Match ends, Celtic 4, Ross County 0.
CelticCeltic4Ross CountyRoss County0
Celtic moved clear at the top of the Premiership with a comfortable victory over Ross County.
Manager Brendan Rodgers made five changes after the midweek Champions League exertions, and three of the players brought into the side scored.
Tom Rogic delivered the opener with a left-foot finish, and Moussa Dembele, making his first start since July, added the second before half-time.
James Forrest secured the win after the break, scoring twice in 22 minutes.
Rodgers' side lost 5-0 to Paris St-Germain on Tuesday, but there was no diminishing their domestic authority.
As well as the three goalscorers, Nir Bitton and Jonny Hayes came into the side, with Rodgers lining Celtic up in a 3-1-4-2 formation that allowed Dembele to partner Leigh Griffiths up front.
Ross County would have been expecting a backlash from Celtic - and they got it. It was a bit of a slow-burner, though. Celtic were at their best only sporadically and yet still they were full value for their four-goal win. As they piled it on at the end, it could have been five or six.
They went ahead with a goal from the dominant Rogic. It was a soft one, a shot that beat County goalkeeper Aaron McCarey at his near post.
Forrest might have made it two not long after, but he pulled his shot wide. For their part, County had a chance through Alex Schalk, but Craig Gordon made the save.
Tony Ralston thumped a shot off the post just before the break, but that second goal came within two minutes, Dembele scoring it with a curling finish from the left edge of the penalty box. His goal apart, the striker was rusty and will take a few weeks to get back to his best, but this was an important first step for him.
County manager Jim McIntyre made changes early and his team started the second half in more ambitious form, pushing men forward and almost earning a reward. Six minutes into the new half they had a double chance and were denied both times by Gordon.
Craig Curran, a half-time substitute, had the first, Gordon pushing it away. The loose ball fell to Davis Keillor-Dunn, who thumped his effort on goal only for Gordon to fling himself in its path and knock it clear. Outstanding stuff from the Celtic goalkeeper.
If County were sickened at that missed opportunity, what happened next finished them off completely.
A Rogic shot was parried by McCarey straight into Forrest's path and the midfielder could not miss from close range. He added a second 16 minutes before the end, cutting in from the right and drilling a shot across the County goalkeeper.
Line-ups
Celtic
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Gordon
- 56Ralston
- 6Bitton
- 5Simunovic
- 49Forrest
- 18Rogic
- 8Brown
- 14ArmstrongSubstituted forMcGregorat 60'minutes
- 15Hayes
- 10DembeleSubstituted forEdouardat 59'minutes
- 9GriffithsSubstituted forSinclairat 75'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Roberts
- 11Sinclair
- 21Ntcham
- 22Edouard
- 23Lustig
- 24de Vries
- 42McGregor
Ross County
Formation 4-5-1
- 31McCarey
- 3Naismith
- 2Fraser
- 15Davies
- 28van der Weg
- 7Gardyne
- 17DraperSubstituted forCurranat 45'minutes
- 40Keillor-DunnSubstituted forDowat 57'minutes
- 6KellySubstituted forChowat 45'minutes
- 25O'BrienBooked at 47mins
- 10Schalk
Substitutes
- 1Fox
- 8Chow
- 9Dow
- 11Curran
- 19Mikkelsen
- 22Mckay
- 42Tumilty
- Referee:
- Steven McLean
- Attendance:
- 58,624
Match Stats
Home TeamCelticAway TeamRoss County
- Possession
- Home70%
- Away30%
- Shots
- Home30
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home9
- Away5
- Corners
- Home7
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Celtic 4, Ross County 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Scott Sinclair (Celtic) header from the right side of the six yard box is too high.
Post update
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Tim Chow.
Post update
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Tim Chow.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Odsonne Edouard (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Jason Naismith.
Post update
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Aaron McCarey.
Post update
Attempt saved. Scott Sinclair (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Post update
Attempt saved. Scott Sinclair (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Post update
Foul by Anthony Ralston (Celtic).
Post update
Ryan Dow (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Michael Gardyne (Ross County) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Post update
Attempt missed. Scott Sinclair (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
Post update
Attempt missed. Nir Bitton (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Substitution
Substitution, Celtic. Scott Sinclair replaces Leigh Griffiths.
Goal!
Goal! Celtic 4, Ross County 0. James Forrest (Celtic) left footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Odsonne Edouard.
Post update
Attempt saved. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Post update
Foul by Jonny Hayes (Celtic).
