Tony Docherty hailed “heroic” Dundee after seeing his side come within minutes of a first Dens Park win over Celtic in 37 years.
Arne Engels’ 94th-minute penalty levelled a chaotic contest at 3-3 after a superb second-half display from the Dark Blues.
Aaron Donnelly’s header on 78 minutes looked like it had given the home side a remarkable three points after Seun Adewumi and a Cameron Carter-Vickers own goal had levelled Luke McCowan and Yang Hyun-jun headers.
Despite the late dismay, Docherty was full of praise for the impressive display from his side.
“I’m disappointed because I do think that we’d absolutely done enough to win the match,” he said.
“The word I would use is heroic.
“When when you see the substitutes that Celtic are bringing on, multi-million pound players and I’m bringing on Lyall Cameron, who was not fit to play, he’s out of his sick bed.
“He said to me ‘I’ve got 10 minutes gaffer’, I’ve got to put him on because Fin Robertson has run his race. He’s another who hasn’t trained.
“That just typifies the mentality, the spirit of the squad and hugely proud of them.
“When you go behind early on in a match, I’ve seen some teams buckle against Celtic.
“We stood up to it.
“I’m just disappointed we don’t get ourselves the three points the performance merited.”
First half
Lyall Cameron, subject of pre-contract interest from Rangers, was fit enough to take the bench after a bout of flu while Fin Robertson was back in after a knee issue.
Cesar Garza remained in central midfield where he was up against Dens hero McCowan on his return as a Celtic player.
And who else would open the scoring?
After just five minutes Greg Taylor’s cross had found the former Dee favourite at the far post and he planted a superb header into the far corner.
His celebration did have more than a hint of apology to those in the Bobby Cox Stand.
It was all Celtic for the rest of the half, the Dark Blues unable to get any possession.
The home defence did, though, limit chances. Paulo Bernardo hit the crossbar but it was all possession and few shots on goal.
Out of nowhere Dundee got themselves level on 41 minutes with a superb breakaway.
A Celtic corner was cleared and, after Murray did well to burst away, his pass was diverted to Fin Robertson on the right. He found Adewumi on the other side and the flying Austrian did the rest.
🎙️ “The man who scored against Rangers, scores against Celtic!”
Oluwaseun Adewumi draws Dundee level with a tidy finish! ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/SZXWCN5xAj
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) January 14, 2025
Taking on last man Alistair Johnston, the Burnley boy cut inside and curled an effort in off the far post.
A superb finish from a super prospect.
Second half
All square at the break before a second half packed with action.
Celtic again dominant but Dundee a real threat on the counter.
First a low cross wasn’t dealt with by Trevor Carson before Yang beat Josh Mulligan in the air to nod into the empty net.
It was a poor goal to add to many soft ones conceded this term.
But just as Dundee concede too many, they also score plenty. And within seconds it was 2-2.
Murray again did brilliantly, this time bossing Auston Trusty before feeding Mulligan and his low cross flicked beyond Kasper Schmeichel off the boot of Carter-Vickers.
Dundee’s confidence was up and a flurry of efforts headed Celtic’s way – Adewumi smacked one just wide, Ethan Ingram put a presentable header just wide and Fin Robertson sent a free-kick just wide too.
The Hoops still had absolute dominance of the ball but Dundee fancied it against their backline.
And they grabbed an incredible lead on 78 minutes. From a corner, the Dark Blues crowded the six-yard box and Fin Robertson’s pin-point delivery found the head of Donnelly to head home.
Like McCowan, there was no celebration in front of the Bobby Cox for the Celtic fan.
Dundee looked like earning their first win over Celtic at Dens Park in the better part of 40 years, however there was a twist in the tale.
They were repelling everything only for Nicolas Kuhn’s strike to hit Mo Sylla on the arm and there was no hesitation from Don Robertson in pointing to the spot.
Engels stepped up and made it 3-3 to break Dee hearts. There was, though, plenty of appreciation from the stands at the final whistle despite the late torment.
‘Wobble’
Docherty added: “I don’t think you’ll see a better goal than that first goal.
“We looked like a team that were more likely to go and win it.
“The players on the pitch sniffed that and I thought we made Celtic really wobble.
“You don’t see that a lot with that Celtic team, they’re a fantastic football team, a Champions League team.
“Again when you factor in all the injuries that we’ve got but the way we went toe-to-toe with them and we had a disappointed dressing room.
“We were so close to making a bit of history.
“I could not be more proud of them.
“They’ve got to take that belief and that trust in each other, that mentality and that spirit to kick us on for the second part of the season.”
The point sees Dundee move back up to seventh in the Premiership table.
Teams
Dundee (5-3-2): Carson, Astley, C Robertson, Donnelly, Ingram, F Robertson (Tiffoney 87), Sylla, Garza (Cameron 87), Mulligan, Adewumi, Murray (Palmer-Houlden 82).
Subs not used: McCracken, Sharp, Main, Samuels, Graham, Vetro.
Celtic (4-3-3): Schmeichel, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor (Valle 70), McGregor, Bernardo (Engels 61), McCowan (Hatate 61), Kyogo, Idah (Kuhn 61), Yang (Palma 70).
Substitutes: Sinisalo, Scales, Kenny, Ralston.
Referee: Don Robertson
Attendance: 8,816
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