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Celtic fans rejoice after memorable Champions League night

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Celtic 3 - 1 RB Leipzig Nicolas Kuhn delivered an outstanding performance, inspiring Celtic to come from behind and secure a thrilling third consecutive Champions League home victory at the lively Celtic Park against Germany's RB Leipzig. Author - Sean M > After a dominant six-goal League Cup win over Aberdeen on Saturday and a tough draw away to Atalanta in the previous matchday, expectations were high for this game, despite Leipzig being the top seeds. Celtic very much delivered in what was probably their best performance in a European match for several years.  How the action unfolded - an unbiased reflection of a wonderful night for Celtic fans We burst onto the pitch with real intent, pressing high and applying pressure from the start. In the opening minute, Reo Hatate’s sharp pass to Daizen Maeda set the tone, and Arne Engels' shot—blocked by the Leipzig defence—signalled Celtic’s ambitions. RB Leipzig, struggling to match Celtic’s pace, nearly saw Kuhn break the dea

Scotland: Celtic thrash Aberdeen and reach League Cup Final

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Celtic 6 - 0 Aberdeen Daizen Maeda delivered an outstanding performance at Hampden, scoring a hat-trick as Celtic stormed into the Scottish League Cup final with a commanding 6-0 victory, halting Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin's unbeaten season start in dramatic style. Author - Sean M The match began with pre-kick-off pyrotechnics filling the national stadium with smoke, causing a 13-minute delay. Once the view cleared, Brendan Rodgers' team dazzled with a display of sharp, attacking football. Celtic’s momentum started early when Cameron Carter-Vickers powered in a header from Arne Engels' corner. Just three minutes later, the brilliant Maeda sped past defenders to set up his fellow Japan international Kyogo Furuhashi, who confidently drove in Celtic's second goal. Rodgers' side, still undefeated after 13 domestic games this season, added a third before half-time. Nicolas Kuhn split the defence with a sublime pass, allowing Maeda to net his first goal of the eveni

Scotland: Aberdeen keep up impressive form

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Aberdeen 2 - 1 Rangers Jimmy Thelin's unbeaten Aberdeen made their biggest statement yet, ramping up the pressure on Rangers manager Philippe Clement with a thrilling Scottish Premiership victory. Author - Mark Lee The pre-match show at Pittodrie set an electric tone, and the away side struggled to keep up in a sobering first half. Nicky Devlin, having a dream season, fired the intense hosts into an early lead, leaving Rangers overwhelmed. Aberdeen could easily have led by three at the break, as Graeme Shinnie hit the woodwork and Jamie McGrath saw his weak penalty saved by Jack Butland. Yet, it felt as though Aberdeen might rue those missed chances, especially when Rangers had a Ross McCausland goal ruled out for a marginal offside, before clawing their way back to level through Nedim Bajrami’s impressive solo effort. What's going on with Rangers? But Aberdeen, spurred on by a passionate home crowd, retook the lead when substitute Shayden Morris smashed home on the rebound

UCL: Celtic recover from Dortmund thrashing

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Atalanta 0 - 0 Celtic Celtic secured a valuable Champions League point with a resilient defensive performance, holding last season’s Europa League winners Atalanta to a goalless draw in Bergamo. Author - Peter Grainger from GMCR Football This result marked a notable shift in fortunes for Celtic, who had previously lost all seven of their matches in Italy in this competition. Despite facing relentless pressure from the hosts, the Scottish champions stood firm, taking a crucial step towards progressing to the knockout stages. Kasper Schmeichel played a pivotal role with several impressive saves, while Atalanta squandered several clear chances. Celtic’s defensive discipline proved key in denying the Serie A side, who grew increasingly frustrated as the match developed.  After two challenging away fixtures, Celtic now have the advantage of back-to-back home games against RB Leipzig and Club Brugge, with four points already secured.  Celtic’s Champions League campaign has been anything

Scotland: Kilmarnock stun Rangers with late winner

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Kilmarnock 1 - 0 Rangers Rangers remain six points behind the Premiership leaders after suffering a late defeat against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. Author - Mark Lee In a lacklustre match, Rangers wasted several opportunities to secure three points. A combination of poor finishing and solid defending from Kilmarnock made it another frustrating afternoon for the Belgian manager. As the game was heading for a draw, David Watson's lob found Marley Watkins, who beat the offside trap and bundled the ball past Jack Butland. The Gers need to regroup quickly ahead of their Europa League match against FCSB on Thursday. Meanwhile, Derek McInnes' team has now moved to seventh place and are just outside the top six on goal difference. A closer look at how Kilmarnock stunned this Rangers side Home form has traditionally been a strength for Kilmarnock , but they had recorded five draws and one defeat in all competitions on their own pitch leading up to this game. ⚽️ Goal of the day: Mar

