SPFL Archives - Page 9 of 13

SPFL Shelves Premiership Expansion but Eyes Overhaul of Lower Leagues

Plans to alter the structure of Scottish football remain on the table — but any changes to the size of the top-flight division have effectively been ruled out. The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) confirmed that while discussions around league reconstruction are ongoing, there is “no reasonable prospect of achieving consensus” on changing the 12-team format of the Premiership. The current setup — introduced in the 2000-01 season — sees the Premiership split into two halves after 33 matches, with each team playing a further five fixtures within their section of the table. Despite periodic calls for reform, the format remains firmly in place. Below the top tier, the Championship, League One, and League Two each consist of 10 clubs, playing each other four times per season. Promotion and relegation are determined through automatic spots and play-offs, while a pyramid play-off system allows champions of the Highland and Lowland Leagues the opportunity to gain SPFL entry. While the Premiership appears off-limits for now, the SPFL says there is “broad agreement around potential changes” to the structure of the leagues below. A formal consultation process involving clubs and key stakeholders is expected to follow as league officials develop these proposals further.

April 30, 2025

Celtic One Result Away from Title as Post-Split Premiership Fixtures Confirmed

Celtic could secure the Scottish Premiership crown on 26 April when they visit Dundee United, needing just a draw to mathematically confirm their dominance. The reigning champions hold a commanding 15-point advantage over Rangers with only five games left, putting them on the verge of a 13th league title in 14 seasons. In a post-split schedule that raises some familiar concerns about fixture balance, the SPFL has now confirmed the remaining fixtures for both the top and bottom halves of the table. The final Old Firm clash of the campaign is set for Sunday 4 May at Ibrox – a potentially fiery occasion even if the title is already wrapped up. Aberdeen kick off their top-six run with a home tie against Hibernian, while Rangers will travel to face St Mirren in their opener. The top-six fixtures will all conclude on Saturday 17 May with simultaneous 12:30 BST kick-offs. However, the post-split format has once again led to some uneven home-and-away tallies. Hibernian must travel to St Mirren for a third time this season, granting the Buddies 20 home matches and only 18 away. Motherwell, meanwhile, will end their campaign having played 20 away fixtures. It’s the first season since 2017-18 where fixture balance couldn’t be maintained across the league. At the other end of the table, St Johnstone begin their survival bid away to Motherwell. They sit bottom, five points behind the rest with time running out. Just six points separate seventh-placed Hearts from 11th-placed Dundee, with only the side finishing 12th relegated automatically. The team in 11th will enter the play-offs. Bottom-half clubs will conclude their campaigns a day later than the top six, with all games on Sunday 18 May at 15:00 BST. 🔝 Top Six Fixtures Saturday 26 April Dundee United v Celtic (12:30) Aberdeen v Hibernian (15:00) St Mirren v Rangers (15:00) Saturday 3 May Hibernian v Dundee United (15:00) St Mirren v Aberdeen (15:00) Sunday 4 May Rangers v Celtic (12:00) Saturday 10 May Celtic v Hibernian (15:00) Dundee United v St Mirren (15:00) Sunday 11 May Rangers v Aberdeen (12:00) Wednesday 14 May Aberdeen v Celtic (19:45) Rangers v Dundee United (19:45) St Mirren v Hibernian (19:45) Saturday 17 May (All 12:30) Celtic v St Mirren Dundee United v Aberdeen Hibernian v Rangers 🔻 Bottom Six Fixtures Saturday 26 April Hearts v Dundee (15:00) Kilmarnock v Ross County (15:00) Motherwell v St Johnstone (15:00) Saturday 3 May Dundee v Motherwell (15:00) Ross County v Hearts (15:00) St Johnstone v Kilmarnock (15:00) Saturday 10 May Hearts v Motherwell (15:00) Kilmarnock v Dundee (15:00) St Johnstone v Ross County (15:00) Wednesday 14 May Dundee v Ross County (19:45) Hearts v St Johnstone (19:45) Motherwell v Kilmarnock (19:45) Sunday 18 May (All 15:00) Kilmarnock v Hearts Ross County v Motherwell St Johnstone v Dundee

