Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BRING YOUR JOTA TO THE SLAUGHTER
Hoops win on travels at last after winger’s goal
PORTUGUSE hitman Jota finally banished Celtic’s Premiership away day woes at Pittodrie yesterday.
The winger’s late goal stung Aberdeen and gave Ange Postecoglou his first away win in the league as
Celtic manager.
It was also their first away victory in the topflight since February.
These three points kept Celtic in sixth but meant they didn’t lose any more ground on the early leaders.
Austin Samuels fired an early shot into the side before Celtic enjoyed a period of dominance.
David Turnbull swung in a corner to the back stick where Nir Bitton rose highest but headed wide. Celtic then got their goal in the 10th minute.
Turnbull took a quick throw-in and took it back from Liel Abada and curled in a great cross to the back stick for Kyogo to chest the ball in at the back stick. Aberdeen looked fragile, at that point. Abada cracked in a shot that deflected wide and the fear was if Celtic got a quick second it could end up a matter of how many.
Kyogo had the ball in the net again but it was ruled off for a foul by Jota on Calvin Ramsay.
Calvinramsay has won rave reviews this season but in Jota he was facing up to his toughest task yet. The on-loan Benfica winger caused him issues with his trickery and movement, which was shown when he cut inside and fired in a shot that beat Woods but hit the bar. Aberdeen built up pressure from the next corner but ended with Lewis Ferguson firing wide.
Samuels showed his pace with an early run that saw him shoot across the face at the start of the second period. Aberdeen kept pushing and then got their leveller. Ramsay sent in a corner to the near post and Lewis Ferguson got in ahead of Bitton and then watched it loop over Adam Mongomery on the line in the 56th minute.
It was a decent move from Aberdeen but from Celtic it was another cheap goal to give away, which has remained the story of their season so far.
It was Celtic who suddenly looked vulnerable. Ferguson curled a free kick off the Celtic wall and behind before Ramsay sent in a corner that Scott Brown headed towards goal but it was straight at Hart, who pushed it out.
A great diagonal from Ross Mccrorie saw Hayes take it down and fire in a shot that Hart pushed out and Cameron Carter-vickers showed bravery to head away from the waiting Ramirez.
It looked like Aberdeen would get the next goal but Celtic, as they have done so often in the past, stung them.
Sub Rogic released Adam Montgomery and he squared for Jota to tap into the net. The Portuguese star had taken pelters from the Aberdeen fans and ran to celebrate in front of the Red Shed.
Celtic heled on for the points and you saw what it meant to the players and their fans as they celebrated at the final whistle.