Late Kuhn winner rescues Celtic at Ross County

Nicholas Kuhn was Celtic’s hero as he scored late to maintain their winning start after their clean sheet record was ended by Ross County.

The Hoops were looking to bounce back from their Champions League disappointment to set a new record of seven league wins without conceding, but Liam Scales’ first-half handball saw that end.

Ronan Hale scored from the penalty spot at the second attempt after Kasper Schmeichel came off his line to save the first.

Ross County were unbeaten in three and not in the mood for that run to end as their defence stood up to any challenge until the 76th minute when Alistair Johnston forced Callum McGregor’s ball into the net.

Brendan Rodgers’ side pushed for a winner and Kuhn curled a shot into the far corner late on to spark wild celebrations from the Hoops support.

Celtic stay top of the Premiership going into the international break as County remain seventh.

Dingwall delight after Dortmund dismantling

Brendan Rodgers had asked for his players to “bounce back even higher” from their Dortmund defeat but, although they had 80 percent of the first-half possession, Schmeichel was the busier goalkeeper.

After Elijah Campbell’s brilliant last-ditch challenge prevented Kuhn converting Daizen Maeda’s square ball, he had to get down to deny Hale after a long ball and Noah Chilvers came close from the rebound.

The Celtic goalkeeper made two more comfortable saves from headers and Maeda missed the visitors’ best chance of the half when he sent a free header wide from Johnston’s cross.

The key first-half moment came when Michee Efete’s cross hit the raised arm of Scales and Kevin Clancy ultimately pointed to the spot after being called to the monitor by video assistant Nick Walsh.

Schmeichel did his best to unnerve Hale, who also had to put up with the noise and drumbeat from the travelling fans behind the goal, and the Denmark international dived to his right to stop the spot-kick.

However, Clancy ordered a retake with VAR spotting the Celtic ‘keeper was well off his line and Hale fired an unstoppable penalty into the bottom corner second time around for his seventh goal in 11 matches since joining from Cliftonville.

There were scares for Celtic either side of the interval.

Schmeichel spilled Josh Nisbet’s shot but it squirmed wide and Hale came close to chipping the goalkeeper from 40 yards after Johnston had gifted possession to County near the centre circle in his own half. The striker’s effort sailed over the ‘keeper’s head but drifted just off target.

County were still making life difficult for Celtic’s attackers and Callum McGregor tried to take matters into his own hands by bursting into the box, but he placed his shot just wide.

Ross Laidlaw had his first test following Maeda’s one-two with Hatate and the goalkeeper saved from close range with the help of Efete’s lunging tackle.

Celtic’s substitutes added some impetus and the pressure told following Paulo Bernardo’s corner. Laidlaw kept out Kyogo Furuhashi’s flick but was beaten when McGregor’s follow-up diverted off Johnston.

The reigning champions had registered just three shots on target before Johnston’s equaliser. They were far from their best but it then seemed inevitable that they would take all three points in the Highlands.

County were sliced open by one Johnston pass from deep and Kuhn blistered down the right and rippled the far side of the net with a sweet strike.

Rodgers: You can’t always be perfect

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers speaking to Sky Sports:

“We were a bit slow first half, no movement, no penetration. The speed on the ball was slow, so there wasn’t really a lot happening. We had the ball, but we weren’t doing anything with it.

“There’s no easy game, especially after European games, but a very, very good result for us against the team that’s very well organised and tough to break down.

“Nothing surprises you, it’s just we needed to be faster. We’re just too slow on it.

“I thought it was too comfortable in the first half, we had lots of the ball, but not penetrating enough. Sometimes that can happen, you can’t always be perfect.

“Second half, I thought the guys coming into the game, Paolo [Bernardo] and Luke [McCowan] were really outstanding. We had the bench to affect the game and, thankfully, that worked well for us.”

Cowie: So close to a valuable point

Ross County boss Don Cowie on Sky Sports:

“I’m disappointed for the boys. I thought they put in an unbelievable effort against a top-quality team.

“We worked ever so hard to limit them as much as we could. Getting the goal gives you energy, it gives you a belief and we got so close to a valuable point.

“He’s [Ronan Hale] a goal scorer, he hits the ball really clean. One thing I would say to him is he needs to, for penalties, put his foot through a bit more because of how sweetly I see the way he hits the ball in training.

“Great character from him stepping up again.

“I’m really happy with what I’m seeing in terms of that, that togetherness. We’ve come up against two really good teams in the last two weeks.

“Of course, we can be better in terms of us going forward and that’s something we need to look at how we carry more of a threat. When you’re playing against a team like Celtic, first and foremost you have to think about how you’re going to defend.”

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