Aberdeen 1 Celtic 3

Scottish Premier League
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen

TODAY’S TEAM-LINES:
ABERDEEN (4-4-2) Soutar; Hart, McNamara, Diamond, Considine; Nicholson, Severin, J Smith, Clark; Mackie, Brewster.
Subs: Langfield, Lovell, Foster, Touzani, Miller, D Smith, Maguire.
CELTIC (4-4-2) Boruc; Wilson, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor; Nakamura, Donati, S Brown, McGeady; McDonald, Vennegoor of Hesselink.
Subs: M Brown, Sno, O’Dea, Miller, Hartley, Killen, Pressley.
OFFICIALS: Charlie Richmond (referee), Stuart Macaulay and John Bicknell (assistants) and John Underhill (fourth official).

The game opens with Scott Severin sending a speculative effort, from around 40 yards out, spinning over the crossbar.

Appeals for a penalty after Chris Clark breaks into the box and goes down under a challenge from Stephen McManus.

Gary Caldwell concedes a free kick 28 yards out, in front of goal. Jamie Smith takes it and lifts a curling effort at goal that Artur Boruc palms to safety.

Scott McDonald and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink combine inside the box, with the little Australian setting up his strike partner with a neat return. The Dutchman then drills his effort wide of target.

Craig Brewster receives treatment after falling heavily under a strong challenge from Donati on the halfway line.

Barry Nicholson comes close with a diving header at the back post after a deep cross into the box from Jamie Smith on the left.

Brewster again receives treatment, with the blood pouring from an open wound on his forehead. The striker then leaves the field to get stitches.

Brewster again receives treatment, with the blood pouring from an open wound on his forehead. The striker then leaves the field to get stitches.

Gary Caldwell and Darren Mackie spoken to after the pair become involved in a series of tussles, with Caldwell throwing Mackie to the ground after claiming he had been hit by an elbow.

Attempt on goal from Scott Brown rebounds off of Vennegoor of Hesselink at the edge of the box.

Speculative effort from Zander Diamond from over 30 yards out sails high over the bar.

GOAL - Aberdeen take the lead through Craig Brewster. Move starts when ref fails to blow for an obvious foul on Aiden McGeady. Ball breaks to Nicholson who drives a low ball across goal that Mackie misses but Brewster converts at the back post.

Scott McDonald puts a free header at the back post wide of the target.

McDonald clips another effort wide of target from around 25 yards out, after Nakamura and Vennegoor of Hesselink combined nicely on the right.

Mackie breaks into the box and after jinking to the left and right, unleashes a shot which is blocked and then cleared by Boruc.

Michael Hart receives treatment after taking a knock in a collision with McGeady. McGeady also hurt, but recovers quickly.

Barry Nicholson delivers a great ball into the box from the right, which is just inches from finding the head of Mackie seven yards out.

Massimo Donati sends a shot spinning wide from the edge of the box.

Artur Boruc collects a long-range shot from Mackie on the goal-line at the second attempt.

HALF-TIME - whistle sounds after Nakamura flashes a free-kick over the bar. Four minutes of time added on played.

SECOND HALF - game restarts with both sides unchanged.

Charlie Richmond provokes the anger of the Celtic players by awarding Aberdeen a free-kick 30 yards out after a fair challenge by McManus. Boruc saves the first effort, with the referee ordering a re-take before Gary Caldwell clears.

Darren Mackie beats the offside trap and unleashes a shot, from eight yards out, which goes wide of target.

Celtic awarded a free-kick just over 20 yards out, right in front of goal after Michael Hart blatantly and delibaretly handles the ball. The referee then refuses to book the Aberdeen man, with Nakamura sending the resulting free-kick crashing off the crossbar.

Shunsuke Nakamura curls a shot from just inside the box over the bar. Aiden McGeady then comes close with another long-range effort.

Aberdeen substitution, Lee Miller replaces Brewster.

Aberdeen substitution - Richard Foster replaces Jamie Smith.

Mark Wilson booked for a sliding

Vennegoor of Hesselink's appeals for a penalty are waved away after the striker goes to ground under a Zander Diamond challenge.

Soutar forced to bat the ball to safety after a Wilson cross almost creeps in at the top corner. Shunsuke Nakamura takes the ensuing corner, which Massimo Donati heads wide of the target.

CELTIC SUBSTITUTION - Kenny Miller on for Scott McDonald.

Aberdeen's Zander Diamond the latest in a growing line of Aberdeen players to go down requiring treatment. Charlie Richmond initially ignores his appeals and then relents, with Diamond actually leaving the field and being replaced by Karim Touzani.

Michael Hart booked for a foul on Nakamura on the edge of the box as the Japanese playmaker breaks through on goal.

Aiden McGeady curls the resulting free-kick over the bar.

Gordon Strachan sent to the stand by the referee after a call from the fourth official.

5 minutes of additional time added on.

FINAL WHISTLE SOUNDS - after five minutes of time added on.

FINAL SCORE - Aberdeen 1 Celtic 3
Attendance: 16,232