Celtic slump to first defeat of season

Aberdeen 2 Celtic 0

Aberdeen 2 Celtic 0

Aberdeen handed runaway Scottish leaders Celtic their first league defeat of the season tonight as a Robbie Winters penalty and a late effort from Darren Mackie gave them a bruising 2-0 victory.

Celtic were seeking their 15th straight win, while Aberdeen were after their ninth success in a row at Pittodrie, and it was the Dons who kept their run going with a battling performance.

Henrik Larsson and Chris Sutton had half-chances for Celtic in the opening period, but the champions found it hard going against an Aberdeen side working extremely hard to extend their proud home record.

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Eugene Dadi had a great chance to put Aberdeen ahead a minute after the restart but miskicked in front of goal while John Hartson somehow contrived to miss a header from an awkward bouncing cross in the 55th minute.

The big Welsh striker then handled in his own box three minutes later and Winters despatched the penalty

Celtic immediately threw themselves forward in a series of furious attacks as Larsson, Bobo Balde and Paul Lambert all went close.

With eight minutes remaining, goalkeeper Peter Kjaer saved brilliantly from Larsson and the follow-up was headed off the line but the incident led to a series of confrontations that ended with Aberdeen captain Derek Whyte being sent off.

Mackie then caught keeper Rob Douglas in possession in injury time, gleefully slamming in his team's second goal to spark amazing scenes of celebration.