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{ Highlights - Aberdeen 0-3 Celtic

Celtic beat Aberdeen for the third time in 10 days and in doing so moved eight points clear of Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premier League.

Andrew Considine was sent off within two minutes for fouling Celtic's Scott Brown but Jamie Langfield saved Anthony Stokes' resultant penalty.

Gary Hooper and Stokes combined for two of Celtic's three goals, the former finishing a one-two for the opener.

Mark Wilson headed a 75th-minute second and Hooper fed Stokes for the third.

The match could scarcely have begun more dramatically. Dons boss Craig Brown had just finished shaking hands with his Celtic counterpart Neil Lennon when Hooper picked out Brown making a run into the box.

Hooper's delicious cross-field pass was controlled and nudged towards goal by the Celtic captain in a flowing move, but as Brown shaped to score he was hauled down by Andrew Considine and referee Alan Muir pointed to the spot.

While Stokes grabbed the ball for the penalty, Muir presented the shell-shocked Dons defender with a red card and his involvement was over after 95 seconds.

Considine's foul was apparent but Aberdeen could argue that a yellow card was sufficient as Zander Diamond was racing across to cover.

Jamie Langfield did not have the best of games against Celtic at Hampden in the 4-1 Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final defeat, but he denied Stokes a penalty goal with a dive to his left - an inspirational save.

But Celtic could smell blood and they tore the Reds apart in the 12th minute.

Quick-thinking Hooper worked a one-two with strike partner Stokes, raced past a static Aberdeen defence and slid the ball beyond Langfield for his 11th Scottish Premier League goal.

Worse was to follow for the home side. Ryan Jack had started the match in midfield in favour of Derek Young but had moved into defence with Considine's sending-off.

Soon he was hobbling off injured at the same time as David McNamee, who had switched from right- to left-back, was wincing in pain with a groin injury.

Considine's red card in the second minute set the tone for the Dons' evening

Brown threw on Derek Young and new loan signing Steven Smith for the duo as Aberdeen's decimated defence contemplated a long evening.

Celtic's Kris Commons had looked lively, firing over the bar after 10 minutes, and tested Langfield twice more with his left foot in the first half.

He smacked a first-time shot at the Dons goal that was well saved in 22 minutes, and 10 minutes later the Aberdeen keeper was down smartly to his right to turn the former Derby player's shot round the post.

The pressure on the Dons goal was constant. Brown blasted a shot at goal that Zander Diamond blocked with a combination of head then arm, then Beram Kayal stole into space 25 yards out and curled a powerful shot around Langfield that cracked off the inside of the post.

Aberdeen's Rob Milsom cleared off his goal-line with Stokes ready to pounce before Aberdeen made a late first-half rally.

Nick Blackman had three Celtic players puzzled when he left them in his wake with a 180-degree turn and shot just wide in 38 minutes, then Chris Maguire belted a first-time angled volley that stung Fraser Forster's palms.

Reaching half-time a goal down was an achievement for Aberdeen. They would have been level in 42 minutes had Forster not been alert to a sweet volley by Scott Vernon from eight yards as he connected with a corner.

While Celtic have been consistent in racking up the SPL points, their defence has been shorn of any sort of pattern. Efrain Juarez, Mark Wilson, Charlie Mulgrew and Emilio Izaguirre were in at the back, with Glenn Loovens, Thomas Rogne and Daniel Majstorovic injured and Darren O'Dea and Jos Hooiveld out on loan.

Aberdeen worked hard to limit the chances in the first 20 minutes of the second half; enough, indeed, for Lennon to withdraw Kayal for Paddy McCourt to try to increase Celtic's attacking intent.

In 66 minutes the pacy Commons evaded a desperate challenge by Smith, rounded Langfield then struck the post when he ought to have rolled the ball into the net.

Wilson's last goal was five years ago but it was the defender who eased Celtic's nerves that they may be stung by Aberdeen when he rose to meet Commons' in-swinging corner. His powerful header from six yards gave Langfield no chance at all.

The Dons were three goals down after as many minutes had passed since Wilson's header.

