Dundee Utd 0
Celtic 1
League (SPL)

Match Report

For the third match running Peter Houston named the same starting eleven for the visit of the Parkhead club. Garry Kenneth shrugged off injury and started after two previous clean sheets against Hearts and Motherwell.

United were almost caught out in the opening minute when Samaras sent an inviting ball into the six yard box but Stokes just failed to connect. With seven minutes gone Forrest crossed and found the head of Stokes but this time he headed well over. United then put the visitors under a bit of pressure and eventually from a corner kick the ball landed at the feet of Dixon who was unlucky to see his shot deflect wide of the target. Three minutes later however the Glasgow club took the lead. Forrest set up Gary Hooper who managed to shrug off a challenge from Gunning and the Englishman fired past the helpless Pernis. Three minutes later Stokes found himself in a dangerous position and with only Pernis to beat he fired straight at the United keeper. Dixon then had a good run and shot but Loovens charged down his effort. United then created a further chance when Rankin gathered the ball on the left and his cross picked out Neilson who headed the ball down but Forster comfortably saved. In the period that followed Samaras for Celtic and Russell for United both shot from distance but failed to find the target. On the stroke of half time Cha burst into the United box and powerfully shot but fortunately for United his effort cleared the crossbar.

The second period took a long time to spring in to life and in fact the first move of note was on the hour mark when United made a double substitution with Dalla Valle and Armstrong replacing Robertson and Mackay-Steven. The Celtic skipper Scott Brown also entered the fold when he came on for Loovens for the visitors. United’s on loan Finn almost made an immediate impact when he broke into the Celtic box but his run was halted by a fine tackle from Majstorovic. Armstrong then fouled Samaras and from the rebound Brown shot but Neilson did well to block. Shortly after United’s new boy Neilson was cautioned for a late tackle. With a single goal advantage and time running Neil Lennon’s men showed their intent when Stokes was withdrawn and replaced by Ki. Seven minutes from the end United perhaps made their best chance of the afternoon when Dalla Valle teed up Flood but United’s Irish midfielder shot wide of the target. That was Flood’s final action of the afternoon when young Ryan Dow came on for him with a couple of minutes left. United looked very unlikely and in fact it was Celtic who looked the more likely and in the final stages both Samaras and Ki tested Pernis but the score remained at 1-0. A very subdued performance from United in an attacking sense. Although United did battle well for the ninety minutes they never looked like scoring and in the end Celtic deserved their win.