Report as Celtic suffer their first league defeat of season after Kilmarnock produce stunning comeback; Scottish Premiership leaders now five points ahead of Rangers; Matty Kennedy's winner and own goal from Nat Phillips gave Killie victory after Matt O'Riley had opened scoring
Sunday 10 December 2023 17:06, UK
Kilmarnock produced a stunning second-half comeback to inflict a first league defeat of the season on Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic with a 2-1 home win.
Matty Kennedy scored an 88th-minute winner at a wet Rugby Park to shock Brendan Rodgers' side and leave them just five points ahead of Rangers, who have a game in hand.
Celtic looked on course to restore their eight-point lead at the top after Matt O'Riley scored a 33rd-minute opener, which came just 59 seconds after Kilmarnock had hit the post.
But Derek McInnes' side staged an incredible second-half response which saw Killie equalise in the 75th minute when Celtic defender Nat Phillips turned into his own net.
Then the turnaround was complete 13 minutes later as Kennedy coolly slotted past Joe Hart to end Celtic's unbeaten start to the season in a second-half performance that ex-Celtic striker Chris Sutton labelled an "embarrassment".
Killie, who earned their first league win over Celtic since September 2018 and their second victory over the Hoops this season, move up to fifth.
Rodgers had suffered his first domestic cup defeat as Celtic manager at Rugby Park in August after being knocked out of the Scottish League Cup at the last-16 stage.
But his side looked to have shrugged off that loss as they started dominantly with Killie goalkeeper Will Dennis making a string of saves and Celtic creating plenty of chances.
Hyeon-Gyu Oh volleyed over and the South Korea forward somehow missed Mikey Johnston's low cross before Luis Palma hit the post from a tight angle.
The visitors were nearly punished for their misses with Killie hitting the woodwork as Daniel Armstrong crashed a first-time side-footed volley off the post from six yards.
But just a minute later, Celtic went ahead through O'Riley as he pounced on Callum McGregor's saved shot to convert the rebound.
Kilmarnock, though, remained a threat and Celtic needed a superb Alistair Johnston block on the line to deny Corrie Ndaba's follow-up from a Joe Hart save to deny him a certain goal.
The home side were then the ones to dominate in the second half as they pressured Celtic intensely with Hart denying Ndaba and Robbie Deas heading just wide from a corner.
O'Riley nearly scored his second against the run of play as he fired wide on a counter-attack before Kilmarnock were finally rewarded for their play when Phillips turned Brad Lyons' cross into his own net in the 75th minute.
Sensing a shock, Killie pushed for the victory and were right to as Armstrong slipped Kennedy through into the box for him to slide under Hart.
Celtic brought on Kyogo Furuhashi and Dennis pulled off a good save to deny the striker to earn the home side a deserved victory over the reigning champions.
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers told Sky Sports:
"I thought the first-half performance was very good and we started the game really well and then scored a really good goal, created more chances. I thought we were good value for our lead.
"Second half we never got started. I think we played more the game they wanted to play than the game we wanted to. We never made passes and we got rid of the ball instead of passing it, and from that we failed to look after the ball and obviously when you do that, and you're giving them opportunities to break through, then of course we suffered for that. So a really disappointing second-half."
Asked why they endured a poor second half, Rodgers responded: "I think they pressed the game probably a bit more in the second half, but we have to be resistant to that and instead of playing sideways or backwards, you have to, in order to beat pressure, you want to play forward and we didn't do that enough. So that meant that we got stuck in the game where we couldn't progress through.
"We didn't create anywhere near enough in the second half and weren't decisive enough with our passing and that ended up costing us.
"It's one where we expect the second half to be what it was, especially the first 10-15 minutes where they're going to come after us but we have to deal with that better.
"We have to have a greater take on the ball and look to connect the game because that's the game that we want to play and if we don't do that then we're not as effective.
"It's a disappointment. It's the first defeat that we've had in the league so it will hurt, but ultimately, we probably didn't deserve anything because of the second-half performance."
Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes told Sky Sports:
"Absolutely delighted for everyone here. The players were terrific in the second half.
"We had some good opportunities in the first half, but we were too passive and second best. We let Celtic enjoy the game. We needed to come forward when we were taking a step back and it was that hesitancy that was costing us and we were lucky to only go in 1-0 down.
"I just thought our press was wrong and we needed to remind the players at half-time exactly the type of team we need to be, particularly here at Rugby Park and particularly against a team like Celtic.
"Those reminders were met really and I thought we were terrific. I thought we rattled them, I thought we unsettled them.
"It was a game of two halves, to be honest."
Kilmarnock's next Scottish Premiership game is away to Livingston on December 16. Kick-off 3pm.
Celtic's attention turns to the Champions League with their final Group E match against Feyenoord on Wednesday night. Kick-off 8pm.
Their next Scottish Premiership match is at home to Hearts on December 16. Kick-off 3pm.