April 15, 2025

Buddies put five past Killie to keep top six hopes alive

St Mirren have ended a four-year winless run against Kilmarnock as they defeated them at home today. It is only Derek McInnes’ 2nd ever defeat to the saints as a manager and his first as the Killie boss. It gives St. Mirren a real boost going into the two final games before the split. For Kilmarnock it sees them teetering over the playoff places at the bottom of the table. Despite the rainy, windy and blustery conditions before kickoff the start of the game greatly contrasted with it, as it was a scintillating opening ten minutes. The Saints press and overlapping runs, put the Killie backline under pressure immediately. It didn’t take long for the opening goal as the saints first shot on goal put them ahead. A low driving shot from Boyd-Munce sizzled past McCrorie. Only moments later the home side put themselves further in front when Ayunga clashed with Mayo in the box leading referee Nick Walsh to point the spot. Idowu adopted a slow run up with a stutter before hitting the ball and he slid it into the back of the net to give the home side a two-goal advantage after only 10 minutes. Despite Killie having most of the possession they failed to capitalise on it. The second half kicked off to improved weather and from the whistle it would appear a better Killie team. However, this was short lived as in the 58th minute the home side went three ahead. A counterattack led to a corner which wasn’t dealt with by the Kille backline. The ball fell to the feet of Boyd-Munce who fired a powerful side foot shot past the keeper. The Saints then began to show their flare upon the hour mark as they began to control the possession of the game and play some good technical football. In the 65th minute the ball fell to Captain Mark O’Hara on the edge of the box. He brought the ball on to his right side and sent a fourth ball into the net of Killie. Only four minutes later the Hawaii Five-o tune blared across the stadium as Declan John received the ball on the left-hand side of the box and fired home the goal of the game with a venomous shot past McCrorie. In the 85th minute Killie were awarded a penalty after Joe Wright was brought down in the box. Anderson fired stopper Hemming but in reality, it was a conciliation goal from an afternoon to forget. After the game Assistant Manager Brian Kerr said; “I think the performance was excellent. I think it’s been coming to be honest. We’ve had real good performances over the last 7/8 weeks without the result to back that up”. A disappointed Derek McInnes said; “St Mirren were hands down smarter than us, more street wise than us and more clinical than us. They thoroughly deserved the three points today”. Killie now return home next Saturday to face off against Motherwell whereas St. Mirren travel up to face Dundee.

March 29, 2025

Celtic Punish St Mirren in Seven-Goal Thriller to Close in on Title

Celtic moved another step closer to retaining the Scottish Premiership title with a pulsating 5-2 victory over St Mirren in Paisley, extending their lead at the top of the table to 16 points. With just three more wins required to seal a fourth consecutive championship, Brendan Rodgers’ side could wrap up the title as early as the first week of April if they overcome Rangers and Hearts in their next two fixtures before heading to Perth to face St Johnstone. St Mirren, however, did not make it easy for the champions-elect, twice clawing their way back into the contest before Celtic’s superior squad depth proved decisive. A late brace from Yang Hyun-jun, either side of a fine Daizen Maeda strike, secured a hard-fought but ultimately emphatic victory for the visitors. Maeda, in sensational form, netted his 13th goal in 12 games, while Yang’s electric two-goal cameo will give Rodgers plenty to consider ahead of the upcoming title-defining fixtures. Celtic edged in front at the break thanks to Jeffrey Schlupp’s first goal for the club, clinically steering the ball inside the post, and an Arne Engels penalty. Sandwiched between was a stunning free-kick from St Mirren’s Declan John, a curling effort that left Kasper Schmeichel with no chance. The Celtic goalkeeper was called into action twice in quick succession before the interval, denying Toyosi Olusanya one-on-one and then reacting superbly to keep out a Mark O’Hara effort. The second half saw further drama as Ryan Alebiousu, having earlier conceded the penalty, redeemed himself by setting up Killian Phillips for a thunderous equaliser that bounced into the net beyond a helpless Schmeichel. However, Celtic’s bench ultimately made the difference. Yang’s introduction injected fresh energy and creativity, and his impact was instant. The South Korean winger assisted Maeda for a cool finish before adding two goals of his own to put the game beyond doubt. Substitute Luke McCowan also struck the post in a vibrant late spell for the visitors. St Mirren Show Fight but Fall Short Manager Stephen Robinson will take pride in his team’s effort despite the defeat. His side pressed Celtic aggressively, created several clear-cut chances, and forced Schmeichel into multiple fine saves. However, they will rue the needless penalty concession that gave Celtic a foothold in the match. Despite the loss, St Mirren remain well in the hunt for a top-six finish, with performances like this proving they are more than capable of competing with the league’s elite. Celtic’s Strength in Depth Shines Through For Rodgers’ side, this was another demonstration of their relentless pursuit of success. Even on a difficult surface and against a stubborn opponent, Celtic’s quality prevailed. Callum McGregor’s rare substitution did little to disrupt their rhythm, with McCowan adding energy and attacking intent. Jota and Yang further tipped the balance in Celtic’s favour, their introductions stretching St Mirren’s tiring defence. Schlupp will be buoyed by his first goal for the club, while Engels continues to impress in his debut season with his 10th goal of the campaign. With a Scottish Cup tie against Hibernian up next, followed by the crunch league showdown with Rangers, Celtic’s momentum remains firmly intact. What They Said St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: “I don’t think many teams press Celtic like that or create that many chances, but we didn’t take enough of them. That’s been the story of our season – we can’t afford a striker that gets 20 goals. There are very good aspects to that performance, but we want to come away with three points.” Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: “I think it’s one of my favourite results of the season, coming to St Mirren, who have put in some really strong performances. It’s a brilliant three points for us. Our attacking play was excellent. On a difficult surface, the players were technically superb.”

