Celtic continued their perfect start to the Scottish Premiership season with a 2-0 victory at Aberdeen.
The Hoops battled to their opening-day win against St Mirren, leaving it late before Luke McCowan’s 87th-minute strike sealed all three points, and while the visitors had to come through a testing opening 20 minutes at Pittodrie, they secured an ultimately comfortable success to make it two wins from two at the start of the season.
Aberdeen were looking to build on their Scottish Cup final victory over Celtic at the end of last season and they started in determined fashion. Jimmy Thelin’s side were strong in the tackle in the early stages making life extremely difficult for Celtic, who were having no time on the ball.
Kasper Schmeichel had to be alert in the eighth minute as Adil Aouchiche’s long-range effort looked to be thundering into the corner of the net, the Celtic goalkeeper moving quickly across his line before diving at full stretch to tip the ball around the post.
That proved to be Aberdeen’s only shot of the first half as Celtic began to gain more control, but the visitors’ final ball was lacking as they struggled to break down the hosts.
Benjamin Nygren celebrates after giving Celtic a first-half lead at Aberdeen
That was until Kieran Tierney’s exquisite run and cross teed up Benjamin Nygren, who turned the ball home to give Celtic the lead with his first goal for the club.
Celtic’s dominance continued after the break and Aberdeen needed a superb save from Dimitar Mitov to deny Daizen Maida.
At the other end, Aberdeen were a threat on the break but Schmeichel remained a bystander with Celtic looking the more likely for a second goal.
It eventually came in the 66th minute and it was well worth the wait from a Celtic point of view as Reo Hatate’s powerful strike beat Mitov and found the back of the net via the underside of the crossbar to wrap up a routine win for the champions.
Brendan Rodgers wants new players in but that’s two wins and two clean sheets. Celtic are easing their way into the season.
The goals…
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Reo Hatate stunner doubles Celtic’s lead against Aberdeen
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Benjamin Nygren opens the scoring for Celtic against Aberdeen on debut
‘Serious problems ahead for Aberdeen’
Sky Sports’ Kris Boyd:
“It’s very concerning for Aberdeen. It’s just five wins in 29 games since last November when people were talking them up as serious contenders.
“There’s a softness about Aberdeen. They look lethargic and are lacking fight. They were passive.
“Celtic, or any team that came up to Pittodrie in the past, would know they would have to fight to get the three points. They would know they would be in for a battle, but Celtic were in cruise control.
“They never got out of second gear and Aberdeen never laid a glove on them.
“Thelin has a lot of concerns. It’s not been good enough for a few months now. They had a really good day in May when they won the Scottish Cup but they never really looked like scoring against Celtic. That cup success was great and it was a long time coming, but it might just be papering over the cracks.
“They have got serious problems ahead. I don’t see any progress.”
