Match ends, Dundee 1, Celtic 1.
DundeeDundee1CelticCeltic1
Leigh Griffiths came off the bench to secure a draw for Celtic against Dundee at Dens Park.
James McPake headed the hosts ahead inside 50 seconds and Philip Roberts then hit the frame of the Celtic goal.
Celtic improved after the break and Griffiths' deflected drive drew them level before team-mate Anthony Stokes fired against a post.
Both sides had plenty of chances to win the game with Dundee's Martin Boyle, in particular, passing up late efforts.
Ronny Deila ended a nightmare week in the Celtic hot-seat still looking for a change in form as they failed to bounce back from their midweek Champions League play-off defeat by NK Maribor.
He left Virgil van Dijk out amid growing speculation the Dutch central defender is leaving but the manager said before kick-off the 23-year-old will be staying at the club.
Paul Hartley had vowed pre-match that his Dundee side would have a go at the champions, and he was true to his word with his side taking the lead inside the opening minute.
Roberts' corner found the head of McPake, who directed a header goalwards. Callum McGregor was on the back post but could only take a fresh air swipe at the ball and it nestled into the net behind him.
It could have been two a minute later when Gary Harkins' head-flick found Peter MacDonald and the striker shot narrowly wide.
It was a frantic start and Celtic soon had two chances of their own. Both Kris Commons and Stokes found space on the edge of the box but neither were able to get much purchase on their efforts.
Celtic had not lost three games in a row since March 2007 and, following defeats by Inverness and Maribor, they were now staring at an unwanted treble.
MacDonald nutmegged Efe Ambrose on a marauding run before Jason Denayer managed to block his shot, then winger Roberts jinked into the box and fired a shot off the far post.
And MacDonald was sent through one-on-one with goalkeeper Craig Gordon from Robert's long ball and lobbed just over.
Despite their dominance, Dundee had goalkeeper Kyle Letheren to thank after his breathtaking save denied Ambrose after the Nigeria international had got his head to Stokes' free-kick.
Celtic were far more like themselves at the start of the second half and, after a sustained period of pressure, they pulled themselves level.
Former Dens Park forward Griffiths - the subject of a failed loan bid by former club Hibernian - grabbed his first goal of the season from the right edge of the box when his low shot deflected off Thomas Konrad into the far corner.
However, Dundee substitute Boyle had three gilt-edge chances to restore the home side's lead.
On each occasion he raced clear down the right, however a Denayer block and a Gordon save denied his first two efforts, before he drove a shot wide when he perhaps should have cut the ball back to a team-mate.
Fellow replacement Luka Tankulic then forced another save from Gordon as Dundee searched for their first home win over Celtic since 1988.
Back came Celtic though and, after Stokes played a delightful one-two with Griffiths, the Irishman hammered the ball off the outside of the right-hand post.
One further opportunity fell Dundee's way as Tankulic was released on the right but he dragged his effort across the face of goal.
Line-ups
Dundee
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Letheren
- 19McGinn
- 4Konrad
- 5McPake
- 2IrvineBooked at 61mins
- 14RobertsSubstituted forBoyleat 66'minutes
- 18McGowan
- 29HarkinsSubstituted forFerryat 58'minutes
- 20McAlister
- 9MacDonaldSubstituted forTankulicat 57'minutes
- 15Stewart
Substitutes
- 6Davidson
- 8McBride
- 11Ferry
- 12Bain
- 21Tankulic
- 23Boyle
- 33Wighton
Celtic
Formation 4-4-2
- 26Gordon
- 2MatthewsSubstituted forO'Connellat 45'minutes
- 4Ambrose
- 22Denayer
- 3IzaguirreBooked at 32mins
- 42McGregor
- 25Johansen
- 33KayalBooked at 43minsSubstituted forBittonat 71'minutes
- 16BergetSubstituted forGriffithsat 41'minutes
- 15Commons
- 10Stokes
Substitutes
- 6Bitton
- 20Pukki
- 24Zaluska
- 28Griffiths
- 32Wakaso
- 34O'Connell
- 53Henderson
- Referee:
- Craig Thomson
- Attendance:
- 9,276
Match Stats
Home TeamDundeeAway TeamCeltic
- Possession
- Home37%
- Away63%
- Shots
- Home10
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away6
- Corners
- Home4
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away7
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Dundee 1, Celtic 1.
Post update
Paul McGinn (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Anthony Stokes (Celtic).
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Callum McGregor (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Jim McAlister (Dundee).
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Attempt missed. Luka Tankulic (Dundee) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left.
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Foul by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
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Martin Boyle (Dundee) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Kyle Letheren.
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Attempt saved. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
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Anthony Stokes (Celtic) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the right side of the box.
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Attempt missed. Luka Tankulic (Dundee) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
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Attempt missed. Martin Boyle (Dundee) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
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Corner, Dundee. Conceded by Craig Gordon.
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Attempt saved. Martin Boyle (Dundee) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top right corner.
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Attempt blocked. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Kris Commons (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Simon Ferry (Dundee).
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Delay in match Nir Bitton (Celtic) because of an injury.
