Match ends, Celtic 1, Partick Thistle 0.
Scottish Premiership: Celtic 1-0 Partick Thistle
By Alasdair Lamont
BBC Scotland at Celtic Park
- From the section Football
Leigh Griffiths returned from injury to give Celtic their first win at home in five games, despite being reduced to 10 men against Partick Thistle.
The champions were lacklustre until the sending-off of Nir Bitton sparked them into life.
Thistle goalkeeper Tomas Cerny stood firm in the face of a late flurry of strikes but was beaten at the end.
The result was a little harsh on Thistle, who had looked on course for a seventh match unbeaten.
It also disguises deficiencies in the Ronny Deila's Celtic, who struggled to break their opponents down.
If the healthy crowd had expected to see in the New Year in style, they were disappointed by a display lacking in flair and imagination, particularly in the first half.
Celtic manager Deila had spoken before the match of the need to press high up the pitch and play with intensity.
But there was little evidence of that until Bitton was dismissed after picking up a second caution for jumping into Gary Miller.
Perhaps it was a sense of injustice that spurred Celtic on, but they began to pour forward as substitutes Griffiths and James Forrest peppered Cerny's goal with shots, only for the goalkeeper to fend them off.
However, he could do little as Kris Commons' late effort was deflected into the path of Griffiths and the striker slotted past the Czech to win it for Celtic.
Thistle had gone close just before that as Dan Seaborne's header was cleared off the line by Kieran Tierney.
The late excitement helped erase the memory of a poor first hour.
Aside from a Callum McGregor shot that flashed wide, Celtic's only serious attempt at threatening Cerny's goal was a fierce Tom Rogic strike that was blocked by Liam Lindsay.
Celtic claimed vociferously for handball, but referee Stephen Finnie saw nothing amiss.
As well-organised as Thistle were, they were equally toothless and, although Kris Doolan was denied in the second half by Craig Gordon, the real heartbreak was caused by Griffiths.
Line-ups
Celtic
- 1Gordon
- 23Lustig
- 4Ambrose
- 5Simunovic
- 63Tierney
- 6BittonBooked at 68mins
- 25Johansen
- 15CommonsSubstituted forMackay-Stevenat 90+1'minutes
- 18RogicSubstituted forForrestat 64'minutes
- 42McGregor
- 7CiftciSubstituted forGriffithsat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Izaguirre
- 9Griffiths
- 16Mackay-Steven
- 19Allan
- 24Cole
- 26Bailly
- 49Forrest
Partick Thistle
- 1Cerny
- 15DumbuyaSubstituted forMillerat 58'minutes
- 17Lindsay
- 3Seaborne
- 5Booth
- 7Amoo
- 6Osman
- 4WelshSubstituted forPogbaat 71'minutes
- 11Lawless
- 8BanniganBooked at 89minsSubstituted forWilsonat 90+1'minutes
- 9Doolan
Substitutes
- 2Miller
- 12Scully
- 13Frans
- 18Wilson
- 19Edwards
- 23Muirhead
- 99Pogba
- Referee:
- Stephen Finnie
- Attendance:
- 46,067
Match Stats
Home TeamCelticAway TeamPartick Thistle
- Possession
- Home57%
- Away43%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away4
- Corners
- Home4
- Away10
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away5
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Celtic 1, Partick Thistle 0.
Substitution
Substitution, Celtic. Gary Mackay-Steven replaces Kris Commons.
Substitution
Substitution, Partick Thistle. David Wilson replaces Stuart Bannigan.
Goal!
Goal! Celtic 1, Partick Thistle 0. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner.
Booking
Stuart Bannigan (Partick Thistle) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Stuart Bannigan (Partick Thistle).
Callum McGregor (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Kris Doolan (Partick Thistle) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt blocked. James Forrest (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner, Partick Thistle. Conceded by Callum McGregor.
Attempt blocked. Danny Seaborne (Partick Thistle) header from the centre of the box is blocked.
Corner, Partick Thistle. Conceded by Kieran Tierney.
Attempt saved. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Attempt saved. James Forrest (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Kris Doolan (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Stefan Johansen (Celtic).
Corner, Partick Thistle. Conceded by Mikael Lustig.
Corner, Partick Thistle. Conceded by Kieran Tierney.
Foul by Abdul Osman (Partick Thistle).
Stefan Johansen (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Partick Thistle. Mathias Pogba replaces Sean Welsh.
Corner, Partick Thistle. Conceded by Craig Gordon.
Attempt saved. Kris Doolan (Partick Thistle) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Foul by Stefan Johansen (Celtic).
Liam Lindsay (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt saved. James Forrest (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Dismissal
Second yellow card to Nir Bitton (Celtic) for a bad foul.
Gary Miller (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Nir Bitton (Celtic).
Attempt saved. Callum Booth (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from long range on the left is saved in the centre of the goal.
Substitution
Substitution, Celtic. James Forrest replaces Tomas Rogic.
Booking
Nir Bitton (Celtic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Stuart Bannigan (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Nir Bitton (Celtic).
Substitution
Substitution, Partick Thistle. Gary Miller replaces Mustapha Dumbuya because of an injury.
Corner, Partick Thistle. Conceded by Efe Ambrose.
Attempt blocked. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner, Partick Thistle. Conceded by Kieran Tierney.