Celtic began their defence of the Scottish Premiership title with a narrow but hard-fought victory over Dundee at Celtic Park, as Benjamin Nygren’s header settled a contest that could have slipped away had Kasper Hogh converted his chances.
Celtic survive early scare to open account
Martin O’Neill’s side were far from convincing in a disjointed first half, with Hogh—Celtic’s record £11m signing—wasting three clear openings inside the opening 13 minutes. His first effort was skewed wide after a misplaced pass allowed him space inside the box, while a second strike was blocked. Minutes later, he blazed over from close range after a quick break. The misses came amid a nervy spell in which Dundee, urged by boss Steven Pressley to be “positive,” tested goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo with 11 attempts of their own, including a header from Ashley Hay that forced a crucial save late on.
Celtic’s wastefulness contrasted with Dundee’s industry. Charlie Reilly clipped the crossbar in the first half, and the visitors’ willingness to press left gaps that O’Neill’s side failed to exploit. Only Nygren’s composure in front of goal separated the teams at the interval, though the deadlock held until the hour mark.
Nygren’s moment arrives as rivals stumble
The deadlock was broken when Kieran Tierney delivered a pinpoint cross to the back post, and Nygren rose above a Dundee defender to power a header past the advancing keeper. The goal came 15 minutes after Rangers had been held by Dundee United and Hearts lost at Aberdeen, leaving Celtic to capitalise on early slip-ups from their closest rivals. It was a timely reminder of their championship pedigree, even if the performance lacked the fluency expected of a side bidding to retain their title.
Hogh’s frustration was compounded when he blazed wide from six yards on 85 minutes, a miss that summed up Celtic’s afternoon. Callum McGregor had earlier rattled the post with a right-footed effort, while Camilo Duran showed glimpses of promise cutting inside from the right. Yet it was Nygren, last season’s top scorer, who provided the decisive contribution when it mattered most.
Title race takes shape as pressure mounts
Celtic’s need for further squad reinforcement was laid bare by their sluggish start, with O’Neill’s men failing to impose themselves despite the win. The urgency is clear ahead of a Champions League qualifier against LASK in under three weeks, a tie that will demand sharper execution. Their rivals, meanwhile, have already stumbled: Rangers’ draw at Tannadice and Hearts’ defeat in Aberdeen mean Celtic sit top on goal difference alone.
For Dundee, the performance offered encouragement despite the defeat. Pressley’s side pressed aggressively and created enough to believe they could have taken something, but a lack of clinical finishing—Reilly’s effort striking woodwork the closest they came—proved costly. Sinisalo’s stop from Hay in stoppage time preserved Celtic’s lead, a moment that underlined the margin between winning and losing in tight contests.
Celtic’s title defence begins with a point, but the performance did little to silence questions about their readiness. With a sterner test looming in Europe, O’Neill will need to tighten his squad and sharpen his team’s edge before the real challenges arrive.
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