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Ross County vs Celtic. Scottish Premiership.

2:30pm, Sunday 24th April 2022.

Global Energy StadiumAttendance6,698.

Celtic 2

K Furuhashi (12th minute)
J Neves Filipe (87th minute)

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Ross County 0-2 Celtic: Kyogo Furuhashi and Jota on target as Hoops close in on Scottish Premiership title

Match report as Celtic win 2-0 at Ross County; goals from Kyogo Furuhashi and Jota see visitors move six points clear of Rangers; Celtic face Scottish Premiership champions next Sunday

Sunday 24 April 2022 20:36, UK

Goals at the start and end of the game from Kyogo Furuhashi and Jota saw Celtic win 2-0 at Ross County as Ange Postecoglou's side restored their six-point lead over Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

After Rangers won 3-1 at Motherwell on Saturday to close the gap on the leaders, Celtic had to respond at the Global Energy Stadium and that is exactly what they did thanks to a 12th-minute header from Kyogo, returning to the side having been injured since December.

The visitors wrapped up the victory with just three minutes to go thanks to Jota's close-range finish after substitute Georgios Giakoumakis' effort had hit the top of the bar.

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As a result, Celtic move six points clear of Rangers again ahead of the two Glasgow rivals' meeting next Sunday, while Malky Mackay's high-flyers stay fifth in the table.

How Celtic closed in on Scottish Premiership title

Kyogo came in for his first start since aggravating a hamstring injury against St Johnstone on December 26 and soon netted his first goal since his Premier Sports Cup final winner.

Celtic started with purpose to their play but the opener was the simplest of goals. Jota made space to cross from the right and Kyogo directed a free header into the corner of the net from the middle of the penalty area.

The visitors had a number of chances to add to their lead before half-time. Callum McGregor was off target twice from long range and Kyogo missed several opportunities.

The Japan forward sent a looping volley off the bar, fired over after an exchange of passes with Daizen Maeda and then shot straight at Ross Laidlaw from 12 yards after the goalkeeper had spilled Matt O'Riley's long-range effort.

Laidlaw further redeemed himself when he tipped over Maeda's first-time effort following a good move down the right involving Anthony Ralston and O'Riley.

Team news

The home team made just the one change to the team that got the better of Aberdeen last time, with Jack Baldwin being replaced in defence by Keith Watson.

It was good news for the visitors with the long-awaited return of Japan frontman Kyogo Furuhashi, who made his first start since December as Ange Postecoglou made three changes to the side that lost to Rangers in last week's Scottish Cup semi-final.

Elsewhere, Anthony Ralston got the nod at right-back after Josip Juranovic picked up a knock against Rangers, while Matt O'Riley started in midfield.

And that meant both Liel Abada and Tom Rogic dropped to the bench, with forward Giorgos Giakoumakis also returning as a sub after a hamstring problem.

County did not worry Celtic at all in the first half other than from some decent crosses from Blair Spittal, but they began to pose more of a threat after the break.

Harry Paton, Alex Iacovitti and Jordan White all got shots away and they forced some set-pieces around the box.

Jota was looking dangerous for Celtic but Postecoglou sensed they needed a spark and brought on Giakoumakis, Tom Rogic and Liel Abada 20 minutes into the second half.

Abada scuffed a shot wide after Greg Taylor's cross ultimately broke for him and Celtic stepped up their pursuit of a second goal.

Substitute David Turnbull failed to get hold of two long-range efforts but the cushion eventually came after Abada got to the byline and cut the ball back.

Giakoumakis hit the bar but Jota followed up to slide in front of a County defender and stab the ball over the line.

What the managers said...

Ross County's Malky Mackay: "It was always going to be a tough game for us, playing the league leaders - and they are a good team. I thought, first half, we stayed in the game; they were pinging it around and I thought we stayed in the game well. I thought, second half, we came into it. I asked them to play a little bit higher and get balls in behind them and try and see what we could do from there.

"At that point, I thought we did, and I thought in the second half, we ended up having two or three chances and taking the game to them. But it's a mark of where we have come to; we were playing against a very good team today."

Celtic's Ange Postecoglou: "It was a strong performance. We know it's a difficult place to come and play and they are a hard team to break down. We probably should have put them away in the first half as we had enough opportunities, but to put in a strong performance, which was what we needed today, I thought the boys did well. They were solid defensively and they have some threats. Every chance they get, they'll get the ball in the box, whether it's a throw-in or a free-kick and they have got some big boys in there, so we had to deal with that. I thought we handled it really well today.

"We've never lost the momentum; we lost a cup semi-final in extra-time. We've been very good for a very long time, that's why we sit where we sit, and, from our perspective, it wasn't about a reaction from last week. We were disappointed, but it didn't really affect anything in the league and what's important for us is that we continue our good form."