Aberdeen 0 Celtic 3:CELTIC MOVED eight points clear at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League thanks to a clinical win over 10-man Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
Jamie Langfield saved Anthony Stokes’ second-minute penalty after Andrew Considine’s red-card offence, but the Hoops were not to be stopped for long. Gary Hooper broke the deadlock after 12 minutes before Mark Wilson and Stokes scored in three second-half minutes to put it beyond doubt.
Mexican international Efrain Juarez replaced the injured Thomas Rogne in Celtic’s only change from the side that eased to victory in the League Cup semi-final on Saturday.
The game got off to an explosive start when Celtic were awarded a penalty in the opening minute, Considine adjudged to have fouled the advancing Brown. The Dons defender was shown a straight red card but Aberdeen goalkeeper Langfield guessed correctly to keep out Stokes’ penalty.
However the inevitable opener for the visitors came after 12 minutes when Hooper exchanged passes with Stokes before calmly slotting the ball past the despairing Langfield.
Aberdeen were forced to make two early changes with Derek Young coming on for Ryan Jack after only 17 minutes and Steve Smith handed an early debut in place of the injured David McNamee a minute later.
Substitute Young was struggling to deal with the pace of Kris Commons and picked up a yellow card for a foul on the former Derby winger after 30 minutes.
Scotland international Commons drew a fine save from Langfield soon after, before Robert Milsom cleared Hooper’s close-range effort off the line as the Celtic onslaught continued. Biram Kayal was inches away from doubling Celtic’s advantage when his powerful left-footed drive smashed off the post to safety.
The Dons had chances to equalise before the half ended with Nick Blackman firing just wide and Celtic stopper Fraser Forster making a smart save to deny Chris Maguire. Commons spurned an excellent opportunity to add a second for the Celts when he waited too long to pull the trigger.
Commons missed another glorious chance to put the game beyond doubt when he outsprinted Smith before rounding Langfield but hit the post from an acute angle when it looked easier to score. However the decisive second goal came with 15 minutes remaining when Wilson reacted quickest to powerfully head home Commons’ near-post corner.
And Stokes added a third for the Celts when he picked up Hooper’s lay-off and drilled a left-foot strike past the helpless Langfield after 78 minutes to the delight of the vocal travelling support.
ABERDEEN: Langfield, McNamee (Smith 18), McArdle, Diamond, Considine, Maguire, Jack (Young 16), Hartley, Milsom, Blackman, Vernon. Subs not used: Howard, Pawlett, Paton, Magennis, Anderson. Booked: Young, Hartley, Vernon, Maguire.
CELTIC: Forster, Juarez, Izaguirre, Mulgrew, Wilson, Brown (Toshney 85), Ledley, Kayal (McCourt 65), Commons, Hooper, Stokes (Murphy 79). Subs not used: Zaluska, Ljungberg, Keatings, Carey. Booked: Mulgrew.
Referee: Alan Muir (Scotland).
