Martin O’Neill closed the hole on Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts as he delivered one ultimate victory for Celtic.
Daizen Maeda’s courageous Eleventh-minute header proved sufficient handy O’Neill a 1-0 victory over Dundee in his farewell match earlier than making manner for Wilfried Nancy, whose appointment was confirmed lower than an hour earlier than kick-off.
It was O’Neill’s seventh win in eight matches since returning to Celtic Park 20 years after his preliminary spell in cost ended.
Celtic had been eight factors adrift of Hearts when O’Neill and Shaun Maloney had been positioned in interim cost within the wake of Brendan Rodgers’ sudden exit in late October.
The 73-year-old leaves with Celtic now trailing the league leaders on objective distinction with a recreation in hand.
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Martin O’Neill speaks for the ultimate time as interim supervisor after Celtic beat Dundee to attract stage on factors with Hearts.
O’Neill’s gamers may have given their supervisor a much less hectic swansong however couldn’t construct on their flying begin and Dundee prompted some nervy moments for the house assist.
That included a sparsely-filled standing part with the underside six rows blocked off following the prolonged and indefinite ban handed to the Inexperienced Brigade on Tuesday.
Martin O’Neill at full-time throughout his final recreation as Celtic’s interim boss
Anti-board chants rang out together with tributes to O’Neill in a reminder that Nancy inherits a disunited membership regardless of the platform to problem within the league and Europa League, in addition to a Premier Sports activities Cup ultimate to sit up for in
his third match. His first two come in opposition to Hearts and Roma.
Celtic had been rapidly on the entrance foot and Maeda and Reo Hatate threatened from lengthy vary earlier than the breakthrough.
Hyun-jun Yang continued his rejuvenation below O’Neill by forcing a save from Jon McCracken after a lofted move from Hatate and Maeda headed residence the rebound earlier than being caught by the top of Luke Graham in a hefty collision.
Celtic’s Daizen Maeda scores to make it 1-0 in opposition to Dundee
Celtic performed with 10 males for a number of minutes earlier than the Japan ahead re-emerged from the tunnel sporting a bandage and a black eye.
Celtic continued to press and Arne Engels and Yang had probabilities earlier than Marcelo Saracchi pressured a very good save. The Uruguayan left-back quickly went off with what appeared like a recurrence of a hamstring harm, with Kieran Tierney a straight
alternative.
There was one first-half scare for Celtic when Simon Murray hit the bar after Liam Scales’ quick headed move again. The offside flag went up after Kasper Schmeichel saved Cameron Congreve’s follow-up.
Celtic additionally began the second half effectively. Maeda couldn’t steer a rebound on the right track following Luke McCowan’s effort and Hatate noticed a shot saved after some spectacular soccer.
Dundee started to threaten halfway by the half. Substitute Ashley Hay was launched by a protracted ball, shrugged off Scales’ try and deliver him down and tried his luck from an formidable angle. Schmeichel blocked his weak effort.
Finlay Robertson then tried his luck from 50 yards after Schmeichel got here out of his field and sliced a clearance however the goalkeeper raced again to avoid wasting, comfortably in the long run.
Dundee stored the stress on till Maeda hit the publish on a stoppage-time breakaway, earlier than the full-time whistle prompted chants of “Martin O’Neill” round Celtic Park.
