Glasgow | Celtic suffer shock defeat at Dundee
Dundee 2 - 0 Celtic
Beleaguered Dundee delivered the surprise result of the Scottish Premiership season so far by defeating Celtic at home for the first time in 37 years.
The match was delayed at the start as Celtic fans staged a protest against the board, forcing the pitch to be cleared of balls. Travelling supporters’ frustration was compounded by another underwhelming performance from their team.
Dundee began brightly, and Clark Robertson opened the scoring with a precise angled header from a corner that beat Kasper Schmeichel. The hosts defended resolutely while gradually growing into the game on the counter. The second goal came from that approach. Cameron Congreve beat Liam Scales before sending in a low cross that deflected off Cameron Carter-Vickers and into the net.
Celtic appeared to have a chance to reduce the deficit after the break when Matthew MacDermid pointed to the spot, believing Paul Digby had handled Reo Hatate’s shot. Replays showed Digby had been struck in the face, and the referee overturned the decision.
Despite increasing pressure, Celtic could not break down Dundee, who claimed only their second league win of the season. The result lifts Dundee to ninth and eases the pressure on Steven Pressley.
For Rodgers and Celtic, the situation is more troubling. After eight games they are five points behind Hearts and face a trip to Tynecastle next week. A defeat there would leave them eight points adrift, a gap few would have expected at this stage of the season.
A terrible afternoon for Celtic on a day of protest in the stands
It was a chaotic and worrying afternoon for Celtic at Dens Park as their faltering season continued with a first defeat there since 1988.
Clark Robertson’s towering header and a Cameron Carter-Vickers own goal put Dundee 2-0 up before half-time, and the hosts defended with remarkable organisation to repel everything the defending champions could muster.
Brendan Rodgers’ side remain five points behind Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts, following Derek McInnes’ team’s 3-0 win at Rugby Park on Saturday, and have now failed to score in six matches this season.
Since their Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich in February, Celtic have failed to win 13 of 29 games, achieving a win rate of just 55 per cent over that period.
Troubles both on and off the pitch were laid bare in the loss, highlighting that all is far from well in the east end of Glasgow.
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