Dundee boss Tony Docherty insists his side’s dogged display at Celtic deserved a clean sheet as he questioned a “really soft” penalty decision.
The Dark Blues put on a stubborn show throughout the first half at Parkhead but were undone in the second.
A quickfire double around the hour from Alistair Johnston and an Arne Engels spot-kick doing the damage for the champions.
Despite defeat, Docherty was pleased to see his side stand up to the challenge for much of the game.
And was unhappy with the award of a soft-looking penalty kick that sealed the points for the Parkhead side.
“I was really pleased. I thought it was a sterling effort. A really good, strong performance,” the Dundee boss said after the 2-0 defeat.
“It’s a difficult place to come. You’re playing against a top, top opponent. They’re a fantastic team.
“They move the ball. They get into good areas.
“I asked the players tonight to be resolute, to be really organised. We’d worked on a shape and to try and execute a game plan, which I think they did.
“So I was really proud of them. I thought the boys deserved a clean sheet for the amount of work they put in.
“I think the penalty is really soft. There’s a foul that leads up to it on Mo Sylla.
“I don’t know why they don’t pick that up. I’ve seen it back. And I think Antonio Portales touches the ball and he doesn’t even know where Kyogo is.
“Kyogo goes down and Tony’s telling me, and I’ve seen it myself, I don’t think it’s a penalty.
“But when it goes to 2-0, that makes it so much more difficult.
“I don’t think the boys deserved that.
“So I was really proud of their performance tonight and I thought they were hard done by for that penalty.”
Ringing the changes
There was no Trevor Carson, Scott Fraser or Scott Tiffoney at Celtic Park. The latter picked up a knock in training ahead of this trip.
And Docherty rang the changes after the weekend defeat to St Johnstone with three new faces.
Jon McCracken was back in goal with Antonio Portales ahead of him in the centre of the back five while Josh Mulligan got a recall in a bolstered midfield.
Straight from kick-off Dundee created their best chance of the game, Portales bringing a good save from Kasper Schmeichel after just a minute of play.
After that it was one-way traffic.
McCracken denied Kyogo Furuhashi on three minutes before the Japanese turned an even better chance wide on six minutes.
But as the half wore on the visitors continued to frustrate, Portales putting in two big blocks and Mo Sylla crunching into tackles.
McCracken finally beaten
The pressure kept coming after the break and McCracken had to be at his best to keep things level, denying Luis Palma before a superb stop kept out a Kyogo effort.
Dundee’s stubborn defence could only hold out so long, however. The strength of Celtic’s bench proved key as Johnston broke the deadlock on the hour.
And quickly there was a penalty to follow. Sylla wanted a foul in the Celtic half but got nothing and the Hoops broke. Portales then missed the chance to clear and Kyogo went down.
Engels stepped up to make no mistake from 12 yards. However, Tony Docherty pointed to two reasons the decision should have been reversed by VAR.
‘We’re not getting anything’
Asked if he had spoken to the referee, he replied: “Very briefly when I came in. I just asked if they checked.
“They said they did. But I do think there’s a strong case that it was a free kick.
“There were hands on Mo’s back when he was trying to protect the ball. And I do think Antonio Portales gets a touch on the ball.
“So, those two things show that it shouldn’t be a penalty kick.
“We don’t [have decisions going our way]. But you know what? We’re not going to make excuses.
“It just seems to be sometimes it’s your turn. We’re not getting anything, even when there’s that VAR check for the penalty for handball. But I know we’re not going to get it because we don’t get them.
“So, we just need to keep working hard and showing the level of commitment that we showed tonight as a team and it’ll turn for us.
“There has to be a trust in the process. I’ve told the players that just keep doing that and the results will come.”
Defeat sees Dundee drop to 10th spot in the Premiership table ahead of Sunday’s home clash with Kilmarnock.
Teams
Celtic: Schmeichel, Taylor, Trusty, Palma (Maeda 57), Kyogo, Yang (Forrest 62), McCowan, Carter-Vickers (Scales 76), Engels, Bernardo (Hatate 57), Ralston (Johnston 57).
Subs not used: Sinisalo, Valle, Welsh, Turley.
Dundee: McCracken, Ingram, Astley, Portales, C Robertson, Larkeche, Sylla, Cameron (Braybrooke 86), F Robertson, Mulligan, Murray (Palmer-Houlden 67).
Subs not used: Sharp, McGhee, Main, Adewumi, Koumetio, Vetro.
Referee: Ross Hardie
VAR: Mathew McDermid
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