AN EFE AMBROSE own goal in stoppage time sealed a remarkable Dundee United comeback as the home side came from two goals down to seal a 2-2 draw with champions Celtic at Tannadice here on Sunday.
Celtic dominated possession in the first half but failed to really test keeper Radoslaw Cierzniak with Thomas Rogne and Scott Brown both sending headers off target from close range.
United started strongly after the break with Johnny Russell missing a great chance to put the home side ahead when he blasted his effort from 10 yards over the bar.
However, it was the Hoops who took the lead against the run of play in the 69th minute when Miku collected a pass from Tony Watt before lifting the ball high over Cierzniak to score his first goal for Celtic.
Teenager Watt then got on the scoresheet himself when he took advantage of Cierzniak’s poor kick-out to blast a powerful shot past the keeper in the 80th minute.
Substitute Gary Mackay-Steven pulled one back in the 89th minute and Russell came close before Ambrose headed a Barry Douglas cross beyond Fraser Forster to seal a point.Despite the draw Celtic returned to the top of the SPL on goal difference from Hibernian ahead of their crucial Champions League clash against Barcelona at Parkhead on Wednesday.
Celtic started on the front foot and Adam Matthews and Brown combined to send Commons scampering into the box but sent his shot straight to Radoslaw Cierzniak.
Charlie Mulgrew picked out Brown with a deep cross from the left but the Celtic captain arrowed his header wide from six yards.
Celtic had a chance straight from kick-off in the second half when Watt slipped a pass through for Emilio Izaguirre but the left-back blasted his shot wide of the near post before falling on the turf.
The Honduran international needed treatment following the fall and eventually trudged off to be replaced by Miku.
Dundee United were next to miss a golden chance to take the lead in the 50th minute.
John Rankin teed up Willo Flood for a powerful drive that Fraser Forster could only parry into the path of Johnny Russell but, with the goal gaping, the striker blazed his strike over the bar from 10 yards.
In a period of sustained pressure from United they came close again in the 58th minute when Douglas sent a superb ball into the six-yard box from a free-kick but Gavin Gunning failed to connect properly with the ball and stabbed it wide.However, after weathering the storm it was Celtic who made the breakthrough in the 69th minute. Miku received a flick on from Watt and the Venezuelan took two touches to set himself up before he lifted the ball high over Cierzniak and into the net.
Watt doubled Celtic’s advantage in the 80th minute when a terrible kick-out from Cierzniak landed at his feet and he drove at Rankin before unleashing an unstoppable shot low past the keeper.
Mackay-Steven gave United some hope late on when he guided a shot beyond Forster in the 89th minute after Rudi Skacel’s initial effort was blocked.
The home side pushed forward for an equaliser and after Russell had stabbed a shot wide United grabbed an equaliser when sub Ambrose sent a looping header over his own keeper and into the net after connecting with a dangerous cross from Douglas.
