Aberdeen 2 Celtic 4
SWPL
Balmoral Stadium
Sunday 14 September
Celtic defeated Aberdeen Women 4-2 at the Balmoral on Sunday after a dramatic 90 minutes, with the Dons coming from behind twice to level, before ultimately losing out at home.
Dons boss Scott Booth made three changes to his side that drew 1-1 with Partick Thistle last weekend. Bridget Galloway, the hero versus Thistle came in for her first start, alongside Mya Christie who also made her maiden start since returning. Hannah Stewart, who also made her first start of the campaign, resumed the captains armband and slotted into the XI. Aimee Black, Francesca Ogilvie and Alex Clarke dropped to the bench.
The visitors made one change to the team that lost at home to Rangers: Anna Westin came in to the side, Aislin Streicek making way.
Celtic dominated the opening 20 minutes without being able to breach the Dons defence, who looked fairly resolute. August POTM Cross and Westin had the best chances of the lot when she just about managed to round Katie Cox in the Aberdeen goal, the former Motherwell forward unable to send her attempt goal bound, the latter cracking the bar.
Tobin came closest to opening the scoring for the home side after 30 minutes, a quick Dons break allowed the defender to send a cross into the box that looked like it might ust end up going over Rodgers and into the back of the net, before ending up over and on the roof.
The Dons defence relented after 35 minutes and it was the in-form Cross who did open the scoring this time, she was quickest to react to Lawton’s cut back and calmy diverted the ball beyond Cox.
Celtic thought they had a second after Gallacher forced an excellent stop out of Cox from close range – Cross followed up and duly applied the finish, but any celebrations of a double were quickly thwarted by the offside flag.
Cox proved her value once again before the break, again producing an excellent double save to keep her side in what had been a largely one sided contest.
There was to be one more Aberdeen half chance before HT, Finnegan’s deep free-kick was flicked on and flicked on again by a spinning Galloway, her effort not enough to trouble Rodgers.
Half-time: Aberdeen 0-1 Celtic.
After a quiet opening to the half, the Dons were level in the blink of an eye. Tobin’s free-kick met Beattie who’s shot was blocked by a Celtic hand, a penalty correctly awarded.
Hannah Stewart stepped up, remained calm, and slotted beyond Rodgers to level. 1-1.
Celtic regained the advantage not long after. Despite Cox and Thomson’s best efforts to apply the pressure to McAneny, she remained composed and able to charge down Cox and apply the all-important finish.
Immediately however, with the game resembling more of a basketball match than a football one, the Dons hit back.
Maddie Finnie’s excellent cross was met in the box by the towering Stewart, who delivered a simply outstanding header that had Rodgers rooted, and incredibly, Aberdeen level.
A triple change Followed: Ogilvie, Black and Clarke on For Galloway, Christie, and Beattie.
The second half had twists aplenty, and a cruel one surfaced for the Dons with ten to go. from a corner and through a sea of bodies, Celtic managed to squeeze the ball over the line, and they held the lead again.
It could easily have been 3-3, with Broadrick passing up on a good chance in the air from a corner. The Dons were throwing everything at it.
Celtic added a 4th with five to play, scoring directly from a corner kick. Aberdeen had done incredibly well to compete for the majority of the contest and to level twice, but their vulnerability defending set pieces proved to be their undoing on an afternoon that at moments, looked like it could have been one to remember.
Full-time: Aberdeen 2-4 Celtic.
Aberdeen: Cox, Broadrick, Finnegan, Galloway, Stewart C, Finnie, Iljioski, Thomson, Tobin, Christie, Beattie
Substitutes: Prawer, Mendez, Noble, Black, Daniel, McEvoy, Clarke