Nations League: Scotland hold Portugal

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Scotland 0 - 0 Portugal Author - Sean M Scotland put on a determined defensive performance to hold Portugal to a 0-0 draw, earning their first point in the Nations League A campaign. Scott McTominay had a golden opportunity early on but missed, and from there, the Scots saw little of the ball as Portugal pressed hard for a breakthrough. Cristiano Ronaldo, making his 200th international appearance, was left frustrated in his pursuit of a 134th goal for Portugal, as Scotland’s goalkeeper Craig Gordon and his defence stood their ground. While the result means Steve Clarke’s team have now won just one of their last 16 matches, they avoided the unwanted record of becoming the first Scotland side to lose five consecutive games. A more detailed look at what happened in Glasgow After a tough time at the Euros and a difficult Nations League campaign so far , Scotland needed to lift the Hampden crowd, and they nearly did just that within the first four minutes. Ben Doak made a surging run do

Nations League: Scotland's winless run continues

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Croatia 2 - 1 Scotland Scotland's wait for a victory in their Nations League campaigns continues, as Croatia came from behind in Zagreb to extend Steve Clarke’s team’s 13-month drought in competitive matches. Author - Liam C Despite missing key players and having just one win in their last 14 games, Scotland put up a strong fight in a tense encounter. They thought they had secured a dramatic equaliser in the 95th minute when Kristijan Jakic scored an own goal, but it was ruled out for offside against Che Adams after a VAR review. The match had begun promisingly for Scotland, with Ryan Christie slotting in the opening goal after a cross from Ben Doak was inadvertently teed up by Luka Sucic. However, the lead was short-lived, as Igor Matanovic guided Ivan Perisic's cutback into the bottom corner just four minutes later, levelling the score before half-time. Croatia took control in the second half, and Scotland's defence finally gave way in the 70th minute. Craig Gordo

Scotland: Celtic leave it late to maintain 100% record

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Ross County 1 - 2 Celtic Celtic shook off their midweek Champions League setback to continue their flawless Premiership run, clinching a late victory in Dingwall.  Alistair Johnston and Nicolas Kuhn both found the net in the second half, sealing the win for the reigning champions. Brendan Rodgers' team remains unbeaten domestically this season, having won every match so far, as they head into the October international break in top form. A closer look at what happened For the first 70 minutes,  Celtic struggled to make an impact  against a well-organised Ross County. Their defensive solidity, discipline, and ability to take advantage of Celtic's lapses were exemplified by Ronan Hale’s first-half penalty. Michee Efete's cross struck Liam Scales' arm, and after a brief check on the monitor, referee Kevin Clancy awarded the penalty. Hale's initial shot was weak and comfortably saved by Kasper Schmeichel, but the goalkeeper was judged to have moved too early. Given a

Scotland: No let-up from Celtic in Perth

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St Johnstone 0 - 6 Celtic  Celtic surged to the top of the Scottish Premiership after a resounding 6-0 victory against St Johnstone.  The defending champions initially believed they had scored early on through Daizen Maeda, but VAR disallowed the goal due to a foul in the build-up. A closer look at what happened in Perth Kyogo Furuhashi eventually put the visitors in front with a typical run and finish and Paulo Bernardo completed an excellent move with a fine finish. Kyogo then headed a third in first-half added time and Callum McGregor, Maeda and substitute Adam Idah added more goals in the second period. Brendan Rodgers' side lead Aberdeen on goal difference at the top of the table while Saints are a point above second bottom. Celtic looking unstoppable in Scotland. Positive signs for their Champions League campaign? Celtic made several changes once again in their 5-2 Scottish League Cup victory over Falkirk last week, and it was a similar story in Perth, with the injured Ca

UCL: A great European night for Celtic

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Celtic 5 - 1 Slovan Bratislava Celtic delivered a commanding performance at a lively Celtic Park to secure their first-ever opening Champions League victory in emphatic fashion, overpowering Slovan Bratislava. In a rare instance where they started as favourites in Europe's top competition, Brendan Rodgers' team produced an energetic and composed display. Liam Scales sent the home crowd into raptures in the 17th minute, heading in Arne Engels' corner. Despite creating several chances before half-time, the Scottish champions couldn’t extend their lead. Kyogo Furuhashi eased any nerves just two minutes into the second half, steering Nicolas Kuhn’s powerful cross into the net, putting fears of missed opportunities to rest. Visit this page for more Celtic news and stories Celtic continued to create chances, and after Alistair Johnston was fouled by Danylo Ihnatenko, the impressive Engels calmly slotted home from the penalty spot for a third. Although Kevin Wimmer's exqui