March 1, 2025

SPFL Weekly: Five Talking Points

Rangers’ second-half performance saves Barry Ferguson’s embarrassment, Hibbies go 14 games unbeaten and Hearts move into top six. There was also a debut home win for new ‘Well boss Michael Wimmer, St Johnstone closes the gap at the bottom, and Celtic win emphatically in unconvincing display. Here’s our round-up of the big talking points from Matchday 28 in the 2024/25 SPFL season. AvenGERS thrust into blockbuster action A heroic second-half performance saw the Light Blues come from two goals down to defeat Killie 4-2. The script replicated a typical superhero blockbuster with the protagonist struggling against a grave threat, only to overcome it in the picture’s second half. Cyriel Dessers was the hero who saved Barry Ferguson, the man chosen as Phillipe Clement’s successor on Monday. Dessers’ two decisive goals carried the Light Blues into the lead to give the interim manager his first SPFL victory. Throughout the first half, Ranger’s defence was terrorized by Kilmarnock’s front two, Bobby Wales and Marley Watkins, prompting Ferguson to make the bold decision to hook French centre-back Clinton Nsiala after just 30 minutes. A goal from Vaclav Cerny ten minutes before half-time gave them hope, and the team talk from boss Captain Hamilton must have helped rally the gang as his team put on a gritty and determined performance in the second half. A tired Kilmarnock ran out of steam as the game wore on, and the Glasgow side only grew in confidence. Ferguson’s team must continue to perform to close the 13-point gap on Celtic. Is there a Hollywood ending in sight, or is it too little or too late? All eyes will be on this weekend’s sequel as Motherwell visits Ibrox. Unbe-Leith-able! Hibs march on Hibernian extended their unbeaten run to 14 matches after late goals from Kieron Bowie and Junior Hoilett, which gave them a dramatic 3-1 victory at Tannadice. Their goals came after Dundee United had a second-half leader disallowed for handball in the second half following a lengthy VAR check. Jim Goodwin was incensed by the decision, but referee Dermot Gallagher on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch agreed with the VAR’s decision that Sam Dalby headed the ball onto his arm. The positive vibes continue to build in Leith following the announcement that they have signed Aberdeen’s Jamie McGrath on a pre-contract deal, and Hibs owner plans to make £7m donation to cover club losses. Wimmer feels at home Michael Wimmer experienced his first taste of victory on his Fir Park debut following his arrival last week. Attendance last night was at 4,258, and the home fans would have been excited to see how their new boss got their team playing. However, it was set pieces where they looked most dangerous. Defender Dan Casey scored the two goals to stop the Lanarkshire side’s rot, leading them to their first win in eight matches. The game also saw a landmark for ‘Well midfielder Callum Slattery, who made his 100th appearance for the Steelmen, with his first appearance coming against Annan Athletic just over four years ago. The visitors, Dundee, will now look over their shoulder as they have now lost five games in a row, leaving them three points off bottom spot. Jammin’ Jambos into top six Hearts fought a challenging game, coming from behind to beat St Mirren 3-1, which saw them leapfrog the Paisley side. Victory has taken them into the top six for the first time since August. 17-year-old James Wilson got the equaliser and won man of the match, amusingly posing post-match with a bottle of rum that his parents probably don’t want him drinking. The goal that put the Jambos ahead at Tynecastle was by Calem Nieuwenhof, who was making his first start in almost a year. Hearts manager Neil Critchley told BBC Sport after the game: “It was a really tough game. I didn’t think we were at our best, but we’re finding ways to win games. “We weren’t clean or efficient in our play. I wouldn’t say sloppiness but not our usual selves on the ball. But moments went for us, and we showed real grit and resilience.” Hearts now have eight wins in their last 10 in all competitions. Their next game? Hibernian at Easter Road on Sunday. Saints close the gap St Johnstone’s 1-0 victory over top-six hopefuls Ross County significantly boosts their fight for Premiership survival. Only 3 points now separate them and Dundee, who are above them in the play-off relegation spot with 10 games left to play. Fans at McDiarmid Park will feel better about themselves after the win following back-to-back defeats. Mackenzie Kirk’s close-range finish was the decisive goal that, despite a slim scoreline, was a thoroughly deserved result. County ‘keeper Jordan Amissah put in an inspired performance to keep the Saints at bay and the scoreline respectable. Saints Manager Simo Valakari told BBC Sport about the importance of the result: “It was a big win. This match was our most must-win game for our hopes for the rest of the season.” “I’m most happy with how the players performed in this high-pressure game.” County came into this with four wins from their previous five away league games. Their fans were hopeful of the top six but now will have one eye on what’s happening behind them as they still are worryingly close to the relegation play-off spot.