Hooper was running away from goal in the Aberdeen box but managed to find his strike partner Stokes, who cut on to his left foot and shot between Langfield and his near post.

Celtic are unbeaten in 12 league games and are applying pressure to their title rivals.

Tuesday, 1 February 2011

Scottish Premier

Hooper 12Wilson 75Stokes 78Final Result Full Time 90:00+2:13 The referee ends the match. 90:00+1:53 Scott Vernon takes a shot. Save by Fraser Forster. 90:00+1:03 Unfair challenge on Kris Commons by Paul Hartley results in a free kick. Mark Wilson takes the free kick. 90:00+0:09 Scott Vernon sends in a cross. 88:17 Charlie Mulgrew produces a right-footed shot from 35 yards and missed to the left of the goal. 87:41 Foul by Chris Maguire on Charlie Mulgrew, free kick awarded. Fraser Forster restarts play with the free kick. 86:41 Corner taken by Chris Maguire from the left by-line, clearance by Mark Wilson. 86:41 Booking The referee shows Charlie Mulgrew a yellow card for unsporting behaviour. 84:08 Substitution Lewis Toshney on for Scott Brown. 82:15 The ball is swung over by Daryl Murphy, Zander Diamond makes a clearance. 81:42 Unfair challenge on Scott Brown by Chris Maguire results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Efrain Juarez. 78:55 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Kris Commons, Scott Vernon makes a clearance. 78:55 Substitution Daryl Murphy comes on in place of Anthony Stokes. 77:23 Gary Hooper provided the assist for the goal. 77:23 GOAL - Anthony Stokes:Aberdeen 0 - 3 Celtic Anthony Stokes grabs a goal from just inside the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Aberdeen 0-3 Celtic. 76:27 A cross is delivered by Nick Blackman, Mark Wilson makes a clearance. Paul Hartley produces a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty area that goes harmlessly over the target. 76:27 Substitution Lukasz Zaluska joins the action as a substitute, replacing Joe Ledley. Correction - 76:06 The ball is crossed by Nick Blackman, clearance made by Mark Wilson. Shot from just outside the box by Paul Hartley goes over the bar. 74:37 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Kris Commons from the right by-line, assist by Kris Commons. 74:37 GOAL - Mark Wilson:Aberdeen 0 - 2 Celtic Goal scored by Mark Wilson from inside the six-yard box to the top right corner of the goal. Aberdeen 0-2 Celtic. 71:45 The ball is delivered by Emilio Izaguirre, clearance by Zander Diamond. Short corner worked by Scott Brown. Patrick McCourt produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that goes wide left of the target. 69:53 Emilio Izaguirre gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Chris Maguire. Free kick taken by Chris Maguire. 68:22 Joe Ledley fouled by Paul Hartley, the ref awards a free kick. Kris Commons crosses the ball in from the free kick, Rory McArdle manages to make a clearance. 66:05 Kris Commons takes a shot from inside the six-yard box that strikes the post. 63:25 Chris Maguire gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Mark Wilson. Free kick crossed by Charlie Mulgrew, comfortable save by Jamie Langfield. 63:25 Substitution Patrick McCourt joins the action as a substitute, replacing Beram Kayal. 63:25 Booking Chris Maguire booked. 60:58 Robert Milsom produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the target. 60:21 Chris Maguire fouled by Scott Brown, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Steven Smith. 58:54 Foul by Scott Vernon on Emilio Izaguirre, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Charlie Mulgrew. 58:54 Booking Scott Vernon goes into the book for unsporting behaviour. 57:15 Chris Maguire concedes a free kick for a foul on Mark Wilson. Free kick crossed left-footed by Kris Commons, clearance by Steven Smith. 56:13 Unfair challenge on Joe Ledley by Scott Vernon results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Emilio Izaguirre. 55:52 Steven Smith sends in a cross, clearance by Mark Wilson. 55:07 Mark Wilson concedes a free kick for a foul on Chris Maguire. Direct free kick taken by Steven Smith. 54:02 Chris Maguire is caught offside. Fraser Forster takes the free kick. 53:34 Kris Commons delivers the ball. 52:41 Effort from deep inside the area by Kris Commons misses to the left of the goal. 51:02 A cross is delivered by Emilio Izaguirre. 49:55 Unfair challenge on Paul Hartley by Emilio Izaguirre results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Jamie Langfield. 49:19 Inswinging corner taken by Kris Commons from the right by-line. 47:26 Paul Hartley gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Efrain Juarez. Fraser Forster takes the direct free kick. 47:26 Booking Booking for Paul Hartley for dissent. 