Celtic 1 Dundee United 0
00:00
HELLO and welcome to www.celticfc.net for today’s SPL match between and Celtic and Dundee United at Celtic Park. Kick-off is at 3 pm.
Injuries and suspensions have forced Hoops boss Tony Mowbray into several changes to the last week’s team that drew with Aberdeen. Thomas Rogne makes his first start for the club in defence, alongside the returning Andreas Hinkel, while Ki Sung Yeung comes into midfield.
Celtic go into the match 10 points behind SPL leaders Rangers. The Ibrox side were due to play St Johnstone today, but their match was called off because of a frozen pitch.
TODAY’S TEAMS:
CELTIC (4-4-2) Boruc; Hinkel, Rogne, Thompson, Braafheid; Brown, NGuemo, Ki, Kamara; Keane, Fortune
Subs: Zaluska, Naylor, Samaras, Crosas, Zheng, Rasmussen, Wilson
DUNDEE UNITED (4-4-2) Pernis, Kovacevic, Webster, Kenneth, Dillon; Swanson, Bauben, Gomis, Conway; Daly, Casalinuovo
Subs: Banks, Dods, Myrie-Williams, Robertson, Shala, Goodwillie, McCord.
00:00
The teams enter the field. Celtic are wearing their home kit. Kick-off is in two minutes.
00:01
Dundee United get the match underway.
04:00
Celtic make the brighter start. Fortune finds space on the right and cuts a low ball into the box, but there are no takers.
05:00
Keane win a corner. Braafheid takes it, Rogne challenges in the air but United clear.
08:00
Conway digs a cross out on the right, which Daly knocks down for Casalinuovo, but Thompson manages gets a boot in. At the other end, Keane races away from Kenneth down the right, but the big defender uses his strength to win a goal kick.
11:00
Neat play by Scott Brown on the edge of the area. He finds Andreas Hinkel with a back heel, who plays a pass through for Fortune and his driven ball across goal is diverted behind for a corner. Kamara takes it, but United clear his near-post ball to safety.
13:00
Fortune tries to play Keane in, but he overhits the pass. Pernis gathers the ball.
15:00
Keane attempts to link up with Ki on the angle of the box, but the Korean internationalist is beaten to the his return pass.
17:00
Scott Brown go down under a heavy challenge on the angle of the box. Braafheid bends in a dangerous delivery on top of Pernis, but the ball is cleared by the away defence. The Hoops win another set-piece in an identical situation and Keane comes close to getting a flick on the ball.
20:00
Ki hits a low shot straight at Pernis.
21:00
GOAL!!! Celtic 1 Dundee United 0 Robbie Keane opens his account at Celtic Park. He is played in on goal and shows great composure to slide the ball past Pernis into the corner. A cool finish from the Irish captain.
23:00
United look to hit back straight away. Lung bursting run from Kovacevic down the right flank and he wins a corner. Conway takes it, and Daly rises highest, but he floats his header past the far post.
26:00
The visitors win a free-kick on the left. Conway bends it in, but birthday Bhoy, Artur Boruc claims the ball confidently.
28:00
Fortune wins a free-kick off Webster.
29:00
Fortune skips past Dillon and drives the ball to the near-post. Keane tries a speculative flick, but it's deflected behind.
29:00
Braafheid and Kamara attempt a short corner, but the ball goes out for a throw in.
31:00
Celtic win a series of corners. Braafheid takes the first one, but Dillon heads it behind. He swings the second one in and this time it's hoofed clear.
33:00
Fortune has been impressive so far and, again, he turns past Kenneth and another free-kick when the United defender brings him down.
33:00
Kenneth booked
33:00
Quick thinking from Kamara from the set-piece. He plays a low ball to Keane, who has pulled off his marker, but the Irishman's shot is blocked.
35:00
Determined play from Brown down the right. He wins a corner. Ki takes it this time, and Rogne is so close to his first Celtic goal. Rising highest at the back-post he nods his header inches wide of the post.
37:00
Hinkel booked for a foul on Conway. The resulting set-piece is headed clear by NGuemo
38:00
Celtic close to second goal. Keane picks out Fortune in the box with a low pass. His shot is blocked into the path of the onrushing Scott Brown, who stings Pernis' palms with a rapsing drive.
40:00
Fortune rifles in a low shot at goal from 20 yards, but Pernis gathers.
41:00
Dillon booked for foul in the centre circle.
44:00
Free-kick from Hinkel after foul by Conway. His raking ball, however, evades everyone and runs out for a goal kick.
45:00
Kamara's cut back from the byline is heading straight for Keane until Webster sticks out at toe.
45:00
There will be one minute of added time.
45:00
HALF TIME: Celtic 1 Dundee United 0 Robbie Keane's first goal at Paradise is the difference between the sides at the break.
45:01
Celtic kick-off the second half.
49:00
Celtic continue from where they left off in teh first half. Keane picks out Fortune with a delicious cross, but the striker can't get a proper connection and Pernis picks the ball up.
52:00
United threaten. Buaben fires over from the edge of the area.
53:00
The visitors showing more ambition after the break. Buaben cuts back for Daly, but the big striker drags his shot wide.
57:00
Clever pass by Ki plays Brown in, but the midfielder's shot is saved by Pernis.
57:00
Corner is taken by Ki, Rogne wins the header and Pernis dives low to make the save.
59:00
Kamara fires in a powerful shot which Pernis struggles to hold on to.
60:00
Brown collects a loose ball in the box, but fires his left foot shot over.
62:00
Lovely counter attack from Celtic. Kamara drives a crossfield pass to Brown, who plays Keane in and his powerful strike is well saved by Pernis.
66:00
Kamara wins a corner on the left. Ki collect ths short corner, but he puts too much power on the cross and it goes out of play.
67:00
Conway wins a corner. He takes it, but Celtic clear the cross.
68:00
United subs - Swanson off for Myrie-Williams and Casalinuovo replaced by Goodwillie
70:00
Braafheid booked for foul on Myrie-Williams.
71:00
Myrie-Williams fires wide of the far post.
72:00
Celtic sub - Kamara off for Zhi
73:00
Superb tackle from Hinkel sets up a counter attack, but Zhi's pass for Keane is intercepted.
75:00
Patient play by Zhi on the left. He plays in NGuemo, who drives into the box and he drills in a shot, which looks like it's destined for the far corner until Pernis pulls of a super stop, tipping the ball wide for a corner.
77:00
Celtic sub - Braafheid off for Naylor
78:00
Zhi pulls a shot wide from 25 yards.
79:00
Daly with a great chance to level the match, but Boruc spreads himself well to block his shot and keep the Hoops in front.
80:00
Celtic sub - Fortune off for Samaras
81:00
Keane booked
83:00
Zhi pulls the ball back for Samaras at the edge of the box, but the Greek striker fails to get any power behind his strike and it's straight at Pernis.
83:00
United sub - Dods on for Kovacevic
86:00
Samaras cuts inside and wins a corner with a shot that is deflected wide.
86:00
Ki takes the corner, but it's headed clear.
89:00
Buaben wins a corner for United, Conway takes it, and Daly heads over.
90:00
There will be two minutes of added time.
90:00
Keane wins a corner. Ki takes it short to Samaras. Celtic win another corner. Ki takes it and the referee blows the final whistle.
90:00
FULL TIME: Celtic 1 Dundee United 0 Robbie Keane's first half goal gives Celtic a vital three points. The win closes the gap with Rangers to seven points.
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