February 27, 2025

Rocky 33 – the story of a career reborn, fit for the silver screen

Hollywood could do worse than take a page out of born again Hibs hero Rocky Bushiri’s script. As he was being helped off the pitch, suffering an injury yet still somehow denying Jota on the line with his final act you could almost hear the whisper ‘Careful, he’s a hero’. For Rocky Bushiri has always had a touch of the super-heroic about him, even if it is Nicky Cadden who wears the mask these days. It’s not just the way he plays, but the way he speaks too. “You work in secret a bit, so you’re ready when you can go again,” he had said about the time spent out of the squad as the season looked set to pass him by. Lurking in the shadows, analysing from the bench as his teammates tumbled from bad result to bad result. Nowadays, Bushiri is his club’s own Superman, the beating heart of a Hibs back-three that has gone thirteen games unbeaten, including the victory over Celtic, condemning the league champions to a second consecutive defeat and resulting in one of Scottish football’s finest spectacles, the moment ‘Sunshine on Leith’ blasts out the tannoys surpassed only by the gusto of the fans who made their appreciation known to the players, “a special moment” to cherish as Gray put it. Yet far from sunshine and rainbows, Rocky’s career could have been the script for the film that carries his name if only Sylvester Stallone hadn’t lived it first, albeit the defender has never had to sell his dog to make it happen. From a young talent on the fast-track to notoriety, Bushiri was breaking records right from the start as he became K.V. Oostende’s youngest ever debutant. The now defunt club’s doors passed through by some familiar faces to fans in the country with none other than Fashion Sakala, Jack Hendry, Ante Palaversa and Ewan Henderson (who spent time with Rocky at Hibs no less) all plying their trade at Oostende at various intervals. There would be a successful loan with Eupen as he cut his teeth in the professional game, the centre-back’s star rising with appearances at the U21 Euros for Belgium and signing for then Premier League side Norwich City in 2019. Then, the 6 foot 2 motor stalled. Three years and no appearances for the Canaries. Loan spells didn’t help much either with a move to Blackpool in League 1 yielding just 7 appearances before being cut short. Manager Simon Grayson saying “We thank him for the bits he did for us, it didn’t quite work out that one”, the indifference for a 20 year old who had only recently uprooted from Belgium somewhat striking. Bushiri’s return to Belgium did little to get the engine going, spells at St Truiden, Mecheleh and a return to Eupen led to 21 appearances across three seasons. Not an ideal platform for development in your formative years. By the time he had joined Jack Ross’ Hibernian on loan in 2022, there remained excitement at the prospect of what the player could bring to a vastly under-perfoming side and whilst game time was forthcoming, the performances fans applaud today were less so. 12 games would bring 11 starts but also 5 yellow cards, including a double against Dundee. The season itself was as chaotic as the managerial changes suggest. Jack Ross (fired), David Gray (caretaker), Shaun Maloney (fired) before a return for caretaker Gray. 0′, 0′, 2′, 90′, 0′ minutes during the split showed just how much Gray believed in the young defender when it came to the crunch. An ignomonious end to a season but joy of a loan move made permanent was overshadowed by the rumours that the club had forgotten the agreement with Norwich had a clause that forced them to Bushiri after a certain number appearances. Hibs would call it a canard but the rumour was supported by the fact that Bushiri’s name appeared on the list of players set to leave the club at the end of the season. It didn’t stop there either, Bushiri’s name became entangled once again with a club failing to master the fundamentals of administration. Playing 90 minutes against Morton in the League Cup despite having been suspended, resulting in a 3-0 forfeit and swift exit from the competition. Rocky needed an Adrian, but he was surrounded by Paulies. Injury capped off insult for once as the next season saw Rocky miss 17 games with an ankle injury despite having gone from a player Lee Johnson said “he was probably happy to move on” to one “he wouldn’t sell for £10m”. Last season looked set to be a breakout season for the player who, whilst not exactly earning acclaim outside the confines of Easter Road, was at least starting consistently. Then came David Gray, and this time no more Mr Interim. This was a manager who hadn’t shown much faith in the defender’s abilities in the past and the signings of Warren O’Hora, Marvin Ekpiteta and Jack Iredale in the summer could have told you that he was didn’t have much of it for the future. And so it was, Bushiri would sit on the bench for 15 league games, giving his seat the appearance of memory foam, playing just 7 minutes of SPFL football. Hibs were rock bottom of the table, injuries began to bite the side and Gray was forced to bring the by now DR Congo international in from the cold. A 4-1 defeat to Dundee looked to be the last straw for both of them, and then … Pandemonium. There’s only one word for a game that made absolutely no sense. A flying Aberdeen side with just one defeat to date arrived in Edinburgh accompanied by a narrative that had been swelling with each passing week and looked set to unfold as expected. The side had conceded the most goals after scoring first had … conceded two goals after scoring first. 2-1 down with added time running out before the

