CELTIC sit level on points with Hearts at the top of the Premiership and four points ahead of their struggling city rivals after delivering a confident and controlled performance against an Aberdeen side clearly still dining off memories of their Scottish Cup triumph over the Hoops last season.
Brendan Rodgers’ men travelled north with purpose, intent on healing some of the wounds from that treble-denying defeat and they did so with a display that combined composure, discipline, and flashes of real attacking quality.
The breakthrough came midway through the first half when man of the match Benjamin Nygren opened his account in Celtic colours. The Swedish midfielder met a precise near-post Kieran Tierney cross, steering the ball crisply past the helpless Aberdeen keeper. The goal punctured any momentum the home side had been building and allowed Celtic to dictate the tempo from then on. Aberdeen tried to respond, pushing men forward, but they lacked quality at key moments and the visitors’ defensive shape held firm, with Cameron Carter Vickers and Tierney marshalling the back line superbly.
Any hopes of a Dons fightback were effectively snuffed out just after the hour mark. Reo Hatate, who had been probing and inventive all afternoon, received the ball in space and bent an exquisite curling strike into the top corner, a goal that will surely be an early contender for goal of the season. It was a moment of pure technical brilliance, one that drew applause even from sections of the home crowd, and it underlined the gulf in quality between the two sides.
Reflecting on the victory, Rodgers said: “This was always going to be a challenging game in the context of how the last season finished and coming here so early in Aberdeen’s first home game.
“I’m so pleased for the players. The last season would have hurt them. They had a fantastic season last season.
“But we come here today, we play with quality, we play with heart and we get the result.”
A two-goal win away to Aberdeen early in the season is always a fine return, but the match also highlighted attacking shortcomings that have been concerning the Celtic faithful virtually since the moment Kyogo Furuhashi went south. Adam Idah, deployed once again as the focal point in attack, endured a frustrating afternoon with few clear chances. Rodgers suggested this was due more to a lack of service, but there's no getting away from the fact that his hold-up and distribution were off right up until he was put out of his misery in the 70th minute. Yes, the Irishman worked tirelessly, but Celtic’s attacking rhythm too often stuttered when forward passes didn't stick and play became too congested in central areas.
Off the pitch, there was a mix of frustration and resignation among supporters after it emerged that Celtic had missed out on two key transfer targets. Norwegian winger Sondre Orjaseter completed a move to FC Twente for a fee similar to Celtic's, raising questions yet again about the board’s ability to get deals over the line. Orjaseter appeared a natural fit for Rodgers’ system, and the fact that clubs like PSV had been tracking the 21-year-old only added to the sense of a missed opportunity.
More bitter still for many fans was the news that Lennon Miller, a boyhood Celtic supporter, opted for a move to Udinese. While the £4.5 million fee might have been seen as good value for one of Scotland’s brightest young talents, Miller seemed determined to test himself in Serie A, where he will be guaranteed more game time than that crowded Celtic midfield stable can offer.
Adding to the transfer intrigue, speculation continues over the future of Daizen Maeda. A Japanese reporter has claimed that Celtic are preparing for the winger’s departure by eyeing his fellow countryman Taisei Miyashiro. While a move is far from confirmed, Rodgers will be acutely aware that losing Maeda at this stage of the window,with fans already frustrated and restless, would be a major blow and not only would any sale would have to command a substantial fee – the money would have to be spent on quality.
In the bigger picture, the Aberdeen win serves as another reminder of Celtic’s current standing in Scottish football: a squad rich in technical ability, battle-tested in high pressure environments, yet still facing challenges in the transfer market that could shape their ambitions for the months ahead. With European fixtures on the horizon, domestic rivals eager to close the gap and supporters demanding both style and silverware, Rodgers will know that the season’s true tests are yet to come.
For now, the Hoops have momentum, belief and a platform to build on in the League at least, and that combination, if sustained, could prove decisive come the end of the season.
