Aberdeen 2-3 Celtic: League leaders survive second-half comeback in five-goal thriller

Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic continued their relentless form after surviving a spirited Aberdeen fightback in a breathless five-goal thriller.

However, two goals in five second-half minutes from Christian Ramirez and Lewis Ferguson drew the hosts level.

But the visitors responded instantly as Jota drilled in a controversial winner.

Aberdeen players screamed for a flag from the assistant referee as Liel Abada, who was standing in an offside position, appeared to block centre-back David Bates in the build-up.

It is another massive win on the road for Ange Postecoglou’s title hopefuls, who are now 20 league games unbeaten.

Stephen Glass’ side, whose last Premiership victory came on Boxing Day, drop two places to ninth.

Celtic’s late victory at Pittodrie in October – a first away league win of the season after nearly eight months without one – was a colossal turning point in their campaign.

Four months on, Postecoglou – whose side have since dropped just four points from a possible 57 – will view this result in the same vein.

Aberdeen would have felt they managed the opening exchanges well, but within a blink of an eye they were two down.

O’Riley skipped past David Bates all too easily to bend a ball from the right to the back post. Home keeper Gary Woods and defender Calvin Ramsay looked placed to deal with it, but neither made contact with the ball, allowing Jota to knock in to an empty net.

Just three minutes later, Callum McGregor’s clipped pass was knocked down by Daizen Maeda to O’Riley, who drilled in his first Celtic goal from 20 yards via a big deflection off Bates.

Celtic were cruising at the break against an Aberdeen side that failed to test Joe Hart in a flat first-half showing, but the second-half whistle sparked a manic final 45 minutes.

Glass withdrew Ramsay and Dylan McGeouch for Funso Ojo and Matty Kennedy and the game turned. A well-worked wide free-kick was pulled across goal by Ojo to Ramirez, who finished low from close range with the Celtic defence napping.

Five minutes later, another Ojo set piece, this time from the right, was curled towards the near post for Ferguson to glance past Hart.

Bedlam in the home stands – but only for 64 seconds as Jota decided the game with a controversial effort, drilling a strike into the turf and beyond Woods after Anthony Ralston’s header looped over the defence.

Aberdeen were incensed at Abada’s involvement, both in the dugout and on the pitch, but they continued to rally as Ferguson diverted another close-range header towards goal, only for Hart to make a crucial stop.

Ferguson then bent a free-kick narrowly over before Ramirez had a side-foot finish from the edge of the area sail off target.

But Celtic would see the game out, benefitting from a slice of fortune that could be pivotal come May.

Man of the match – Jota

More to follow.