46:43 Inswinging corner taken by Chris Maguire from the left by-line played to the near post, clearance by Mark Wilson. 45:59 Unfair challenge on Zander Diamond by Gary Hooper results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Jamie Langfield. 45:01 The second half begins. Half Time 45:00+2:16 The ref blows to end the first period. 45:00+1:17 The assistant referee signals for offside against Anthony Stokes. Jamie Langfield restarts play with the free kick. 45:00+0:43 Unfair challenge on Scott Brown by Robert Milsom results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Mark Wilson. 44:01 Zander Diamond concedes a free kick for a foul on Anthony Stokes. Anthony Stokes has a direct shot on goal from the free kick. 41:59 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Rory McArdle by Gary Hooper. Rory McArdle takes the direct free kick. 40:49 Corner taken by Robert Milsom from the right by-line, Rory McArdle takes a shot from 6 yards. Mark Wilson gets a block in. 39:39 Nick Blackman gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Joe Ledley. Charlie Mulgrew takes the direct free kick. 38:49 Shot from 18 yards by Chris Maguire. Save by Fraser Forster. 37:55 Effort from outside the penalty area by Nick Blackman goes wide left of the goal. 37:15 Zander Diamond fouled by Anthony Stokes, the ref awards a free kick. Jamie Langfield takes the direct free kick. 36:28 Beram Kayal takes a shot from a long way out and strikes the post. 31:59 Kris Commons takes a shot. Fantastic save by Jamie Langfield. Corner taken by Kris Commons played to the near post, Zander Diamond makes a clearance. Shot from long range by Emilio Izaguirre goes wide of the left-hand post. 31:08 Chris Maguire fouled by Emilio Izaguirre, the ref awards a free kick. Robert Milsom crosses the ball in from the free kick, save by Fraser Forster. 29:51 Kris Commons fouled by Derek Young, the ref awards a free kick. Charlie Mulgrew takes the free kick. 29:51 Booking The referee shows Derek Young a yellow card. 27:03 Free kick awarded for a foul by Paul Hartley on Beram Kayal. Free kick taken by Mark Wilson. 26:18 Foul by Efrain Juarez on Robert Milsom, free kick awarded. The free kick is delivered right-footed by Paul Hartley from left channel, Charlie Mulgrew manages to make a clearance. 25:29 Foul by Zander Diamond on Anthony Stokes, free kick awarded. Efrain Juarez takes the free kick. 24:53 Centre by Beram Kayal, save made by Jamie Langfield. 23:48 Effort on goal by Scott Brown from 18 yards. Save by Jamie Langfield. 21:30 Scott Brown takes the outswinging corner, Rory McArdle manages to make a clearance. Kris Commons has a drilled shot. Save made by Jamie Langfield. 19:44 Nick Blackman sends in a cross. 18:37 Inswinging corner taken by Kris Commons from the right by-line, Zander Diamond makes a clearance. The offside flag is raised against Anthony Stokes. Free kick taken by Jamie Langfield. 17:29 Substitution David McNamee leaves the field to be replaced by Steven Smith. 16:40 Joe Ledley is caught offside. Jamie Langfield takes the free kick. 15:35 Chris Maguire concedes a free kick for a foul on Kris Commons. Fraser Forster takes the free kick. 15:35 Substitution Derek Young is brought on as a substitute for Ryan Jack. 15:07 Scott Vernon is ruled offside. Free kick taken by Mark Wilson. 14:39 The assistant referee signals for offside against Anthony Stokes. Jamie Langfield takes the free kick. 11:52 Assist on the goal came from Anthony Stokes. 11:52 GOAL - Gary Hooper:Aberdeen 0 - 1 Celtic Gary Hooper scores a goal from close range to the bottom right corner of the goal. Aberdeen 0-1 Celtic. 10:49 A cross is delivered by Paul Hartley. 9:39 Kris Commons has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the left-hand post. Correction - 6:28 Joe Ledley challenges Scott Vernon unfairly and gives away a free kick. Jamie Langfield takes the direct free kick. 6:28 Joe Ledley challenges Scott Vernon unfairly and gives away a free kick. Jamie Langfield takes the free kick. 5:53 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Joe Ledley by Ryan Jack. Mark Wilson takes the free kick. 4:34 Paul Hartley has a volleyed shot. Blocked by Mark Wilson. 4:08 Centre by Ryan Jack, clearance by Mark Wilson. 2:32 Kris Commons takes a inswinging corner to the near post, Zander Diamond makes a clearance. 2:32 A save by Jamie Langfield from penalty by Anthony Stokes. Aberdeen 0-0 Celtic. 1:35 Andrew Considine gives away a Penalty for an unfair challenge on Scott Brown. 1:35 Sent off Andrew Considine sent from the field by the ref for professional foul. 0:00 The game begins. Live text and data provided by The Press Association.

