Celtic continued their relentless start in the Scottish Premiership with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Ross County in Dingwall, bouncing back from their midweek Champions League mauling against Borussia Dortmund. Despite a sluggish first half and conceding a controversial penalty, late goals from Alistair Johnston and Nicolas Kuhn ensured Brendan Rodgers’ men preserved their perfect start to the domestic campaign.
However, the match in the Highlands was far from straightforward for Celtic. The lingering effects of their 7-1 defeat in Germany seemed to weigh heavily on their performance in the first half, with Ross County capitalizing on an error-strewn display from the visitors. Celtic initially dominated possession, pinning County back with early chances from Adam Idah and Daizen Maeda, but a lack of precision in front of goal let them down.
Celtic’s frustrations compounded in the 43rd minute when Liam Scales was judged to have handled the ball in the penalty area after a VAR check. Ronan Hale’s first penalty was brilliantly saved by Kasper Schmeichel, but controversy struck when a retake was ordered, with the officials deeming Schmeichel had moved off his line. Hale converted at the second attempt, giving Ross County a 1-0 lead and marking Celtic's first league concession of the season.
Brendan Rodgers, who has faced criticism for his involvement in several of Celtic’s heaviest European defeats, found himself needing to change the flow of the game. It wasn’t until after a triple substitution on the hour mark—introducing Kyogo Furuhashi, Luke McCowan, and Paulo Bernardo—that Celtic finally began to impose themselves. The energy and directness brought by the substitutes lifted the tempo, and County found it harder to contain the wave of attacks.
The breakthrough came in the 77th minute. A corner whipped in by Paulo Bernardo was flicked on at the near post by Kyogo, leading to a flurry of action in the box. Johnston was in the right place at the right time to bundle in the equalizer after Callum McGregor’s shot took a deflection, and from that point, Celtic had the momentum.
Ross County’s disciplined defence, which had held firm for much of the match, could not cope with Celtic’s late surge. With just two minutes of regular time remaining, Nicolas Kuhn delivered the moment of quality that ensured all three points. Latching onto a long ball from Johnston, Kuhn burst into the box before cutting inside and curling a low drive into the far corner. It was a superb finish, and his seventh goal of the season sealed a dramatic comeback.
Rodgers’ decision to keep faith in his high-pressing, attacking approach was justified in the end, though some will argue that a more conservative game plan could have made the contest less fraught. Nonetheless, Celtic’s persistence and resilience paid off as they kept their winning streak alive in the league.
Celtic’s perfect record in the Premiership remains intact as they head into the international break. But with tougher challenges ahead, particularly in Europe, questions about Rodgers' tactical adaptability will continue to hover, even as the Hoops sit comfortably atop the domestic table.
