Celtic crumbled in front of the Yellow Wall but this time they smashed through a brick one in the Highlands.
Nicolas Kuhn’s late hammer blow bagged all three points when it looked like resilient Ross County were going to pull off the kind of rugged defensive display the Hoops could have done with a few days earlier in Dortmund. Brendan Rodgers’ men struggled to shake their Champions League hangover and the Staggies came closer than anyone to ending Celtic’s 100 per cent record. But a touch of quality and a whole lot of desire ensured the Parkhead men made a breakthrough after an afternoon banging their head against a wall. And it’s another reason why this side are going to take some shifting this season.
Celtic were miles off their best. The shellshock from the seven-goal battering by Borussia was still apparent in a low-key opening period when County sat tight and then sprung a surprise when Liam Scales was caught on camera using an arm to divert Michee Efete’s cross.
In-form Ronan Hale showed nerves of steel to beat Kasper Schmeichel from the spot after being ordered to retake his first miss for the keeper straying off his line. And by the time Rodgers was forced into making several subs, it looked nailed on for a day when points were dropped. Yet his side refused to accept the memo. Even a point wasn’t going to cut it when Alistair Johnston managed to smuggle an equaliser as the chase was on for a winner.
It wasn’t quite like the famous Tony Ralston 96th-minute one in these parts a couple of seasons ago, but Kuhn’s finish with two minutes left caused a similar explosion in the away end. Getting the job down when not quite firing on all cylinders is the mark of champions. But it was cruel on County after holding firm for so long. Hale – who has now scored seven for the season – was superb and wasn’t far off a sensational second.
Plenty of his pals weren’t far behind and on this form the Highlanders shouldn’t need to worry too much about what’s going on towards the foot of the table. Celtic will just be glad to get out of town with their unbeaten run intact. There were a few signs of post-BVB PTSD, mind you. Returning to Premiership duty is usually like slipping on a pair of cosy old pyjamas compared to a night spent in the Champions League iron maiden. But this turned out to be another uncomfortable experience for Celts.
There wasn’t quite the usual break-neck start but more a slow and steady stream of constant pressure built on possession. Celts were chasing shadows at times in midweek but it was a role reversal against County. Rodgers’ men knocked it around for fun but it wasn’t so straightforward against Cowie’s organised outfit.
It shouldn’t have come as a surprise. County were unbeaten in three games going in and it would have been three wins from three if not for a late Hearts leveller last week. The Staggies were solid in their shape – and it was the Highlanders who carved out a cracking chance midway through the first half when danger man Hale wriggled free into some space.
His low drive was beaten out by Schmeichel before Noah Chilvers drilled the rebound just wide. It was a warning to a Celtic side who’d only threatened with a couple of near sniffs until that point, with Daizen Maeda and Alex Valle blasting over. By the time Maeda nodded over Johnston’s ball there was some mild frustration setting in.
And it rose a notch a few minutes before the interval when VAR stepped in after Efete’s cross was diverted off the arm of Scales and ref Kevin Clancy was convinced by the replays. That wasn’t the end of the shenanigans as Hale’s original spot-kick was saved by Schmeichel – only for the official to order it to be retaken for the keeper coming off his line.
This time Hale superbly held his nerve to drill low into the corner and give the Staggies something to hold on to. Which was something Schmeichel couldn’t do soon after when Josh Nisbet’s low 25-yard dig squirmed just wide of the post.
And the scares kept coming after it as the Staggies sensed the chance to pounce when Celts got sloppy. Like when Hale latched on to a poor square ball from Johnston and spotted Schmeichel off his line. The cheeky lob from miles out would have been sensational, but the audacious attempt dipped just over the bar.
Celtic raised the tempo before Rodgers made his major alterations. Callum McGregor wasn’t far off when he waltzed into the box before snagging his effort just wide.
Moments later Ross Laidlaw superbly spread himself to deny Maeda after a slick one-two with Hatate, with the latter volleying over before being replaced along with Engels and Idah. The subs tried to find a spark and Kyogo’s delicious back flick almost got Nicholas Kuhn through until Kacper Lopata intervened in the nick of time.
But the Hoops skipper found a way through with 16 minutes to go with a ton of pressure and a hit of good fortune when the ball broke to McGregor from a corner and his drive smashed off Johnston and spun into the net.
Celtic went on the charge for a winner and there was an inevitability in its arrival with just two minutes left. Johnston was supplier with a ball to split the Staggies backline and Kuhn was lethal as he cut on to his trusty left peg to drill into the bottom corner and break County’s strong resistance.