February 26, 2025

SPFL Matchday 1: Five Talking Points

Rangers gave Philippe Clement his marching orders, Hibernian defeated a lethargic Celtic, there was no new manager bounce for Motherwell, and the cool-as-ice Kabangu kept Hearts ticking. Meanwhile, Ross County continued their push for the top six, and Aberdeen stave off capitulation with back-to-back wins. Here’s our round-up of the big talking points from Matchday 27 in the 2024/25 SPFL season. Clement sacked – Who’s next? Rangers 2-0 home defeat to St Mirren was the straw that broke the camel’s back. A dismal showing at Ibrox sealed Philippe Clement’s fate in a week filled with speculation about a potential US-led takeover by San Francisco 49ers’ investors. His dismissal came just hours after our report last night, which anticipated the club’s official announcement. After the match, Clement apologised to the fans, telling BBC Sport: “I can only say sorry and apologise [to the Rangers fans] from me and the team. This is not what Rangers teams need to show on the pitch. We all know this was by far below the standards we all expect.” However, for Rangers supporters, it was too little, too late. Some even set up a JustGiving page to fund his rumoured £1.2 million compensation fee. During his 16-month tenure, Clement showed rare glimpses of promise, particularly in Europe, where Rangers secured automatic qualification for the Europa League round of 16. Yet, he struggled to translate those performances into domestic success, leaving the club 13 points adrift of league leaders Celtic. Attention now turns to his long-term successor, with former Everton boss Sean Dyche, ex-Rangers title-winning manager Steven Gerrard, club legend Barry Ferguson, and former Light Blues midfielder Gennaro Gattuso all linked. Ferguson has been announced by the club to manage until the end of the season. VAR controversy mars heroic Hibs performance The heat on VAR grows with Brendan Rodgers’ latest comments following Celtic’s 2-1 defeat to Hibernian. An equaliser for Celtic was ruled out in the second half after the VAR overruled the on-field officials. Their decision was that Alistair Johnston crossed the ball after it was out of play, with the linesman originally calling it in. Regarding the controversy, Rodgers told BBC Sport: “I was very disappointed we didn’t get that, especially when the linesman didn’t think it was out. He probably has the best view. “I don’t know how you can tell the ball is definitely out from an image from the 18-yard line. We need to see evidence the ball was out. If you don’t have that, you’re having a guess.” However, the debate surrounding the decision has unfairly overshadowed Hibernian’s outstanding and fully deserved performance. They fought with grit and determination to withstand Celtic’s attacks while capitalising on a fatigued Hoops defence in transition. A defining moment came when Rocky Bushiri heroically cleared the ball off the goal line following a surging run from Jota, sparking a deafening roar from the home crowd. By the final whistle, as Sunshine on Leith echoed around Easter Road, there could be no denying that Hibs had earned their moment of celebration. No new manager bounce for the ‘Well One could forgive the neutral fan who gave little thought to this fixture last weekend. However, there has been renewed interest following the appointment of Michael Wimmer as Motherwell’s manager. The German spoke about bringing “intensity, energy, and passion” to proceedings. Still, there was little evidence of this in the first half of a 1-0 defeat to Dundee United. Both sides came into the game in poor form, but the Tangerines struck first and stopped the Lanarkshire side from having a new manager bounce. The visitors did react positively in the second half but lacked the clinical edge to get back into the match. On the second-half performance, Wimmer told BBC Sport: “We can work with the second half. It was really good. It was aggressive, we had opportunities, and we played forward. That’s what we want to see.” The Steelmen are now on their joint longest losing streak in ten years and worryingly looking over their shoulders at the teams behind them in the table. Kabangu injection saves Hearts Nine years ago, the Perth club witnessed a bejewelled Elton John in a stellar concert at McDiarmid Park, singing hits such as Crocodile Rock and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. This weekend, they saw another Elton dazzle before their eyes. Elton Kabangu, the January recruit from Hearts. The Belgian scored twice in a 2-1 away victory to see Hearts look towards the top six and European places. Putting aside last week’s disappointing home result to Rangers, where he failed to take his chances, he was a thorn in the Saints’ side throughout and put away two clinical finishes to take his toll up to six goals from seven games. Hearts boss Neil Crichtley told BBC Sport about his performance: “I’m delighted for Elton Kabangu to get two goals after his disappointment last week. He’s such a great personality to have at the training ground every day. I thought he was fantastic again.” The Saints are running out of games to turn things around, languishing six points adrift at the bottom of the table. Their manager, Simo Valakari, joined the club in October to do just that. With each passing game, that is looking increasingly less likely, and preparations for the Championship may lie ahead. Battle for top six Ross County is on an excellent run of form, with five wins from their last 9. Their only two defeats from that run came against the two Glasgow giants. They came from behind this weekend to beat Dundee 3-1. On the performance, Cowie told BBC Sport: “I was most pleased with how we responded to going behind, we were not spooked by it and deservedly got back in the game at 1-1. “We came out the traps flying after half-time and scored two goals. A fantastic win, and it keeps the momentum going.” The man from Inverness has given the Dingwall fans hope, as the club is only two points off the

