Aberdeen and Celtic share two Premiership points in Pittodrie draw

Aberdeen and Celtic have shared two Premiership points after an entertaining 1-1 draw at Pittodrie in the Premiership’s early game.

Despite the visitors dominating the first-half it was the Dons that took the lead against the run of play when Bojan Miovski fired past Joe Hart at the start of the second.

But Nicolas Kuhn got Celtic level when he scored his first goal for the club since his January move from Rapid Vienna just minutes after coming off the bench.

Celtic had the ball in the net after six minutes when Luis Palma finished off a move that came from a Nawrocki pass with Kyogo and Liel Abada also involved, but the goal was ruled out for offside against the Honduran winger after a VAR check.

Kelle Roos pulled off a good save to thwart Abada originally before Palme knocked it in but replays showed he was strayed into an offside position.

The Hoops dominated much of the early possession with Scales and McGregor both having attempts go wide of the target.

Miovski celebrates with Aberdeen Interim manager Peter Leven after making it 1-0. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group) SNS Group

Palma should have had them ahead on the half-hour mark when the ball fell to him inside the box but he fired his shot over the bar.

Aberdeen carved out there first chance of the half five minutes before the break when Barron played a through ball into the Miovski that deceived the Celtic defence but Joe Hart was quick off his line to collect.

The visitors kept knocking on the door looking for the opener and Paulo Bernardo had a lobbed effort come off the bar in first-half injury-time.

O’Riley was next up when he collected the ball in a crowded penalty area but his shot was deflected wide for their seventh corner of the half and they had time for an eighth soon after but failed to make them any of them count as the game remained goalless going into half-time.

Nicolas Kuhn scores first Celtic goal to make it 1-1 after coming off the bench. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group) SNS Group

Brendan Rodgers’ side would have been disappointed not be ahead after enjoying 72% possession and having 14 shots on goal in the opening 45, in contrast to Aberdeen who never had a single effort on goal.

But it remained all square as the second half got underway and it was the home side that took the lead just four minutes after the restart.

Miovski done well to jink past Nawrocki and leave Hart no chance with a curled effort into the corner of the net to score his 12th league goal of the season and 19th in all competitions to make it 1-0.

Aberdeen now looked to have their tails as the started to put the Celtic defence under a bit of pressure as they looked to double their lead.

Rodgers reacted with a triple substitution as he brought on January recruits Adam Idah, for his debut, and Kuhn alongside Anthony Ralston with Abada, Alex Bernabei and Bernardo making way.

And the two new boys combined to get the Hoops level just minutes later when Idah laid the ball off to Kuhn in the box and his deflected shot flew past Roos to make it 1-1.

Idah was involved again as they looked for a second when he played in O’Riley but the Danish international could only find the outside of the post with a shot from an awkward angle.

Palma then forced a save from Roos from close ranger after good play from Kyogo who jinked his way past two defenders before his shot into the winger’s path, but he was unable to find the net.

The game was now starting to flow from end to end and Celtic had Hart to thank for keeping them level when prevented what looked like a certain goal from Shinnie with 20 minutes remaining.

Miovski had the ball in the net on the 85th minute after a through ball by Clarkson, but the assistant referee had his flag up for an offside.

The result moves Celtic six points ahead at the top of the Premiership, but second placed Rangers now have two games in hand starting with Livingston at Ibrox in the 3pm kick-off.