Match ends, Celtic 1, Ross County 1.
CelticCeltic1Ross CountyRoss County1
Celtic celebrated a third successive league title, having been unable to deliver the type of result that has secured the Scottish Premiership.
Ross County must take credit for that, putting on a confident, bullish performance to earn a point.
Melvin de Leeuw fired them into an early lead, with a cool low finish.
Kris Commons knocked in the equaliser but despite spending most of the second half in the County half, Celtic were unable to find a winner.
It wasn't a bad performance by the champions, though it perhaps lacked the spark that might have been evident had there been more riding on the outcome.
Their bright start to the match yielded nothing in the way of goals and Ross County showed a considerably more clinical edge by burying their first opportunity of the afternoon.
Graham Carey took advantage of slack play by Celtic inside their own half and the former Celtic player timed his pass to De Leeuw perfectly, allowing the striker to drill a shot low past Fraser Forster.
At this stage County did look like a side for whom the result mattered more, belying their status as a team fighting to avoid a relegation play-off.
But Celtic's front three of Leigh Griffiths, Anthony Stokes and Commons always looked capable of creating problems for the visitors' backline and so it was with the equaliser.
Griffiths was allowed time to line up a long-range shot and when it was spilled by Mark Brown, Commons - as he has been so often this season - was on hand to turn the rebound into the net.
And Griffiths might have given Celtic the lead before the interval, but for a timely challenge from Erik Cikos to divert the striker's shot over the bar.
Liam Henderson scored his first Celtic goal in the victory over Partick Thistle on Wednesday and almost doubled that tally at the outset of the second half.
Stefan Johansen had an age to pick him out at the back post but Henderson's header from a tight angle bounced back off the upright.
Celtic were utterly dominant possession-wise, but County were defending stoutly and offering the odd counter-attack to ensure the home fans' celebrations were kept on hold.
Indeed Carey almost dampened those celebrations further with a typically ambitious and venomous effort from 30 yards. With Forster flying to his right, the keeper would have been relieved to see the ball ricochet off the post.
Line-ups
Celtic
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Forster
- 4Ambrose
- 3Izaguirre
- 8Brown
- 34O'ConnellSubstituted forKayalat 73'minutes
- 5van Dijk
- 53Henderson
- 25JohansenBooked at 86mins
- 28GriffithsSubstituted forPukkiat 79'minutes
- 15CommonsSubstituted forSamarasat 67'minutes
- 10Stokes
Substitutes
- 9Samaras
- 17Balde
- 20Pukki
- 24Zaluska
- 31Herron
- 33Kayal
- 44Fraser
Ross County
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Brown
- 2Cikos
- 26OikonomouBooked at 84mins
- 8Brittain
- 5BoydBooked at 56mins
- 28Songo'o
- 7Kiss
- 12TidserSubstituted forGordonat 87'minutes
- 27ArquinSubstituted forSaundersat 87'minutes
- 11De LeeuwSubstituted forSlewat 72'minutes
- 23Carey
Substitutes
- 3Gordon
- 10Quinn
- 15Glen
- 21McLean
- 22Saunders
- 25Slew
- 42McCarthy
- Referee:
- John Beaton
- Attendance:
- 49,270
Match Stats
Home TeamCelticAway TeamRoss County
- Possession
- Home57%
- Away43%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away1
- Corners
- Home7
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home16
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Celtic 1, Ross County 1.
Post update
Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Celtic).
Post update
Scott Boyd (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Evangelos Oikonomou (Ross County) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Post update
Attempt saved. Virgil van Dijk (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Substitution
Substitution, Ross County. Ben Gordon replaces Michael Tidser.
Substitution
Substitution, Ross County. Steven Saunders replaces Yoann Arquin.
Booking
Stefan Johansen (Celtic) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Michael Tidser (Ross County) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Stefan Johansen (Celtic).
Post update
Foul by Georgios Samaras (Celtic).
Post update
Scott Boyd (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Booking
Evangelos Oikonomou (Ross County) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Liam Henderson (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Evangelos Oikonomou (Ross County).
Post update
Graham Carey (Ross County) hits the left post with a right footed shot from outside the box.
Post update
Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Yoann Arquin (Ross County).
Substitution
Substitution, Celtic. Teemu Pukki replaces Leigh Griffiths.
