Celtic on this Day – Fives victories, one draw and a penalty save from Artur Boruc

The Celtic Star

·18 December 2024

Celtic on this Day – Fives victories, one draw and a penalty save from Artur Boruc

Celtic on this Day – Fives victories, one draw and a penalty save from Artur Boruc to recall today…

Ki Sung-Yeung scores for Celtic in a 2-0 win over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park on 18 December 2011. Photo The Celtic Wiki

18 December 2011

St Johnstone 0-2 Celtic. Quickfire second-half strikes courtesy of the inform Gary Hooper and Ki Sung-Yeung ensured a seventh successive league win for Neil Lennon’s side. After a flat start to their domestic campaign which saw the Hoops at one point trail Rangers by 11 points, the gap had narrowed to four with the second Old Firm of the season only 10 days away.

OneFootball Videos

18 December 1999

18/12/99 SPL CELTIC V DUNDEE UTD (4-1) CELTIC PARK – GLASGOW Celtic’s Eyal Berkovic takes on Bernard Pascual (left)

Photos The Celtic Wiki

Celtic 4-1 Dundee United. Despite being behind at half-time, Celtic had created several glaring chances, including a Mark Viduka penalty miss. In fairness to John Barnes, one thing you cannot label against his Celtic team during his short spell was the amount of goals they scored. The four against Paul Sturrock’s side was remarkably their 52nd of the campaign. A flurry of goals via Regi Blinker, Mark Viduka, Lubo Moravcik and Mark Burchill sealed the points for Celtic ahead of their Old Firm clash at Paradise in their next league outing.

18 December 2005

John Hartson celebrates scoring in Inverness for Celtic on 18 December 2005. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Inverness 1-1 Celtic. Although Gordon Strachan’s side dropped points in the Highlands, Celtic increased the gap between themselves and Hearts at the top of the table to four points. This was to be Chris Sutton’s last ever appearance in a Celtic jersey. John Hartson’s equaliser came following Chris Dargo’s strike inside 30 seconds which gave the hosts a shock lead.

Craig Dargo fails to score from the penalty spot as Artur Boruc makes a fine save. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Artur Boruc was to be Celtic’s saviour saving from Dargo’s spot-kick in the second-half. The Hoops were undoubtedly let off when referee Stuart Dougal did not send off Stephen McManus for a second bookable offence after the big defender clumsily gave away the penalty.

18 December 2004

Celtic 1-0 Dundee United. Chris Sutton’s bullet header early on was to be the solitary goal of the game. After a mixed start to the season, this victory over Dundee United gave Martin O’Neill’s side much-needed momentum heading into the second half of the season. In the lineup for the opposition at Paradise 20 years ago today was to be two future Celts – Mark Wilson and Barry Robson.

18 December 1993

Paul McStay scored the winner for Celtic against Hibs at Celtic Park on 18 December 1993. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Celtic 1-0 Hibernian. Despite this being only Celtic’s eighth win in the league all season, the clean sheet meant it had now been 666 minutes since the Hoops last lost a goal at Celtic Park. Maestro’s late winner gave an unhappy Celtic support at least something to cheer about. Famously, the Celtic support protested against the board at the start of the match holding up a banner which read, “back the team, sack the board.”

18 December 2019

Olivier Ntcham celebrates with Odsonne Edouard. Photo Geo at The Celtic Star

Hearts 0-2 Celtic. Neil Lennon’s nine-in-a-row chasers moved five points clear at the top of the table with this important, and comfortable win at Tynecastle against a relegation-threatened Jambos under new German boss Daniel Stendel. Ryan Christie and Olivier Ntcham were on target in what was a ninth consecutive Premiership victory for the Celts. It was Christie’s 17th goal of a productive season with the midfield playmaker in the form of his life.

Conor Spence

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