Valiant Ross County effort falls just short against Celtic in the east end of Glasgow as David Cancola's penalty kick opener is overturned by Sead Haksabanovic and David Turnbull replies
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Celtic (0) 2
Ross County (0) 1
(Scorers: Celtic - Turnbull 62, Haksabanovic 68; Ross Co - Cancola 50)
A driven, disciplined and superbly-drilled Ross County left the east end of Glasgow with heads held high after flirting with victory over the champions.
The Staggies gave it everything they had, with a superb defensive performance in the first half singling them out as the first Premiership team to prevent Ange Postecoglou’s men scoring before the break this season.
When a controversial penalty award before the 50th minute mark saw David Cancola stroke them in front, the Highland contingent dared to dream.
But the lead was to last just 12 minutes, with replies from Sead Haksabanovic and David Turnbull settling the hosts who surged nine points clear of second top Rangers.
Having endured their share of difficulties this season, County certainly headed south for the Friday night hotel stay high in confidence after back-to-back victories over St Mirren and Hibs.
The Staggies’ previous four performances had been far more encouraging than what went before, with an abundance of chances created and signs the revamped squad was finally beginning to realise its potential.
This, though, was never going to be an easy day for Malky Mackay’s side.
They were still without five players - Ben Purrington, Ross Callachan, Connor Randall, Alex Samuel and Jack Baldwin.
The hosts were also playing their final match before the World Cup break and a trip to Australia, further buoyed by Rangers’ slip-up in a 1-1 draw away to St Mirren.
That setback had Ange Postecoglou’s side eyeing the chance to climb nine points clear at the Premiership summit.
The visitors, with Jordan Tillson nudged forward into a spoiling role behind Jordan White and David Cancola in to partner Victor Loturi in the defensive midfield positions, were quickly on the back foot.
But they showed great discipline and organisation to resist near-constant Celtic possession and bursts of attacking pressure.
There were timely interceptions and clearances from centre halves Keith watson and Alex Iacovitti in the early exchanges, but the Staggies settled well and made some inroads into Celtic’s half.
With 12 minutes gone, Kyogo Furihashi glanced a header just over the bar from Sead Haksabanovic’s delivery from the left.
An alertness and willingness to graft and put in the hard yards limited such moments against the sharp movement of Japan’s World Cup attacker Daizen Maeda and Kyogo, in particular.
With 18 minutes gone, home defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, also heading for the Qatar World Cup with the USA, strode forward to try his luck from 25 yards, but the powerful attempt was blocked by Ross Laidlaw.
George Harmon was fortunate to escape closer scrutiny for tugging down Kyogo in the County penalty box and, soon after, the Japanese centre forward raced in behind the away defence only to cut his shot wide of the left hand post.
The pattern continued with Matt O’Reilly firing just wide from distance and David Turnbull blowing a dead ball opportunity by firing against the County defensive wall after 37 minutes.
Turnbull was booked after leaving Callum Johnson writhing in pain with a late challenge, but the hosts couldn’t muster any more opportunities before the break.
The stalemate by the break meant County stood as the first team this season to deny the champions a first half goal at Celtic Park.
Tony Ralston blasted an attempt over the County bar, but incredibly the Dingwall team were ahead inside 50 minutes.
Iacovitti tried to wriggle through three challenges just inside the right side of the penalty area.
Amid frantic scrambling, the ball was adjudged to have struck Matt O’Riley’s arm and the penalty was awarded.
There was a nervous wait for protest to subside and VAR checks to be made, but Austrian David Cancola stepped up and calmly sent Joe Hart the wrong way from the spot, finding the bottom right corner of the net.
There was a fury among home supporters in the stadium and more soon after when VAR ruled against home claims of a Callum Johnson push on a home attacker.
Celtic responded with a predictable upturn in pressure, with Turnbull drawing a superb diving save from keeper Laidlaw high to his left and Kyogo lofting a volley over.
But it was countryman Reo Hatate who carved the equaliser with a dribble to the left of a crowded County penalty area and a cut back for Turnbull to control and stroke home from a few yards out.
At 1-1, Manager Malky Mackay was bold, bringing on attackers Dom Samuel and Jordy Hiwula for Josh Sims and scorer Cancola after 65 minutes.
Celtic, though, were ahead on 68 minutes, after Haksabanovic played a lovely one-two with Hatate and slotted a first time finish low into the right hand corner of the net.
A triple substitution brought the formidable attacking talent of Jota, Liel Abada and Georgios Giakoumakis into the fray with Maeda, Kyogo and Haksabanovic making way.
County were pinned back consistently towards full-time, with Giakoumakis, seeing one deflected attempt spin just wide, but Mackay’s men left the field deserving of great credit for a tireless and highly-disciplined performance.
Victory took Celtic nine points clear in the title race, but they knew they had been in a game.
Celtic (4-3-3) - Hart; Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Jens (Starfelt 38), Bernabei (Taylor 87); Turnbull, O’Reilly, Hatate; Haksabanovic (Jota), Furuhashi (Giakoumakis 69), Maeda (Abada 69). Subs: Mooy, Abildgaard, Siegrist, Forrest.
Booked: Turnbull 45
Ross County (4-2-3-1) - Laidlaw; Johnson, Watson, Iacovitti, Harmon; Cancola (Hiwula 65), Loturi; Sims (D Samuel 65), Tillson (Edwards 75), Dhanda (Olaigbe 84); White (Akio 87). Subs: Munro, Smith, Eastwood.
Booked: Cancola 41, Laidlaw 56, Samuel 83
Referee: David Munro
ends
