CELTIC SHOWED THEIR Scottish Premiership mettle as they fought back to grab a 2-2 draw against determined Dundee United at Parkhead.
Colombian striker Camilo Duran put the home side ahead in the 18th minute with his 11th goal of the season, and it looked like a routine win was on its way.
However, Australian forward Zac Sapsford levelled in the 28th minute with a header before defender Neil Farrugia forced the visitors ahead three minutes later with his first United goal.
Martin O’Neill’s side piled forward in the second half and defender Liam Scales equalised in the 64th minute with a header but despite almost constant pressure the league leaders had to settle for a point.
Hearts and Rangers also played out a 2-2 draw on Wednesday night.
Jim Goodwin’s side arrived in Glasgow in good form, unbeaten in five games, but one damning Dundee United statistic remains intact; the Taysiders have not won at Celtic Park since Boxing Day 1992, and at one point they would have fancied their chances of ending that winless run.
For all Celtic’s troubles in Europe – three defeats out of three in the Europa League so far this season – the domestic scene has proved to be a more comfortable environment, with nine wins and one defeat in the first 10 fixtures.
United, who gave a first start this season to Farrugia with on-loan QPR attacker Daniel Bennie dropping to the bench, began the night looking to amend their awful record at Parkhead.
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Celtic were unchanged and in the fifth minute Scales glanced a header just past United goalkeeper Jack Walton’s left-hand post.
As the visitors emerged from their bunker, defender Michael Forbes headed wide from a Lyall Cameron free-kick.
When Duran made the breakthrough from seven yards, after Kasper Hogh set him up from a Benjamin Nygren header across goal from Callum Osmand’s cross, there was no hint of what was to follow.
Hoops keeper Sam Johnstone made a fine save from Jesse Randall’s drive before a swift Celtic counter ended with Nygren coming close with an effort from the edge of the box.
Neil Farrugia (centre) celebrates. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Then two United goals in four minutes stunned Celtic Park.
Sapsford’s glancing header from a Cameron cross escaped Johnstone and flew into the far corner of the net and there was soon more drama when Farrugia knocked the ball into the net via Scales, after fellow defender Bert Esselink had got his head on a free-kick from Cameron.
O’Neill replaced Hogh and Osmand with Haissem Hassan and Jota, with Duran going through the middle, for the start of the second half, where they took immediate control.
Walton made saves from Nygren and Jota as the pressure on the United box intensified.
On the hour mark, the United keeper tipped a powerful drive from Hassan over the crossbar for another corner which was defended.
However, the Taysiders could not hold out and when Jota curled in a right-footed cross from the left, Scales leapt highest to head past Walton from eight yards.
Walton made a brilliant save with his legs from Celtic midfielder Mika Baur and in the 81st minute, in a rare United attack, Johnstone beat away a strike from substitute Abdoulaye Yoro, who was through on the break just before the end but was caught by backtracking Hoops defenders as United hung on for the draw.
Hearts 2
Rangers 2
Olwethu Makhanya scored a late equaliser as Rangers earned a 2-2 draw with Hearts on manager Derek McInnes’ much-hyped Tynecastle return.
The Gers boss was loudly booed by the Jambos support as he emerged from the tunnel for his first match back in Gorgie since leaving for Ibrox in June, just weeks after the Edinburgh side were pipped to the Premiership title.
But his team silenced a pumped-up home crowd when Kevin Kelsy scored a 16th-minute opener following a lapse from Laurent Mendy.
Hearts turned the game round with goals from Claudio Braga and Calvin Miller early in the second half. But Makhanya’s 89th-minute header ensured the match ended all square, keeping second-placed Gers four points behind Celtic and four above the Jambos.
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Scales and Farrugia on target as Celtic settle for a point against Dundee United
Celtic 2
Dundee United 2
CELTIC SHOWED THEIR Scottish Premiership mettle as they fought back to grab a 2-2 draw against determined Dundee United at Parkhead.
Colombian striker Camilo Duran put the home side ahead in the 18th minute with his 11th goal of the season, and it looked like a routine win was on its way.
However, Australian forward Zac Sapsford levelled in the 28th minute with a header before defender Neil Farrugia forced the visitors ahead three minutes later with his first United goal.
Martin O’Neill’s side piled forward in the second half and defender Liam Scales equalised in the 64th minute with a header but despite almost constant pressure the league leaders had to settle for a point.
Hearts and Rangers also played out a 2-2 draw on Wednesday night.
Jim Goodwin’s side arrived in Glasgow in good form, unbeaten in five games, but one damning Dundee United statistic remains intact; the Taysiders have not won at Celtic Park since Boxing Day 1992, and at one point they would have fancied their chances of ending that winless run.
For all Celtic’s troubles in Europe – three defeats out of three in the Europa League so far this season – the domestic scene has proved to be a more comfortable environment, with nine wins and one defeat in the first 10 fixtures.
United, who gave a first start this season to Farrugia with on-loan QPR attacker Daniel Bennie dropping to the bench, began the night looking to amend their awful record at Parkhead.
Celtic were unchanged and in the fifth minute Scales glanced a header just past United goalkeeper Jack Walton’s left-hand post.
As the visitors emerged from their bunker, defender Michael Forbes headed wide from a Lyall Cameron free-kick.
When Duran made the breakthrough from seven yards, after Kasper Hogh set him up from a Benjamin Nygren header across goal from Callum Osmand’s cross, there was no hint of what was to follow.
Hoops keeper Sam Johnstone made a fine save from Jesse Randall’s drive before a swift Celtic counter ended with Nygren coming close with an effort from the edge of the box.
Then two United goals in four minutes stunned Celtic Park.
Sapsford’s glancing header from a Cameron cross escaped Johnstone and flew into the far corner of the net and there was soon more drama when Farrugia knocked the ball into the net via Scales, after fellow defender Bert Esselink had got his head on a free-kick from Cameron.
O’Neill replaced Hogh and Osmand with Haissem Hassan and Jota, with Duran going through the middle, for the start of the second half, where they took immediate control.
Walton made saves from Nygren and Jota as the pressure on the United box intensified.
On the hour mark, the United keeper tipped a powerful drive from Hassan over the crossbar for another corner which was defended.
However, the Taysiders could not hold out and when Jota curled in a right-footed cross from the left, Scales leapt highest to head past Walton from eight yards.
Walton made a brilliant save with his legs from Celtic midfielder Mika Baur and in the 81st minute, in a rare United attack, Johnstone beat away a strike from substitute Abdoulaye Yoro, who was through on the break just before the end but was caught by backtracking Hoops defenders as United hung on for the draw.
Hearts 2
Rangers 2
Olwethu Makhanya scored a late equaliser as Rangers earned a 2-2 draw with Hearts on manager Derek McInnes’ much-hyped Tynecastle return.
The Gers boss was loudly booed by the Jambos support as he emerged from the tunnel for his first match back in Gorgie since leaving for Ibrox in June, just weeks after the Edinburgh side were pipped to the Premiership title.
But his team silenced a pumped-up home crowd when Kevin Kelsy scored a 16th-minute opener following a lapse from Laurent Mendy.
Hearts turned the game round with goals from Claudio Braga and Calvin Miller early in the second half. But Makhanya’s 89th-minute header ensured the match ended all square, keeping second-placed Gers four points behind Celtic and four above the Jambos.
*****
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