Agences de presses

Labels: Aberdeen, Celtic, Sport

{ Feb 2 2011 By Hugh Keevins

MISSION accomplished for Celtic as they went eight points clear of Rangers at the top of the table ... and how Aberdeen players must hate the sight of Neil Lennon's side.

They've now lost a remarkable 17 goals to the Hoops in their last four meetings and having to face them with 10 men for all but 80 seconds after Andrew Considine's dismissal proved too much.

A first-half strike by Gary Hooper was followed up by goals from Mark Wilson and Anthony Stokes as Neil Lennon's men rampaged through the defence after a second-half lull.

The manager could even afford to blood 18-year-old defender Lewis Toshney before the end.

The partnership of Wilson and Charlie Mulgrew in central defence is makeshift but has yet to experience a stern test of their capabilities.

Rivals Rangers will surely ask more questions in the Scottish Cup at Ibrox on Sunday.

But Lennon would be content that a night that yielded such high reward included no mishaps as the season reaches boiling point.

The Hoops' season of conflict with officialdom has led to them hiring a QC to represent their interests but they went north with another kind of legal matter in mind. Sod's Law.

Three league and cup wins over Aberdeen this season tempted fate to deliver them a losing blow when they least needed it. And three players, Wilson, Beram Kayal and skipper Scott Brown, were one booking away from a suspension that would put them out of the league clash with Rangers on February 20.

Another unwanted complication for Lennon. What the manager could not have anticipated was a missed penalty from his side and Aberdeen being reduced to 10 men after just 80 seconds.

Hooper's astute pass picked out Brown and his run in on keeper Jamie Langfield's goal was interrupted by a challenge from Andrew Considine.

The referee considered the home player to be the last defender and sent him off before Stokes hit his penalty too close to Langfield and allowed the Dons No.1 a save.

Intensity

Aberdeen were a man down and a break up while the game was still in its infancy but they couldn't take advantage of the situation and fell a goal behind after 12 minutes.

Kris Commons fed the ball to Hooper and he set off on a run towards goal that involved a one-two with Stokes and a lethal finish as the Englishman slipped the ball beyond the advancing Langfield.

Commons' growing influence on the match was enough to see his youthful marker, Ryan Jack, removed after only 16 minutes. Derek Young took his place in a tactical switch to bolster the defence.

David McNamee was then replaced by new signing from Norwich, Steven Smith, as the Dons' back four lost half of its original personnel before a quarter of the game had elapsed.

The early setbacks saw a depleted Aberdeen defending increasingly higher up the pitch and inviting their rivals on to them.

Young was booked for a foul on Commons 14 minutes after getting on as a sub to illustrate the intensity of the pressure his side was under.

Then midfielder Rob Milsom was forced to clear the ball off the line from Stokes following a scramble that had arisen from a corner.

When Kayal struck the post with an angular drive that had beaten Langfield after 40 minutes it was visual proof of the first half having been a one-sided affair.

