An inspired performance from substitute Alistair Johnson helped Celtic break down a dogged Dundee in Glasgow.
Tony Docherty’s men had the first real opportunity of the game as Kasper Schmeichel reacted well to keep Antonio Portales out.
Celtic recovered well, not failing to create chances so much as being unable to put them away. An off-kilter Kyogo Furuhashi guilty of not getting his side in front on a couple of occasions.
Dundee held out as the half ended goalless and it looked as they might secure a point in the second with Celtic unable to put the ball past some heroic goal line defending.
Brendan Rodgers soon turned to full-back Johnston to provide some impetus and was rewarded within minutes, the Canadian scoring in his second successive game with a poacher’s finish.
Buoyed by the goal, Celtic began to attack with more confidence. Not long after going down, Dundee’s Antonio Portales muddled an attempt to clear his poor touch in the box, taking down Furuhashi.
Arne Engels made no mistake from the spot and doubled the lead in the 67th minute.
Two almost became three but for Daizen Maeda’s inability to keep the ball down with his header, instead sending it over the bar.
Celtic would see out the game from then on, collecting another three points to keep them at the top of the table.
Johnston the talisman
When a manager looks to his bench to help break a deadlock, it is unusual to see a right-back be entrusted to lead the charge.
Yet Johnston continues to impress as much up front as he does as part of a backline that has conceded just three league goals all season.
Captaining in Callum McGregor’s absence on Sunday, he scored the second goal in a solid 3-0 win over Motherwell and seems to growing in stature with each passing week.
Rodgers will hope the player can avoid any injuries in the coming days as the side balance three competitions, taking on Aberdeen in the Cup Saturday with RB Leipzig only three days later before travelling to Kilmarnock.
Dundee yet to find winning combination
Undefeated in their opening four games, Dundee have since picked up three points from a possible fifteen as Tony Docherty looks to remedy their slump.
The heavy use of loan signings means squad has undergone an overhaul since the last time the sides met in April, with twelve of the match day side no longer at the club. Owen Beck was always going to be the most difficult to replace, although Simon Murray has been bright spark since his arrival .
Not in any danger this early on, Dundee will have plenty of chances to turn things around. Fans will hope it can be sooner rather than later.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers told Sky Sports::
“It’s one of those ones where you can be more comfortable in the game if you get those early goals with two massive chances in that first period of the game.
“But it was job done. We controlled the game, created chances, should have had more goals and didn’t concede. So we have to be happy.”
Dundee manager Tony Docherty told Sky Sports:
“I thought the boys deserved a clean sheet for the amount of work they put in out of possession.
“I think the penalty is really soft. I think there’s a foul that leads up to it on Mo Sylla. I don’t know why they don’t pick that up. I’ve seen it back.”
Match Officials