February 24, 2025

Dundee 3-3 Celtic: Player ratings from Dens Park

Oluwaseun Adewumi’s shines against another Old Firm side whilst Auston Trusty can have no complaints. Dundee 3-4-2-1 Trevor Carson (capt) Continues to put his body on the line but should have done better collecting Kyogo’s low cross for second. 6 Clark Robertson Dealing with such a potent Celtic attack is no easy job but confusion with Carson leads to Celtic regaining lead. 6 Ryan Astley Kept Idah quiet all night and did little wrong despite the scoreline. 7 Aaron Donnelly Did not come off too badly in duel with Kyogo and got the better of Trusty to score an all important goal. 8 Josh Mulligan Lovely feet and worked absolutely tirelessly down the right hand side. His deflected cross for an own goal saw him end the night with an assist. 8 Ethan Ingram His biggest impact comes in attack and has shown he can mix it with the best taking on full backs. However should have tracked McCowan for opener and was beaten by Kyogo’s ball for second. 5 Mo Sylla Strong on the ball and continues to be a good outlet to build attacks. Unfortunate however to give away penalty with handball in dying moments. 6 Cesar Garza Built on a solid first outing for more of the same. A nicely balanced skillset and his tackle helped set Simon Murray off for the counter. 7 Finlay Robertson No Cameron no problem as the midfielder bagged not one, but fine assists on the night. A physical presence giving Celtic’s defenders no rest. 8 Oluwaseun Adewumi Almost followed McGregor to the bathroom at half time such was his proficiency in man marking. Attacked with verve and scored a terrific goal after a tidy bit of footwork to get space from Johnston. What a job Dundee have done to extend his loan. 8 Simon Murray Continues to be every defender’s most irritating opponent. Looking for contact and earning his side free kicks up the park. As mentioned, burst of pace helped create second. Yellow for abusing the referee put a dampener on the striker’s evening. 7 SUBSTITUTES: Seb Palmer-Houlden (for Murray 82′) n/a; Lyall Cameron (for Robertson 87′) Bedbound with illness this week but part of bench that had too little time to make a positive impact and were not at fault for equaliser n/a; Scott Tiffoney (for Garza 87′) n/a. Celtic (4-1-4-1) Kasper Schmeichel Little he could do about first and third but arguably could have covered himself with a little more glory as Adewumi’s effort slipped past him. 6 Alistair Johnston A player who has become almost irreplaceable for Rodgers, filling in at right back, winger, centre mid, you name it. However as he will no doubt know, little errors cost games and he did not cover openside of goal well enough for second. 7 Auston Trusty Performance tonight will give Kilmarnock and Young Boys a little boost. Almost gave away a penalty before being beaten in the air by Donnelly. 4 Cameron Carter-Vickers A strong presence in the first half but look unrecognisable after the break as he began to fade. Unlucky but conceded an own goal all the same. 5 Greg Taylor Lacks the same impact Johnston has down the right and wasn’t helped by a lack of chemistry with Yang. Was launching himself into tackles by the way, giving the impression of desperation. 5 Callum McGregor (capt) Barely got a sniff due to Adewumi’s marking but looked threatening with rare opportunities when he managed to get away. 6 Yang Hyun-Jun God loves a trier and the winger continues to give everything but often without meaningful end product. However he grabbed a much needed goal for his efforts after getting his positioning spot on the score a header. 6 Paulo Bernardo Game was his for the taking if he was looking to play himself into a more permanent starting berth but failed to grab it. Agonisingly close with a header that hit the crossbar but being taken off after an hour tells you about the belief Rodgers had in his ability to create a winner. Booked before coming off. 6 Luke McCowan An early goal gave Celtic a much needed head start. Found himself filling in a right back with Johnston went forward as his impact lessened before being subbed off to applause from both sets of fans. 6 Kyogo Furuhashi Even on his quieter days Kyogo is a different class. Couple of crosses not met by anyone before Yang finally made one count. Electric movement kept Dundee on their toes. Impact lessened when moved up front. 7 Adam Idah Another difficult evening for the striker whose last league goal dates back to November. Needs to show more of the player who won the Scottish Cup Final last year. 5 SUBSTITUTES: Arne Engels (for Bernardo 61′) Not a brilliant first half hour but delivered when it mattered to rescue a point with penalty 7; Nicolas Kuhn (for Idah 61′) Immediate impact before shot gave Celtic the penalty 7; Reo Hatate (for McCowan 61′) Did not quite match output of previous two but ammended sloppy passing in midfield 6; Luis Palma (for Taylor 71′) A couple of spurts down the left but not much more 6; Alex Valle (for Yang 71′) Game at that stage did not seem to require his contributions 6.

