BILLY MCKAY SCORED the only goal as Inverness Caledonian Thistle claimed their first ever league win at Celtic Park with a shock 1-0 win over the Scottish Premier League leaders.
In a low-key first half, Inverness limited their hosts to few chances with Kris Commons and Mikel Lustig wasting the best of their opportunities.
Inverness picked up the pace after the break and took a deserved lead in the 64th minute through McKay, although there was a hint of offside about his goal.
Georgios Samaras and Commons came close to an equaliser before Inverness spurned a chance to wrap up the points with McKay hitting the post and Aaron Doran’s shot cleared off the line by Efe Ambrose following a quick breakaway.
Celts remain top
The result continues Celtic’s poor domestic form after a European match, with the Hoops failing to win any of their league matches on the back of their past three Champions League matches.
Despite falling to their third home defeat in seven league matches, Celtic remain top of the SPL after Aberdeen defeated Hibernian 1-0 to leapfrog the Easter Road side into second, although six teams are now within five points of the Hoops.
Both sides had made a slow start, with Inverness working hard to close Celtic down when they were in possession.
Commons should have done better when Hooper played him in behind the Inverness defence in the 39th minute but the Scotland international sliced his shot well off target.
Celtic should have taken the lead a minute later when Kayal sailed past several Inverness players before playing a perfect through ball to Lustig, who could only find the side netting from eight yards out.
Inverness started the second half at a higher tempo and had a great chance when Andrew Shinnie played McKay down the inside right channel but his shot was blocked by Charlie Mulgrew.
Ambrose nearly scored an own goal minutes later when he diverted Doran’s ball into the box just round the post, with Gary Warren heading over from the corner.
Inverness took a deserved lead in the 64th minute through McKay.
Doran’s flighted pass found Philip Roberts, who turned Adam Matthews in the box before sending a low pass to the back post where McKay tapped in from four yards out with the hosts’ appeals for offside ignored by referee Calum Murray.
Wanyama nearly had an instant reply for Celtic when his dipping shot from 30 yards grazed the bar.
Samaras comes close
The visitors spurned a chance to increase their advantage when Owain Tudur-Jones got on the end of Shinnie’s through ball but he failed to test Forster from a few yards out.
Georgios Samaras almost had an equaliser for Celtic when he connected with a Commons cross but Antonio Reguero tipped his header over and Warren diverted a cross onto the post as Inverness lived dangerously.
Inverness should have made sure of the points in the 84th minute when they failed to capitalise when two on one against the Hoops in a quick breakaway with McKay smacking his shot off the bar before Doran’s shot on the rebound was blocked by Ambrose.
The match was soured further for the majority of the home fans when Celtic boss Neil Lennon was involved in a verbal altercation with a supporter sitting close to the home team’s dug-out.
Neil Lennon argues with a supporter. (Andrew Milligan/PA Wire)
Elsewhere, St Mirren moved four clear of Dundee at the bottom with a 3-1 win over the Dens Park club, who had a man sent off.
Motherwell and Hearts ended goalless while Dundee United won 2-1 away to Ross County.
