ball went straight down the on-loan Fulham keeper’s throat.

Celtic return to league action with home victory over Ross County