January 15, 2025

Hibernian 3-1 Motherwell: Player ratings from Easter Road

Nectar Triantis ran the show as Stephen O’Donnell struggled wearing the armband. Hibernian (3-4-1-2) Jordan Smith Little do before being beaten by the free kick. 6 Jack Iredale Looked untroubled until his needless foul outside the box allowed Motherwell back into the game. 6 Rocky Bushiri Confident on the ball and strong in the tackle. Enjoyed a relatively quiet night. On his way to cult hero status in Leith. 7 Warren O’Hara Like his partners at the back was solid at the back and kept a close eye on Maswanhise, keeping the forward who was brought on to shake things up quiet. 7 Nicky Cadden The talisman took an early knock to the face leaving a bit of blood. Brought off before he could really make an impact. n/a Dylan Levitt Solid on return to the team. Looks to be doing the things asked of him by the manager. Clearly blowing by the time he was brought off on the hour mark. 7 Nectar Triantis Couple of wayward passes but ran the game from the middle of the park. Strong interception followed by a lovely finish capped off a fine evening. 8 Chris Cadden Found space down the right early but nobody to meet the crosses. Won his duels with Sparrow. 7 Josh Campbell Pulled up his shorts in anger after wasting a good attacking opportunity. Like the other two, kept things simple which was what the game required. 7 Dwight Gayle Looks every bit the experienced player his CV suggests but frustrated by like of chances created for him. No doubt he will know the three points come first. 6 Martin Boyle (capt) Good position for opener with a cool, calm and collected penalty for the second. A player reborn in recent weeks now with four goals from his last two games. 8 SUBSTITUTES: Jordan Obita (for N. Cadden 19′) Difficult job in replacing Cadden but did very well. Assist for the first and defended resolutely in unfamiliar role 8; Lewis Miller (for C. Cadden 62′) Strong in the air and combined well with Hoilett 7; Junior Hoilett (for Gayle 62′) Kept Motherwell defenders on back foot to see out game 7; Hyeokku Kwon (for Levitt 62′) Brought the energy required maintain control of the game without having too much work to do 7; Nathan Moriah-Welsh (for J. Campbell 77′) Had little time to make an impact but no errors is all you can ask for at that stage 6; Motherwell (3-5-1-1) Archie Mair Not an ideal debut but as was not at fault for any of the goals. Will hope for a more positive outing after the first 24 hours of his time at the club. 6 Shane Blaney The yellow card he earned showed just how on the ropes Motherwell were before the break. 5 Kofi Balmer Hardly a frenetic game but struggled when it counted. 5 Paul McGinn Composed presence until head injury forced him off early on. 6 Ewan Wilson Sloppy in possession and at fault for the second goal. Hooked at the break. 4 Kai Andrews Added a bit of dynamism on the ball but like teammates, lacked bravery going forward. 5 Andy Halliday Game passed him by. Taken off with Wilson at half-time. 4 Tom Sparrow A few runs down the left but was easily contained. Looked more dangerous when cutting in but did not try it enough. 5 Stephen O’Donnell Captain in the absence of Lennon Miller. Did not step up to the plate. Gave away penalty that killed the game and had little to no impact going forward. 4 Tony Watt Not the most potent goalscorer but tries to use physicality to occupy defenders. Should have done better with the two headers he put over the bar. 5 Jack Vale Not much you can do when starved of the ball but ended the game with a straight red as the game had seconds to go. Punishing an already threadbare squad even further. 4 SUBSTITUTES: Dan Casey (for McGinn 33′) Struggled to command the backline in place of captain 5; Tawanda Maswanhise (for Halliday 46′) Showed flashes of what has made him one of the side’s best but couldn’t get into gear 5; Marvin Kaleta (for E. Wilson 46′) Had a half to make an impact but hardly saw the ball 5; Callum Slattery (for Sparrow 70′) Fantastic free-kick and had some impetus going forward at least 7; Moses Ebiye (for Watt 70′) No league goal since September and didn’t look like to end the drought tonight 5.

