IT started and ended in the same vein but it said much about the drama of 90th and 92nd-minute goals from Celtic substitutes Kyogo Furuhashi and Liel Abada that they were greeted with lusty relief from those inside Celtic Park. Even the disco lights got a turn as Celtic found a way out of what was in danger of turning into a gloomy dropping of points after a late leveller from Dylan Levitt.
Indeed, the celebrations that greeted this win spoke of just how nervous it had looked for Celtic for the closing three minutes of this game. That they were worthy of the win and the points was indisputable given the manner in which they controlled the encounter but there will be an unease at just how easy the Parkhead side are allowing teams to squirm off the hook.
“That’s football,” said a philosophical Ange Postecoglou. “Not everything is going to be as smooth as you would like it to be. Throughout the year there are many different times when you will get tested and I think people have seen us often enough to know that it is not a fluke. It is just who this team is and credit to them.”
Sead Haksabanovic netted a brace in the opening period, his first goals for the club, but in between times there was a contentious VAR penalty from Steven Fletcher that had taken an age to award. Levitt’s late goal which restored parity lent a brief flirtation of this game ending in a share of the points.
Leaving it late has become something of a hallmark for this Celtic team. A failure to take chances and kill the game off did not cost them against St Johnstone when Giorgos Giakoumakis dug them out of hole last month at McDiarmid Park with Kyogo and Abada doing the same again yesterday.
“People probably realise by now that it doesn’t happen by chance,” said Postecoglou. “It is part of this team. It sounds a bit corny, the old “we don’t stop”, but we established early on that’s the team we want to be. It gets overlooked on a weekly basis because when we are winning games we are still going at the opposition and it is just become who we are as a team. In circumstances like to day when we do need goals, nothing changes and the boys are at it. Credit to them today because they found a way to win the game of football.”
There had been an immediate tone set when Haksabanovic opened the scoring inside the opening six minutes but it did not bring forth the glut of domestic relief that Celtic may have been anticipated.
Indeed, the closing minutes of this game were nervy for the home support with substitute Greg Taylor having to head off his line after Glenn Middleton had beaten Joe Hart before Ryan Edwards clipped the post with a header from the rebound.
The opening goal of what became a fairly dramatic afternoon came via the industry of Matt O’Riley. The midfielder won the ball off Fletcher before feeding Reo Hatate. The Japanese midfielder played in Jota who cut a low, fast ball across the face of goal for Haksabanovic to turn in at the back post.
VAR took centre stage at the penalty award. As Fletcher rose to get a head on the ball inside the Celtic box, there was an elbow used by Celtic full-back Alexandro Bernabei. It was missed by all – including the United players – before an extensive VAR check took place. Celtic Park made its feelings known as referee David Dickinson deliberated at length before signalling for a penalty.
Amidst loud jeers and scarf twirling, Fletcher kept his composure to drive his effort straight down the middle and restore parity.
The technology took centre stage again when Giakoumakis was floored by a Craig Sibbald challenge. No red was forthcoming.
Celtic’s cushion was restored before the interval with Haksabanovic adding his second of the day. O’Riley’s cross was headed away by Dundee United defender Aziz Behich, keeping a close watch on Giakoumakis, and fell invitingly to the winger who lashed a low effort off the inside of the post and into the back of the net. United keeper Mark Birighitti will feel that he ought to have done more.
Celtic kept up the pressure with a myriad of chances; David Turnbull had an effort cleared off the line, O’Riley had an effort saved and just missed connecting with a Jota ball across the face of goal to the back post.
It was United, though, who nearly added to the scoreline with Middleton and Edwards causing the heart-in-mouth moment for Celtic.
James Forrest, another second-half sub, almost eased the nerves with a diving header that came back off the crossbar as Celtic looked to make certain of the points. Instead, the portents that had spooked them a few moments earlier came back to haunt them as Levitt drew United level with an effort that eluded Hart to finish in the bottom corner.
Furuhashi got the goal that mattered after O’Riley’s corner was flicked on by Tony Ralston for the Japanese forward to glance a header beyond the despairing reach of Birghitti. Abada made certain when he latched on to Hatate’s ball and chipped the advancing United keeper. VAR made Celtic pause to check the legitimacy of the strike but by then the points were secured.
