Sokler and Shinnie strike as Aberdeen fightback for draw with Celtic

At half-time, the billing of this fixture as a top of the table extravaganza felt like a breach of the Trades Descriptions Act. What happened next owed plenty to Celtic defensive deficiency and Aberdeen’s refusal to wilt. At four minutes past five, with 101 minutes on the clock, time was called on an extraordinary encounter. The sharing of four goals was fair; if Celtic are as generous in Champions League action against Atalanta on Wednesday, the outcome will be a grisly one for Brendan Rodgers. Jimmy Thelin’s Aberdeen still tie Celtic at the summit of Scotland’s top flight.

Celtic had been so comfortable at the break that it was impossible to see this coming. Aberdeen lacked belief and anything approaching fluency. The visitors’ jitters were clear with 12 minutes played, when the goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov conceded possession directly to Arne Engels. Celtic’s record signing hit the crossbar with an angled effort.

Mitov was again hesitant as Celtic took the lead. The goalkeeper was unsure whether to try and cut out an Engels pass to Kyogo Furuhashi. Mitov eventually opted to stay put, allowing Furuhashi to collect before feeding Reo Hatate. The midfielder slammed home from 12 yards.

Kyogo helped himself to Celtic’s second. Hatate’s shot was blocked by the arm – or arms – of Gavin Molloy, meaning a penalty was likely heading Celtic’s way anyway. Furuhashi removed the need for a video assistant referee check by pouncing on the loose ball.

Understandably unimpressed by what he had witnessed, Thelin made two half time substitutions. The first act of one of the replacements, Ester Sokler, was to latch onto Jamie McGrath’s through pass and outpace the Celtic defence. Sokler finished calmly beyond Kasper Schmeichel.

Celtic failed to heed the warning. In fact, the majority of their second half display was inexplicably bad. A Daizen Maeda error allowed Graeme Shinnie to fire in a shot, with the aid of a deflection, from just outside Celtic’s penalty area. Schmeichel had no chance.

Aberdeen believed they had completed an astonishing comeback when Slobodan Rubezic’s header from a McGrath free-kick found the net via Duk. The problem was, Duk had used an elbow to deflect the ball. The goal was correctly ruled out upon review.

James Forrest forced Mitov into a smart stop as Celtic rallied. Auston Trusty missed a glorious opportunity from a Paolo Bernardo corner. Adam Idah had the ball in the Aberdeen net but Mitov had been fouled. Mitov saved brilliantly from Idah, Celtic claimed a penalty for handball… amid the madness, Aberdeen stood firm.