The meagre margin of Celtic's lead was one of a few surprises contained within an eventful opening period, even if visiting keeper Fraser Forster was forced to make belated stops from Chris Maguire and Scott Vernon in a spirited finale from Craig Brown's boys.

Celtic's need was to translate their dominance into a winning margin and they might have done so five minutes after the restart when Hooper strong-armed his way through and laid the ball on a plate for Commons.

But he blasted the ball over the bar from a tight angle after dwelling too long on his opportunity.

The longer the game went on in that vein the better for Aberdeen as they searched for a chance to punish Celtic while making light of their numerical disadvantage.

Anguish

Vernon was booked for a foul on Hooper and Maguire cautioned for a block on Wilson while the search for equality went on and Milsom tried his luck with a long-range shot struck more in hope than expectation.

It was remarkable that Celtic had been playing 10 men for all but the first minute of the game and yet had grown less of a threat.

Twenty minutes into the second period Lennon decided it was time for a fresh approach. Paddy McCourt went on in place of Kayal but before the fans' cult hero could touch the ball Commons had the miss that denied Celtic relief from their worries of a sucker-punch.

He rounded Langfield and had only to slip the ball into the empty net but his attempt from a tight angle hit the upright and went behind.

It was anguish for the Celtic player and the cue for derision from the Aberdeen fans who were starting to believe there might be respite from their run of bad luck against their bogey team.

Their dreams were dashed when Wilson got the simplest of goals to put Celtic two in front 15 minutes from time. Commons' corner was inch perfect and the defender rose unchallenged at the front post to bury a powerful header into net.

Stokes put the outcome beyond any doubt with a shot that beat the Dons keeper low at the same corner three minutes later.

Agences de presses

Labels: Aberdeen, Celtic, Daily, Record, Scottish

{ IT WAS just like watching Craig Brown's Motherwell last night - and that's something which will have pained the former Scotland manager as he sat in the Pittodrie dug-out and suffered at the hands of his old club in their first meeting with Aberdeen since his December switch.
The success for his opposite number Stuart McCall was as deserved as it was unexpected on the back of their 6-0 thrashing at Ibrox, although Aberdeen may point to red-card shown to captain Paul Hartley with the scores tied at 1-1 for their subsequent demise.

However, even before that player imbalance, for which Hartley should look at himself rather than the actions of the referee Steven McLean or booked opponent Keith Lasley against whom he crazily retaliated, the visitors seemed more constructive and threatening.

Their intent came good when Jamie Murphy raced forward and steered a low shot into the corner after being put in on goal by a misjudged header from Aberdeen defender Zander Diamond.

Until last night, the Fir Park faithful and their club seemed to have been badly missing Brown, as exemplified by the ragged nature of their performance against Rangers at the weekend. Last night, though, marked a pretty remarkable turnaround a mere three days on from that debacle.

Even losing a goal scored by Sone Aluko only two minutes in, McCall's men demonstrated commendable courage to open up and play passes and in so doing seize the initiative. Credit was due to their to manager for that, his selection proving surprisingly adventurous with Murphy in the hole behind a front two of John Sutton and Francis Jeffers, who scored Motherwell's equaliser. The tactics paid off with McCall picking up his second league win since succeeding Brown.

This was a fixture which should have been Brown's first in charge at Pittodrie but the winter weather put paid to that. Nevertheless, while the best part of two months have passed since then, he still found time to mention his debt of gratitude to the Fir Park club in his programme notes, where he said he was "led to believe we achieved the best record of any Motherwell management team during John Boyle's (12-year] reign, and by some distance".

Brown also made that point in pre-match briefings, no doubt to give any travelling fans who intended to taunt him for his treachery something to think about. He needn't have worried.

On a stinking, squally night, precious few travelled up and those who did were too cold, too drookit and, for the opening stages of this game, too down to give him the treatment meted out to the last manager to swap Lanarkshire for Grampian, Mark McGhee.

Agences de presses

Labels: Aberdeen, Brown, Craig, haunt, Motherwell, return, Scotsman