Aberdeen 1 - 1 Celtic

Stephen Glass made three changes to the side that defeated Livingston on penalties in the Scottish Cup last Saturday. Joe Lewis missed out with injury, while Connor McLennan and Fraser Hornby started from the bench. Gary Woods continued between the sticks after his debut on Saturday, Callum Hendry and Flo Kamberi both starting the game. Andrew Considine took the captain's armband from Lewis. Jack MacKenzie returned to the bench after being cup tied on Saturday.

There were two changes to the Celtic side that lost 2-0 to Rangers in the Scottish Cup on Sunday with Diego Laxalt dropping to the bench and Kristoffer Ajer missing out altogether. They were replaced by Greg Taylor and Nir Bitton.

The Dons made a strong start and could have been ahead on three minutes. Hendry did well to start the move with a strong tackle 15 yards inside the Celtic half, Kennedy continuing things. He played the ball back inside, McCrorie chipping it forward and Ferguson's looping header curled towards the top corner, Bain clawing it away at full stretch.

Celtic won a free-kick on the edge of the box on nine minutes, Edouard falling awkwardly and landing on McCrorie who needed lengthy treatment before carrying on. Turnbull curled the ball over the wall, Woods diving to his right to punch clear. McCrorie soldiered on for a while but on 15 minutes, he lost the battle and was replaced by Ramsay.

Aberdeen were in front two minutes later after Ramsay won them a flag kick. McGinn fired the corner in from the right wing. Considine was up highest and his powerful header was goalbound but Ferguson was inside the six-yard box to make sure, driving the ball over the line for his tenth goal of the campaign. Ferguson wasn't far away from a second in the 19th minute, Hayes' cross reaching him at the back post, Bain doing well to scramble his downward header to safety.

Celtic should have been on terms as he ran onto a cross from Welsh just inside the box on 20 minutes. His first touch seemed to have opened things up for him but he poked his shot wide of goal. He had another chance two minutes later, a great ball in from Turnbull finding Edouard free eight yards out but as he stretched to direct the ball goalwards, Woods was in the perfect position to save.
Ramsay was away on the overlap on 26 minutes, his cross cleared straight to Ferguson who fired it back at goal first time, Bain down to his left to save sharply at the foot of the post. McGinn wasn't far way in the 28th minute as Aberdeen broke quickly, Hendry onto Kamberi and then Kennedy, but McGinn couldn't hit the target from a tight angle.

Woods made another good save on 39 minutes, Edouard into the box and shaping to score in the far corner, Woods doing well to save with his feet. From the corner, Christie looked to have scored but Ferguson produced a brilliant header off the line to keep the lead intact. Edouard did finally get the ball in the net on 43 minutes, only to be denied by the offside flag.

HALF-TIME: ABERDEEN 1 CELTIC 0

Celtic made a sharper start to the second half and were close to an equaliser on 51 minutes, Edouard hanging in the air to nod a long ball into the run of Turnbull who poked it over the advancing Woods but onto the bar and away to safety. Still trailing, the visitors were forced into a double change when Griffiths and Rogic replaced Christie and Edouard on 61 minutes.

The Dons should have been two up though on 65 minutes, a Brown clearance squirting into the path of Ferguson a dozen yards out and he stabbed the ball past Bain but onto the outside of the post and wide, a glorious chance. A minute later, MacKenzie and McGeouch replaced McGinn and Hendry for Aberdeen.

Celtic kept Aberdeen penned in in the 69th minute, culminating in Turnbull dragging a shot across the face of goal and inches wide of the far post. The Dons were on an electric break on 74 minutes, Ferguson carrying it forward before releasing Hayes. His ball through the box looked bound for Kamberi for a tap in at the far post before Bitton stretched to divert the ball away from him and to safety.

It was an extraordinary 60 seconds for Hayes shortly after, a diving header just past his own post conceding a corner. From the corner, as Aberdeen cleared, Hayes was away on the run, dashing 70 yards forward before, on the edge of the box, going to ground under the challenge of McGregor who looked to have his arm around the Aberdeen man at one point. The Dons were incensed that no foul was given, Stephen Glass receiving a yellow card for his protests.

With ten minutes to go, Dembele replaced Brown for Celtic. In the 85th minute, Turnbull took a whack at McGeouch after the referee had already given the Dons a free-kick and was very fortunate to only see a yellow card.

Celtic won a corner in the final minute of added time, the ball coming to Dembele. He drove the ball across goal, Welsh diverting it wide from eight yards out. But it still wasn't over, Celtic attacking down their left, Elyounoussi spearing a cross to the back post where Griffiths got himself free to nod in and gain a point for Celtic.