Kilmarnock 0 Celtic 2:Celtic's title hopes remained intact after goals from skipper Scott Brown and Kris Commons gave them victory over Kilmarnock. A shock defeat in midweek to Inverness had put pressure on Neil Lennon's side but they responded in the right manner at Rugby Park.
Brown put them ahead in first-half stoppage time with a close-range header after being set up by James Forrest. And a wonderful 25-yard drive from Commons in the 68th minute sealed the win and took the Hoops back to within one point of SPL leaders Rangers with two games remaining.
It promises to be an exciting final week in the title race with Celtic going to Hearts on Wednesday before hosting Motherwell on Sunday, while Rangers play Dundee United at Ibrox on Tuesday before travelling down to Rugby Park on the last day.
With Georgios Samaras and Anthony Stokes suspended and midfielder Beram Kayal out for the rest of the season with a wrist injury, Hoops boss Lennon rang the changes. In came Thomas Rogne, Ki Sung-yueng, Forrest and Daryl Murphy as Charlie Mulgrew and Shaun Maloney dropped to the bench.
Killie, without a win in five matches, started positively with a bold three-man attack but it was Hoops midfielder Commons who had the first effort on goal in the sixth minute, his drive from 20 yards flying high over the bar. An entertaining match warmed up further and in the 11th minute as Murphy tried his luck from the edge of the box after getting the break of the ball but his low drive sped past the far post.
In the 20th minute Gary Hooper had the ball in the net but the flag was up for offside.
The game looked to be heading to the interval goalless but, seconds into the first of two added minutes, Brown headed in from close range after Forrest had headed back a Murphy cross and with that, the visitors trooped into the dressing room in a different frame of mind.
Celtic bounded out for the start of the second half and within a minute Forrest and Murphy worked a one-two at the edge of the box before the former volleyed over the bar. Then, Forrest, clearly buoyed by his contribution to the goal, went past Hay in the Killie box only to drive into the side netting, before Ki watched his long-range attempt drift high and wide.
Celtic looked in control but in the 51st minute a moment of slackness by Majstorovic at the back allowed Agard a chance but the Killie striker’s left-footed drive was blocked by the covering Rogne.
In the 65th minute Maloney replaced Forrest and Mehdi Taouil came on for David Da Silva, who had been ineffective for Killie.
However, three minutes later it was all over for the hosts when Commons, almost casually, fired in a wonderful drive from 25 yards which gave Bell no chance. The tempo of the game dropped but Celtic kept pushing forward to try to improve their goal difference — in the end to no avail, but their win took the tight title race into its final week.