Scotland: Celtic keep up perfect start

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Celtic 2 - 0 Hearts Celtic maintained their perfect start to the season as both sides faced contrasting outcomes with VAR for the champions and Hearts. Early in the match, the visitors were initially awarded a penalty in the first half after Lawrence Shankland's header struck Liam Scales' arm. However, the decision was overturned after a VAR review. In the second half, a cross from Nicolas Kuhn made contact with James Penrice's hand, leading to another VAR review. This time, the result was a penalty, and record signing Arne Engels scored his first goal for Celtic from the spot. To seal the victory, Luke McCowan also scored his first goal for Celtic with a late strike.  What about Hearts? Hearts find themselves one point behind at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership. This was an improved performance from the visitors, but the match ultimately ended in a seventh straight defeat in all competitions. Referee Colin Steven had been quick to point to the spot after the Sca

Nations League: Heartbreak for Scotland again

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Portugal 2 - 1 Scotland Cristiano Ronaldo’s late winner shattered Scottish hopes in Portugal, continuing Steve Clarke’s team's miserable run of form. Video and pictures from the European Super Football YouTube Scotland stunned everyone by taking a surprise lead in the seventh minute with a header from Scott McTominay, and they defended resolutely against Portugal’s 16 shots before half-time. However, another mistake cost them the lead. Angus Gunn failed to stop a long-range effort from Bruno Fernandes after the break, letting the ball slip into the net. Ronaldo, who came on at half-time, struck the post twice before finally breaking through, tapping in a brilliant cross from Nuno Mendes for his 901st career goal. The defeat, coming on the back of a loss to Poland on Thursday, means Scotland have now gone eight competitive games without a win —the worst run in their history—and have won just one of their last 14 matches. Despite this, Clarke might find some hope in how his

Nations League: Poland punished Scottish errors

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Scotland 2 - 3 Poland Scotland's tough 2024 continued in heartbreaking fashion as Poland were awarded a stoppage-time penalty, crushing a spirited Nations League comeback at Hampden. Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay scored second-half goals to revive Scotland after Sebastian Szymanski's long-range strike and Robert Lewandowski's expertly-taken penalty put the visitors ahead. However, as Steve Clarke's men pushed for a late winner , Nicola Zalewski was brought down by a reckless challenge from Grant Hanley. Zalewski, who had also won the earlier penalty, stepped up to slot home the decisive goal in the 97th minute. Scotland, who made a tame exit from this summer's Euros with just one point from three group games, now face a daunting trip to Portugal on Sunday. They have managed only one win in 13 matches in 2024, suffering five defeats. The manner in which this game ended was hard to believe, especially given Scotland’s poor first-half performance.  Clarke'

Scotland: Celtic ease to win in Glasgow Derby

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Celtic 3 - 0 Rangers Celtic continued their recent dominance in the Glasgow derby with a straightforward win over Rangers in the Scottish Premiership. Arriving as strong favourites on their home turf, the champions weathered an early burst of energy from Rangers before reasserting their familiar control. Daizen Maeda calmly finished from close range after a cross from Alistair Johnston, with Rangers caught off guard from a simple throw-in. Earlier, Kyogo had a goal disallowed for offside against Nicolas Kuhn. Still, the Japanese striker soon added to his impressive derby tally with a precise strike from the edge of the box. Rangers were fortunate not to be further behind by half-time and came out with more intensity in the second half. However, Cyriel Dessers squandered a key chance, firing tamely at Kasper Schmeichel when a sharper finish could have reignited the game. The second half was more subdued, with chances for both sides. Kyogo surprisingly hit the side-netting after bein

Scotland, Celtic and Rangers prepare for Glasgow Derby with comfortable victories

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St Mirren 0 - 3 Celtic Celtic secured a convincing 3-0 victory over St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership, maintaining their perfect start to the season with three wins from three games.  The champions were in control from the outset, with Callum McGregor scoring within the first three minutes. Reo Hatate added a second goal before halftime, and Alistair Johnston completed the scoring in the second half, following a strong performance from Nicolas Kuhn. Despite the ongoing transfer saga involving Matt O'Riley, who is close to joining Brighton, Celtic's midfield performed exceptionally well. Paulo Bernardo stepped in for O'Riley, but it was the established players, McGregor and Hatate, who led the charge. Hatate was particularly impressive, creating five chances and showcasing his ability to fill the void left by O'Riley. St Mirren struggled to break through Celtic's relentless pressing and managed only one shot in the first half. Although they showed some impr

