Celtic made a winning start to their Scottish Premiership title defence with a 1-0 victory over battling Dundee at Celtic Park.
After Rangers had been held by Dundee United on Friday night and Hearts were beaten at Aberdeen on Saturday, Celtic capitalised on opening-round slip-ups from their rivals thanks to Benjamin Nygren’s second-half header.
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It wasn’t all plain sailing though, with goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo required to make a super stop to prevent Dundee sub Ashley Hay heading in a late leveller.
Martin O’Neill’s side should have been out of sight by then but had seen club-record £11m signing Kasper Hogh spurn two good opportunities inside the first 13 minutes. He then blew a third good chance of the night on 85 minutes, shooting wide from close range before captain Callum McGregor pinged a right-foot shot against a post.
While Hogh laboured, fellow new attacker Camilo Duran looked lively cutting in from the right but it was last season’s top scorer Nygren who came up with the crucial moment from Kieran Tierney’s fine cross.
Celtic’s Benjamin Nygren celebrates scoring
Dundee boss Steven Pressley had called on his side to be “positive” at the home of the champions and his side were certainly that, with Charlie Reilly clipping the side-netting in a good first half from the visitors and on another night they could have profited from their 11 shots and Celtic’s wastefulness.
Celtic’s need to strengthen their squad further this summer is clear and they will need to find some more sharpness before the key Champions League qualifier against LASK in two-and-a-half weeks’ time. But, unlike their title rivals, they are up and running with three points.
The key moments from Celtic Park
9: MISS! A misplaced pass at the back from Dundee sees Kasper Hogh played into the box – but he skews his shot badly wide of the near post. “That’s an awful finish,” said Chris Sutton on co-commentary.
13: MISS! Hogh is off target again, failing to divert Benjamin Nygren’s shot into the bottom corner.
15: SIDE-NETTING! Charlie Reilly clips the side-netting with Dundee’s first shot of the game.
34: SHOT! Owen Bevan has Dundee’s first shot on target – but it’s an easy stop for Viljami Sinisalo.
38: WIDE! Arne Engels looks primed to head Celtic in front but nods his effort the wrong side of the post.
41: SAVE! Kieran Tierney bursts into the box but his drilled shot is well saved by Owen Goodman – Celtic’s first shot on target at the 10th attempt.
52: GOAL! Tierney swings in a cross for Nygren to head in the opener from close range.
67: SAVE! Hyun-Jun Yang strikes from 30 yards but Goodman gets down well to make the save.
82: BIG SAVE! Sinisalo does brilliantly to get down to his right to get a hand to Ashley Hay’s header which was going towards the bottom corner.
85: ANOTHER MISS FOR HOGH! Hogh passes up his third good chance of the night, stabbing a close-range shot wide of the post.
85: OFF THE POST! Callum McGregor drives into the D and bends a right-foot shot at goal but the ball pings back off the post.
Hogh: ‘I have to adapt to the grass’
Celtic’s Kasper Hogh speaking to Sky Sports:
“I have to go to some shooting practice, I had a couple of chances today!
“I was just happy to be on the pitch and to help my team-mates win. It doesn’t matter if it’s me scoring, we won and that’s the most important thing.
“I have to adapt to the grass. That’s a different thing for me.”
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Wilson: Better to come from Celtic
Former Celtic defender Mark Wilson on Sky Sports:
“The objective is to get three points and get off to the best possible start.
“I think if you can match it with a performance that’s sparkling and slick, then fantastic and you entertain the crowd. I don’t think they quite got that, they got it in bits and pieces.
“Second half was certainly better than the first half and they were more adventurous with their passing at times.
“There will be better to come from this Celtic team this season, it’s a wee bit transitional for them at the minute.”