Match ends, Celtic 0, Ross County 0.
CelticCeltic0Ross CountyRoss County0
Ross County put the shackles on Celtic as they held the champions in Glasgow.
Ronny Deila signalled his attacking intent with Leigh Griffiths, John Guidetti and Anthony Stokes starting, but the latter was an early injury victim for the home side.
The goal avalanche never arrived with County defending resolutely, though Callum McGregor did hit the bar.
And it was the visitors who could have won it late on when Filip Kiss struck the post.
The only solace for Celtic is that Hamilton and Dundee United failed to take advantage with both slipping to defeat.
Jim McIntyre's men fall to the bottom of the table despite gaining a point.
Just before the match started, Ross County were forced into a reshuffle after Graham Carey suffered a back spasm and he was replaced by Michael Gardyne.
As expected, Celtic had the majority of the early possession but they struggled to create chances.
Two free-kicks from Guidetti were the early highlights, the first saved by Antonio Reguero, and the second ruffling the side-netting.
From a Stefan Johansen free-kick Nir Bitton provided a goal-bound header but Reguero batted the ball to safety.
Ross County were virtually non-existent as an attacking force. A Martin Woods snap-shot wide of the target after some slack Celtic defending was the best they could muster.
A cut-back from Adam Matthews then gave Celtic substitute McGregor a great chance but he could not get his shot away.
Griffiths had a crack at goal that looked dangerous but Guidetti attempted to back-heel it into the corner and the ball ended up flashing wide of the post.
Celtic began the second half a little bit flat and County's Lewis Toshney tried an early header, but it was a comfortable save for Craig Gordon.
McGregor then almost broke the deadlock with a chipped effort from the edge of the box, but it came back off the bar with Guidetti failing to finish the rebound.
Celtic were generally labouring to break the visitors down and, with that in mind, Stefan Scepovic and Kris Commons were brought on from the bench to try to liven up the hosts.
However, it was County who almost stole all three points when a shot from Kiss beat Gordon, but agonisingly for the Slovak it cracked back off the post.
Griffiths then fired in a late shot which Reguero did well to save to keep it goalless.
Line-ups
Celtic
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 26Gordon
- 2Matthews
- 4Ambrose
- 5van Dijk
- 3IzaguirreBooked at 28mins
- 6Bitton
- 8Brown
- 10StokesSubstituted forMcGregorat 9'minutesSubstituted forCommonsat 67'minutes
- 28Griffiths
- 25Johansen
- 9GuidettiSubstituted forScepovicat 67'minutes
Substitutes
- 12Scepovic
- 15Commons
- 24Zaluska
- 34O'Connell
- 42McGregor
- 53Henderson
- 63Tierney
Ross County
Formation 4-5-1
- 1RegueroBooked at 90mins
- 8Brittain
- 6SaundersBooked at 12mins
- 43Quinn
- 12Reckord
- 31DunfieldBooked at 90minsSubstituted forRossat 90+1'minutes
- 26Woods
- 10KissBooked at 26mins
- 5Boyd
- 40GardyneSubstituted forToshneyat 38'minutes
- 15ArquinSubstituted forJervisat 90+3'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Cardle
- 9Jervis
- 14Maatsen
- 17Ross
- 21Brown
- 25Toshney
- Referee:
- Crawford Allan
- Attendance:
- 45,798
Match Stats
Home TeamCelticAway TeamRoss County
- Possession
- Home62%
- Away38%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away3
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away1
- Corners
- Home15
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Celtic 0, Ross County 0.
Booking
Antonio Reguero (Ross County) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Celtic).
Post update
Steven Saunders (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Ross County. Jake Jervis replaces Yoann Arquin.
Post update
Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Celtic).
Post update
(Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Ross County. Steven Ross replaces Terry Dunfield.
Booking
Terry Dunfield (Ross County) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Stefan Johansen (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Terry Dunfield (Ross County).
Post update
Attempt saved. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Post update
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Jamie Reckord.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Richard Brittain.
Post update
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Lewis Toshney.
Post update
Corner, Ross County. Conceded by Virgil van Dijk.
Post update
Filip Kiss (Ross County) hits the left post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Post update
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Jamie Reckord.
