St Johnstone were cruelly denied a deserved point at Celtic Park by a South Korean injury-time double.
After the Perth men had dealt with everything Neil Lennon’s side had thrown at them during the 90 minutes, their impressive defensive work was undone by a spectacular Cha Du Ri curler into the top corner from wide on the right, and then a breakaway goal from his countryman, Ki Sung Yeung.
It wasn’t even as if this was one of those wave-upon-wave Celtic endings. The Glasgow team had drawn their last three home games and, as time was running out, Parkhead stalemate number four looked certain.
Saints boss Derek McInnes, for one, did not envisage what was about to unfold in the dying moments of this SPL encounter. He said, “I’ve been involved with teams coming here when you feel that a goal is on its way but I didn’t feel that way today.
“I really didn’t see it coming and that makes the defeat feel even worse. We worked hard to frustrate Celtic and, up until Du Ri’s goal, we managed to force them outside all the time. We’ve allowed him to cut in and the finish from there was quality.
“We came within nine minutes of getting a point at Ibrox and got even closer at Parkhead today. I felt we more than deserved our point and, apart from the result, there were only positives to take from the performance.”
His opposite number Lennon, who revealed ex-Arsenal star Freddie Ljunberg has arrived for a month’s trial, said, “It was a very frustrating game until the first goal went in. Credit to the boys for plugging away until the end, and they were two great goals when they came.
“St Johnstone bedded themselves in and defended well but we should have had more of a cutting edge and produced a better final ball.”
Both managers made three changes to their starting line-ups from the last time they were in action Saints a fortnight ago against St Mirren and Celtic in midweek against Kilmarnock. Saints skipper Jody Morris missed out through suspension while Murray Davidson failed a late fitness test, and Peter MacDonald was dropped to the bench. They were replaced by Alan Maybury, Cleveland Taylor and Collin Samuel.
For the home team, Scott Brown, Paddy McCourt and Georgios Samaras came in for Joe Ledley, James Forrest and Gary Hooper.Early chanceIn the first minute Saints were presented with an unexpected chance when Daniel Majstorovic misjudged a punt up the pitch and the ball fell to Samuel.
He collected it about 40 yards from goal and drove into the box but the Swedish central defender got back, forced Samuel wide and his shot tamely trundled past the far post. It did not take long for the pattern of the game to be set, with Celtic bossing possession.
Two chances came down their left around the 10-minute mark. The first came when McCourt picked out Daryl Murphy in the box but his looping header came from too deep to trouble Peter Enckelman.
Less than a minute later, Samaras worked himself into a good position on the byeline only to cross into the Perth keeper’s arms at the near post.
On 17 minutes, when everybody else seemed to give the ball up, Ki kept it in and cut it back into the path of Samaras. The Greek international hit his shot from 10 yards into the ground but it bounced over the bar.
Saints had another escape when, after a flowing Celtic move, Niall McGinn floated a cross from the right touchline to the back post. Murphy rose highest and sent his header back towards the opposite side of goal, only to see it narrowly miss the post.
Midway through the half, Murphy tried a different route to goal by testing Enckelman with a low and well struck 25-yarder. The former Aston Villa man was up to the task and saved to his left.
On 29 minutes, Saints only half cleared an Emilio Izaguirre corner from the left. McCourt had Enckelman frantically back-pedalling to deal with a dipping header from the edge of the box that looked as if it would sneak under the bar.
Clear to all but the officials, the Finn got a fingertip touch to divert it over but a goal kick, not a corner, was awarded by referee Calum Murray. In a rare raid into opposition territory, the McDiarmid Park side fashioned a good shooting position for Maybury on the edge of the box from where the defender deployed in midfield for the day blazed over.
The footwork of McCourt could only be admired when he left two Saints defenders floundering on the 18-yard line. He tried an equally eye-catching shot with the outside of his right boot but did not start it wide enough to allow the curve of the ball to take it past Enckelman.
The winger started the second half in the same fashion and chose to ignore overlapping left-back Izaguirre to instead take on Maybury himself. This he did successfully to work himself a sight of goal, but when he pulled the trigger he sliced his left-foot angled shot wide of the near post.Saints resurgence
On 54 minutes, Saints reminded Celtic they still carried a threat. Sam Parkin nearly got on the end of a Danny Grainger cross from the left and Cleveland Taylor kept the ball alive. He fizzed the ball back across the six-yard box but there were no takers.
Maybury was booked on 54 minutes when he tripped McGinn, who was on the charge and about to surge into the box. It turned out to be worthwhile, as Du Ri hit his free-kick into the wall.
A restless home support were far from happy with Celtic”s failure to take advantage of territorial superiority and the first substitution on the hour mark Anthony Stokes for the lethargic Samaras was warmly welcomed.
By this stage the Saints defence were comfortably dealing with all that was being thrown at them mainly crosses from either flank. Steven Anderson and Michael Duberry were making sure Enckelman”s second half was far less busy than his first. However, the keeper was called into action on 72 minutes and nearly spoiled an impressive day”s work by letting a McCourt cross slip out of his grasp at the near post. Thankfully Duberry was on hand to bail him out and clear the danger.
With less than 20 minutes to go McInnes sent on teenager Stevie May for Taylor to freshen up the Saints midfield. Full of running, the youngster chased down a long pass out of defence and got an early shot away. He could not keep it down and his effort flew into the stand.
Murphy should have done better when he shot from near the penalty spot, albeit while off balance and under pressure from Anderson. His manager clearly was not impressed as the Irishman was immediately replaced by Olivier Kapo.
MacDonald came on for Samuel on 81 minutes and nearly became a hero four minutes later when he volleyed with his left foot on the turn, forcing a good save out of Fraser Forster.
There was now a desperation about Celtic”s play and Brown snatched at an effort from just inside the box.
It nearly worked for them as the ball fell to Kapo, whose shot into the ground reared up and smacked the face of the bar.
Just as Saints looked to have seen the game out, Du Ri was on the right flank in the first minute of stoppage time and he took advantage by curling a spectacular left-footer beyond Enckelman high into the net.
Celtic were not finished there.
Saints had thrown everyone forward for a Grainger long throw into the danger area on 93 minutes.
After it was cleared, Ki was fed by Kapo and he ran unchallenged into the box and drilled a left-foot shot past Enckelman.
Celtic Forster, Izaguirre, Majstorovic, Brown, Samaras (Stokes 60), Du Ri, McGinn, Ki, McCourt (Kayal 90), Rogne, Murphy (Kapo 77). Subs not used Zaluska, Wilson, Mulgrew, Towell.
St Johnstone Enckelman, Mackay, Grainger, Anderson, Duberry, Maybury, Millar, Craig (Myrie-Williams 90), Parkin, Samuel (MacDonald 81), Taylor (May 73). Subs not used Smith, Gartland, Caddis, McIntosh.
Referee Calum Murray.