CELTIC are this evening twelve points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership, a lead that Neil Lennon will enjoy this week as he reaches his one year anniversary in midweek.
For all the ‘Going for 55’ noise after 29 December, and how embarrassing does those post match wild celebrations led by Steven Gerrard look this evening after the two results today?
St Johnstone’s late equaliser came just after Jozo Simunovic conceded an early penalty and Fraser Forster could do nothing about it this time. But that goal signalled the end of Kilmarnock’s ambition. Seldom has any team sat so deep as they did at Celtic Park after they had made a bright start and rattled Celtic in the first ten minutes.
Big Jozo clearly blaming himself for the early set-back – despite Kevin Clancy ignoring what looked like a clear offside – was on a mission to right the wrong. His 30 yard screamer brought out a fabulous save but Celtic were swarming around the Kilmarnock goal. And it was the other two central defenders in the back three who combined to level the scores. Christopher Jullien got to the ball at the back post and headed back across the six yard box where Kristoffer Ajer was there and his shot found the bottom corner.
Then Jozo did exactly the same thing as Ajer and this time it was Odsonne Edouard and a combination of Broadfoot and the Kilmarnock keeper getting on each other’s way to allow the classy French strikers mishit to trickle into the back of the net at a leisurely pace. No goal of the season contender that one but as the song says, “What the hell do we care?”
Celtic took the lead in at the interval where the stadium announcer confirmed what we all already knew, that the Rangers has dropped another two points at Perth. The cheer was enthusiastic regardless.
Celtic tried to hunt down a third goal that would put this one to bed and avoid the same thing happening to us as Stevie May had done in Perth by grabbing a late equaliser. Édouard shot past both posts when you’d have fully expected the net to burst. But the Frenchman showed the other side of his game as a creator of goals. His through ball split Killie wide open and his cross was perfect for Leigh Griffiths to tap on the easiest goal of his career.
Neil Lennon decided to use his subs with Copenhagen in mind. Both James Forrest and Olivier Ntcham were rested today and Scott Brown’s thigh injury from midweek kept him out of the side.
Off went Edouard, Rogic and Griffiths being replaced by Bayo ( who had two good chances to score but fluffed his lines), Elyounoussi and Bitton.
Alan Power’s latest lunge at Jeremie Frimpong saw him pick up a second yellow of the afternoon from Kevin Clancy- justice belatedly done or was it just Karma?
The Green Brigade started singing the early 1980s classic, adapted from a British Airways ad “We’ll take more care of you, Fly the flag, fly the flag.” Their flag was flying to “We’ve won the league again,” something that the Rangers fans agree with this afternoon.
The sponsors gave their Man of the Match to the Captain Callum McGregor, the only Celt booked today. He was excellent but we’d give it to Jozo Simunovic for seeing out his revenge mission, righting that early wrong and making sure the three points would be Celtic’s.
“We’ve won the league again, fly the flag.” Now for Copenhagen. Can’t wait…
