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Scrappy victory in Falkirk keeps Celtic on leaders’ tail
Similar to some of the Celtic wins during Martin O'Neill's first caretaker spell, this was ugly. But right now points matter more than prettiness. The Premiership champions got the job done with a scrappy 1-0 victory at Falkirk.
With leaders Hearts showing no signs of letting up by beating St Mirren 2-0 despite playing loads of the match a man down, the very least that was required from Celtic was the whole loot from the Falkirk Stadium, a venue they had not visited since 2010.
A header from Benjamin Nygren just before half time was the difference. Celtic lacked a cutting edge in attack and this was another game that emphasised their pressing need for attacking reinforcements. Nygren's winner came from a set-piece. There were precious few other moments of note for O'Neill's charges.
Celtic's Benjamin Nygren celebrates scoring in the 1-0 win at Falkirk. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group) | SNS GroupWith all three title contenders having played 22 games, Hearts sit top on 50 points, with Celtic and Rangers six points behind. Celtic moved above their Old Firm rivals on goal difference but it is the other half of Glasgow who have momentum - on and off the pitch.
Rangers' run of form is stronger and they have already spent more than £7 million on two new players. With Danish winger Andreas Skov Olsen set to follow imminently, it is the Ibrox side making the statement of intent.
Celtic's next league assignment is at Tynecastle a week on Sunday. As O'Neill pointed out before this game, they don't have margin for error. On this performance, it is hard to envisage them prevailing in Gorgie. Fresh blood is a must. Falkirk had the better chances but could not take them. They remain sixth.
Celtic controlled the early stages without managing to penetrate the Falkirk defence. Both wingers in Yang Hyun-jun and Sebastian Tounekti saw plenty of the ball, but could not fashion an opening.
As a result, the Bairns grew into the match. Calvin Miller swung over a teasing free-kick that had no takers, while Barney Stewart and Filip Lissah had low strikes well fielded by Celtic keeper Kasper Schmeichel.
A much better opening fell to Falkirk's Swansea City loanee Kyrell Wilson, who skinned Kieran Tierney when chasing down a ball over the top. He bore down on Schmeichel from an angle, rounded the keeper but with the goal gaping appeared to lose his footing and sliced the ball high and wide from a matter of yards out.
Falkirk's Kyrell Wilson (centre) puts a first half chance wide of the post during the 1-0 defeat by Celtic. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group) | SNS GroupStewart also passed up a presentable opportunity on the half-hour mark when Daizen Maeda, looking wholly uncomfortable as a No 9 being asked to drop deep, coughed up possession midway inside his own half. He was fortunate that the other striker on the pitch shot tamely at Schmeichel.
Maeda did have a chance of his own on 39 minutes when Arne Engels' corner found him at the back post. The Japanese connected with the header strongly enough but it was too central and Scott Bain blocked.
Engels was at it again with another back-post delivery on 44 minutes and this time Celtic took full advantage. Bain and his defenders were static and from inside the six-yard box, Nygren glanced in his tenth goal of the Premiership campaign.
Neither side made a change at the interval - although we were treated to a rare occurrence, the replacement of the referee. The unfortunate whistler John Beaton had picked up an injury and was switched for his fourth official, former Hibs and Dunfermline keeper Sean Murdoch. This was his first time officiating a top-flight encounter.
Celtic played with more purpose after the break, looking for a second goal. Liam Scales failed to connect from close range from a dangerous Nygren cross on 53 minutes and while Maeda netted in the subsequent stramash, he was flagged offside.
Falkirk boss John McGlynn shuffled his pack just after the hour by bringing on new signings Ben Parkinson and Louie Marsh for their debuts. That move sparked a raft of changes from both teams that disrupted the flow of the match.
Celtic had morphed back into an unconvincing state and were indebted to Schmeichel for a big save on 80 minutes. Scales struggled to deal with a bouncing ball inside his penalty box and Ethan Williams nipped in. However, the 21-year-old on loan from Manchester United watched on in despair as the experienced Dane stuck out a foot to deny him.
Falkirk forced a flurry of stoppage-time corners that came to nothing. A relieved Celtic escaped with the win.