UEL: Hearts miss out on commendable draw

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Viktoria Plzeň 1 - 0 Hearts After overcoming a shaky start and edging towards a commendable goalless draw in the Czech Republic, Hearts' hopes were dashed when Daniel Oyegoke accidentally turned a late cross into his own net. Plzen's Cadu delivered a dangerous ball into the box, which caught Oyegoke off guard. The Hearts defender could only watch in dismay as the ball struck his thigh and sailed into the corner of the net. It was a bitterly frustrating conclusion, especially as Hearts had grown into the match, standing toe-to-toe with their more seasoned Czech opponents , who were competing in Europe for the 15th consecutive season. Lawrence Shankland came close with two shots from the edge of the box just before half-time, and Kenneth Vargas missed two opportunities when a cooler head was needed. However, solid goalkeeping and resilient defending kept Hearts in the game and nearly secured them a vital draw. UEFA Europa League and Conference League (eurosuperfootball.blogsp

Scotland: Celtic cruise to a win at Easter Road

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Hibernian 0 - 2 Celtic A brilliant goal from Callum McGregor helped Celtic secure a comfortable Scottish Premiership victory over Hibernian at Easter Road. Nicolas Kuhn opened the scoring within three minutes, capitalising on a mistake by Hibs’ goalkeeper Josef Bursik, who failed to deal with Kyogo's initial shot. McGregor, who had announced his retirement from international football earlier in the week, then doubled Celtic's lead with a stunning left-footed strike from 25 yards, capping off an excellent first-half performance. Brendan Rodgers’ side could have added more goals if not for the woodwork, but they will be satisfied with taking three points from a ground where they have struggled at times under Rodgers' management. More Celtic news can be found by clicking here Sunshine on Leith: The place for more Hibs news and stories The home side were booed off at half-time, having failed to register a single shot, although they improved somewhat in the second half. Stri

Scotland: Celtic start title defence in style

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Celtic 4 - 0 Kilmarnock Celtic kicked off their Premiership title defence with a comfortable 4-0 victory at home against Kilmarnock. Reo Hatate opened the scoring after 17 minutes, coolly finishing from the edge of the box. Celtic doubled their advantage five minutes before half-time when Liam Scales headed a Matt O’Riley corner into the far post. Nicolas-Gerrit Kühn made it three on the hour mark with a deflected strike that looped over Kilmarnock’s goalkeeper, Robby McCrorie. Anthony Ralston sealed the win in stoppage time, netting his first goal for Celtic since 2021. Click here for more Celtic news and stories A closer look at the match Before the match, they were greeted to an impressive fan display when they took to the Parkhead turf. This created an amazing atmosphere and the Celtic players responded.  Reo Hatate put the champions ahead in the 17th minute, firing into the bottom corner from just inside the box. Earlier, Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi was denied by a brillia

Scotland: Dundee derby proves to be a thriller

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Dundee United 2 - 2 Dundee Dundee twice came from behind to deny Dundee United a victory in their Scottish Premiership return, as the first city derby in over two years lived up to its billing as the game of the weekend. There was a fantastic atmosphere created by both sets of fans. After a dull start on Saturday with two 0-0 draws, three early goals set the new top-flight season ablaze. Dundee gave their hosts a guard of honour before last season's Championship flag was raised, then left Kristijan Trapanovski plenty of space to slot the opener after just 13 minutes. Seb Palmer-Houlden equalised from close range five minutes later, but Miller Thomson restored United's lead with a similar finish—all within the first 15 minutes of the game. United deserved their lead, but Dundee finished stronger in a thrilling end that saw a Luke McCowan penalty 11 minutes from time. Dundee United now remain unbeaten in seven derbies , while Dundee have not won at Tannadice in their last 13

Scotland: Motherwell and Ross County play out dull draw

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Motherwell 0 - 0 Ross County Motherwell and Ross County couldn't be separated on the opening day of the new season, ending in a goalless draw at Fir Park. The home side had several chances, but either missed the target or were thwarted by goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw. Academy graduate Ewan Wilson came closest to scoring five minutes from the end, but his powerful shot was tipped away by Laidlaw. Ross County, buoyed by their relegation play-off win in May, struggled to create significant chances and were likely happier with the point. The first real opportunity came after 20 minutes and should have resulted in a goal. Zach Robinson dispossessed Will Nightingale near the halfway line but shot wide when one-on-one with the keeper. Motherwell's next chance tested Laidlaw. A clever chip found Wilson, who cut the ball back to Moses Ebiye, but his close-range shot was brilliantly saved by Laidlaw. Keeping a clean sheet on his first Premiership appearance 🧤 pic.twitter.com/Ws3m8nYAk