January 12, 2025

Amissah heroics can’t stop Celtic trouncing to open 18 point gap

Ross County 1 (0) J. White 60′ (pen) Celtic 4 (1) K. Furuhashi 40′, 81′, A. Engels 90+6′ (pen), L. McCowan 90+8′ An inspired Celtic met County’s resistance with brute force, putting four past the home side despite the heroics of keeper Jordan Amissah to extend their lead to 18 points, albeit having played a game more than Rangers. Having banged on the door for forty minutes, Kyogo Furuhashi was the heartbreaker as he met Alistair Johnston’s bouncing cross for a cool finish. Unfortunately the right back was at fault for County’s response, having pushed Phillips in the back as he tried to meet 14s cross with Jordan White making no mistake from the spot. That was as good as it got for the home side as Arne Engels escaped his marker to send a dipping ball into the box met by the onrushing Kyogo with nine minutes of normal time left to play. Once opened, the floodgates could not be closed in the dying moments of the game. James Brown’s foul on Yang Hyun-Jun saw Engels convert the penalty with his second attempt after Amissah’s save was denied after he was adjudged to have stepped off his line. Demonstrating the gulf in class, Luke McCowan added the fourth eight minutes into added time as the midfielder completed a devastating counter attack for the visitors. Striker Adam Idah had a chance to add a goal of his own early on, collecting the ball from Kyogo’s effort but could not hit the target. Getting himself involved on the wing, Idah provided an accurate cross to tee up Alistair Johnstone’s flick behind the leg but Amissah was equal to it. County will rue not having taken their chances when the score was level, Josh Nisbet having poached the ball off Auron Trusty laid the ball into the feet of Noah Chilvers who should have done better than fire wide. In yet another moment of class, Amissah’s reflexes were on hand to deny Kyogo as Celtic pushed for an opener after Idah’s header back to the Japanese forward’s feet was brilliantly stopped just in front of the line. At hand to deny Celtic yet again, the keeper produced a terrific double save to first keep Idah out before batting Kyogo’s effort away. Yang and Alex Valle would have their turn at trying to beat the shot stopper but the German loanee made sure their names would not be added to the score sheet. Despite three wins from five, County could find themselves in the relegation play off place should Hearts get a result against Aberdeen. Attendance: 6,254 Line-ups: Ross County (3-5-1-1): J. Amissah, E. Campbell, K. Lopata (J. Grieves 53’), A. Wright, G. Harmon, N. Kenneh (J. White 46’), C. Randall (c) (V. Loturi 85’), N. Chilvers, J. Brown, J. Nisbet (S. Allardice 85’), R. Hale (K. Phillips 46’) Substitutes: S. Allardice, J. Grieves, J. Hamilton, R. Lamie, V. Loturi, K. Phillips, J. Reid, C. Telfer, J White Celtic (4-1-4-1): K. Schmeichel, Alex Valle (L. Scales 85’), A. Trusty, C. Carter-Vickers, A. Johnston, C. McGregor (c), Yang Hyun-Jun, R. Hatate (L. McCowan 73’), A. Engels, K. Furuhashi, A. Idah (J. Kenny 73’) Substitutes: D. Cummings, Paulo Bernardo, J. Kenny, L. McCowan, A. Montgomery, A. Ralston, L. Scales, V. Sinisalo, G. Taylor Referee: Matthew MacDermid