Scottish Premiership
Saturday, September 12, 2020
Global Energy Stadium

ROSS COUNTY… 0

CELTIC… 5
(Edouard 4 pen, Ajeti 20, Duffy 59, Ajer 65, Klimala 75)

SHANE Duffy kicked off his Hoops career in the best possible way with a place in the starting XI and a goal during Celtic’s 5-0 demolition of Ross County in Dingwall.

Keen to build on their confident performance against Motherwell ahead of last week’s international break, goals from Odsonne Edouard, Albian Ajeti, debutant Duffy, Kris Ajer and Patryk Klimala ensured Neil Lennon’s men returned from the highlands with maximum points.

Despite the scoreline, the match itself was well-contested in spells, with one particular highlight being the inclusion of 300 County fans, invited to spectate during the Scottish government-approved test event.

The manager made four changes to the starting XI who triumphed 3-0 over the Steelmen a few weeks back, with new Bhoy Duffy’s inclusion the most notable. Edouard also re-entered the Irishman’s lineup and took just three minutes to make his presence felt from 12 yards.

After some neat link-up play between Olivier Ntcham, James Forrest and the 22-year-old striker himself in the final third, Edouard was hauled to the turf by Ross County’s Connor Ranall inside the box. Referee Andrew Dallas pointed to the spot, and the Frenchman coolly fired the ball home into the bottom-left corner of the net.

Despite Celtic enjoying the majority of the possession from there, County’s movement at the top end of the pitch was good as they looked to unsettled the Hoops’ backline. On 11 minutes, Harry Paton did well to blindside Duffy 20 yards from goal, but, despite the centre-back’s recovery, the Staggies attacker was ruled offside.

Four minutes later, the next clear-cut opportunity fell to the home side, when Iain Vigurs sent a free-kick from 25 yards through a sea of bodies and off the post.

But it was Celtic who would strike again just over the 20-minute mark, when Albian Ajeti poked the ball home eight yards from goal. After winning a free-kick on the left flank, Callum McGregor whipped the ball into the box, Ross County failed to deal with the pace of the pass, and the striker, making his first start for Celtic in the highlands, made no mistake with his finish.

To their credit, Stuart Kettlewell’s men continued to press the game and carved their best chance of the half ahead of the half-hour mark. After bursting down the left channel, Michael Gardyne did well to pick out Ross Stewart at the back-post. He rose higher than Kris Ajer, headed towards goal on the angle but was denied by a great save from Vasilis Barkas.

Both sides started the second period with intent, with McGregor first trying his luck from 18 yards less than 60 seconds after the restart, and, at the other end, with Paton forcing a fine save to Barkas’ right moments later.

As the match begun to open up, Celtic utilised the space well as they pushed the home side’s backline deeper with each wave of attack. Jeremie Frimpong and Forrest looked a threat from their respective wings, with the former sliding a beautiful through-ball for Ajeti ahead of the hour mark. The Swiss forward forced a corner, McGregor whipped the ball towards the six-yard line and debut star Duffy battered the ball into the roof of the net with a powerful header.

Neil Lennon’s men now cruising, the Hoops made it four a few minutes later, when McGregor’s short corner found Forrest, he slipped the ball to Ntcham down the inside-left channel, the Frenchman zipped the ball across goal, and Kris Ajer – who’d stayed forward for the corner – tapped the ball over the line from a couple of yards.

On for Ajeti, substitute Patryk Klimala almost made it five when Edouard burst into the opposition penalty area, squared the ball across goal, before Alex Iacovitti threw himself into the path of the Pole’s shock to block the effort.

Minutes later, the 21-year-old forward got his name on the scoresheet when substitute Mohamed Elyounoussi pounced on a defensive error 20 yards out, played a neat through-ball inside, and Klimala fired home.

With 10 minutes of normal time remaining Oli Shaw sent a free-kick off the woodwork, before, at the opposite end, Ajer sent a side-footed effort down the throat of Staggies keeper Ross Laidlaw.

With Ross County tiring towards the end, the Hoops pressed high up the pitch in search of more, but Stuart Kettlewell’s men held out to keep the scoreline at five without reply. On as a late substitute David Turnbull looked lively in the middle of the pitch.

A great afternoon’s work for Neil Lennon’s men, who were particularly clinical in the second half.

ROSS COUNTY: Laidlaw, Randall, Gardyne (Charles-Cook 79), McKay (Shaw 32), Vigurs (Kelly 79), Iacovitti, Tillson (Draper 66), Paton, Donaldson, Stewart
Subs not used: Morris, Watson, Charles-Cook, Munro, Wright, MacKinnon

CELTIC: Barkas; Jullien, Duffy, Brown (Turnbull 78), Ajeti (Klimala 60), Ntcham (Elyounoussi 70), Edouard (Christie 70), Frimpong, Ajer, McGregor (Soro 78), Forrest
Subs not used: Bain, Taylor, Elhamed, Welsh

Website Man of the Match: Shane Duffy

Duffy marks Hoops debut with a goal in five-star Ross County win