Celtic avoid shock defeat but sloppy stars fail to impress as Dundee denied 13,260-day first

Six-goal thriller has Dens Park convulsing

So it is 13,260 days and counting. Dundee's long wait for a win over Celtic at Dens Park goes on in the cruellest of denouements for the dark blues.

September 26, 1988 remains the last time the Dee were able to celebrate a win over their visitors from Celtic Park. That autumn day, Tommy Coyne netted the only goal. They've paid some penance since.

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This one will hurt, though. Behind not once but twice, Dundee showed commendable spirit to level and then lead going into stoppage time. But Celtic - as sloppy as they were - so often find a way to evade defeat. This time it was a 92nd-minute penalty from Engels to rescue a 3-3 draw in the sort of dramatic match you never want to end.

Celtic's Arne Engels scores from the penalty spot to make it 3-3 against Dundee at Dens Park. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)Celtic's Arne Engels scores from the penalty spot to make it 3-3 against Dundee at Dens Park. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)
Celtic's Arne Engels scores from the penalty spot to make it 3-3 against Dundee at Dens Park. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Early on, this had the gait of a mightily uncomfortable evening for Tony Docherty's men. Former Dundee darling Luke McCowan, on his first return to Dens Park since moving to Celtic last summer, opened the scoring on five minutes with a delicious cushioned header and Celtic appeared capable of scoring at will before Dundee levelled just before the break. After the interval, we were treated to a humdinger.

Celtic were uncharacteristically sloppy. Their foundation in Cameron Carter-Vickers rocked under the threat of a Dundee tremor in the thundering duo of Simon Murray and Seun Adewumi, while his sidekick Auston Trusty was uncomfortable throughout. Such a slip will likely do little to harm Celtic's title charge but they have shown some Premiership cracks since the turn of the year. Nevertheless, they are 16 points clear at the top.

McCowan's goal on five minutes - created by a lovely Greg Taylor cross on his 200th Celtic appearance - ought to have been added to by Adam Idah and Paulo Bernardo. Idah's 12-game barren run goes on, the Irishman once again an impotent force and hooked on the hour mark. Both missed excellent chances before Adewumi showed the composure Idah currently lacks after a rapid counter attack.

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Celtic's Luke McCowan holds his hands up to Dundee fans after scoring against his former club. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)Celtic's Luke McCowan holds his hands up to Dundee fans after scoring against his former club. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)
Celtic's Luke McCowan holds his hands up to Dundee fans after scoring against his former club. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Stung by Dundee's leveller, Celtic raced out of the traps after the break and re-established their lead when Kyogo Furuhashi's low cross was turned into the air by Trevor Carson, with Yang Hyun-Jun on hand to loop a header into the unguarded net.

Unperturbed, Dundee replied a minute later. Josh Mulligan's low ball towards the six-yard box looked dangerous but Carter-Vickers ensured it would end in a goal by diverting the ball past an already committed Kasper Schmeichel.

With the tails up, Dundee pushed on. Adewumi planted a header just the wrong side of the post. Rodgers called for a cavalry charge on the hour mark, with subs Reo Hatate, Engels and Nicolas Kuhn summoned.

Aaron Donnelly celebrates after putting Dundee 3-2 ahead against Celtic. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)Aaron Donnelly celebrates after putting Dundee 3-2 ahead against Celtic. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)
Aaron Donnelly celebrates after putting Dundee 3-2 ahead against Celtic. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group) | SNS Group

They did not halt the flow of the game. Dundee wanted this. The clock struck 79 minutes. Corner-kick. Robertson whipped in the mother of all deliveries to the back post and Aaron Donnelly rose to nod his approval high past Schmeichel. Bedlam in the home end.

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Now to hold on. Dens Park convulsed. Five minutes of stoppage time were signalled. You could sense it - it's what Celtic do. Kuhn shimmied into the box, unleashed a fierce drive that was blocked by the arm of Mo Sylla. Clear penalty. Engels held his nerve and popped Dundee's balloon. Thirteen thousand, two hundred and sixty days and counting.

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