Celtic narrowly escaped a scare at Ross County, finishing with a flurry of late goals to extend their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to 18 points.
Jordan White’s second-half penalty had brought the hosts level, but Kyogo Furuhashi restored Celtic’s lead in the 81st minute. A retaken Arne Engels penalty in stoppage time, along with a strike from Luke McCowan, added extra shine to the final score.
Both teams had their chances in the first half, with Celtic appealing for a penalty when Reo Hatate went down in the County box under pressure from Eli Campbell. However, the referee waved play on, and the video assistant referee (VAR) confirmed the decision.
Celtic took the lead shortly after Kyogo missed a clear opportunity, as he latched onto a brilliant cross from right-back Alistair Johnston to poke the ball home.
The Japan international continued to threaten, forcing County goalkeeper Jordan Amissah into a spectacular save as the first half drew to a close.
Despite remaining in control, Celtic were pegged back when Johnston fouled County debutant Kieran Phillips, resulting in a penalty converted by White to equalize for the hosts.
However, Furuhashi’s powerful header, which Amissah managed to get a hand to but could not keep out, put Celtic ahead again in the final stages.
Engels had a penalty saved after a VAR review of James Brown’s challenge on Hyun-Jun Yang, but the spot-kick was retaken after Amissah had strayed off his line. Engels made no mistake on the second attempt, firing into the opposite corner. McCowan then completed the 4-1 scoreline by placing the ball in the bottom corner.
County Can Take Confidence Despite Defeat
The 4-1 scoreline does not accurately reflect the performance Don Cowie’s side put in for the majority of the match. The late surge by Celtic overshadowed the solid display County put on up until the second Celtic goal.
County goalkeeper Jordan Amissah deserves special praise for his efforts. Celtic dominated possession, holding nearly 80% of the ball, but Amissah’s several remarkable saves kept County in the game, allowing them to head into the break just a goal down.
Cowie’s tactical shift to a 4-4-2 formation in the second half caused Celtic some problems, particularly in the challenging conditions. White’s penalty brought County level, and it wasn’t until the later stages that Celtic regained the lead and found their rhythm.
While this match won’t define County’s season, their performance over the course of the 100-plus minutes should instill confidence in Cowie’s side moving forward.
Celtic Craft Champions’ Performance
Celtic demonstrated the qualities of champions, finding a way to win comfortably despite being under pressure for much of the second half and having only one fit winger in the starting XI.
Kyogo, even when deployed out wide, looked sharp and delivered a stellar performance with two goals. Engels’ determination to retake his penalty also highlighted the confidence within Brendan Rodgers’ team.
With an 18-point lead at the top of the table before Rangers’ match against rock-bottom St Johnstone on Sunday, Celtic are showing no signs of slowing down, despite a busy domestic and European schedule.