Celtic FC vs Dunfermline Live Blog: Score and Updates

In a match that went to 30-minutes of extra time, Celtic faced stiff opposition from Dunfermline’s defence. Celtic’s offence found itself slightly unlucky at times during the match going 0/23 on corner kicks for the day. Celtic made few adjustments to their game plan throughout the afternoon. Forrest once again played the hero by scoring the winning goal deep into extra time.

The Hoops played a full 120-minutes in this one against a Championship side. Celtic boss Neil Lennon decided to field a fully loaded squad ahead of the Europa League playoff clash with AIK. With extra time now on most of the key players legs, it should be interesting to see how the squad performs on Thursday against a much tougher side than Dunfermline Athletic.

FT: Celtic 2-1 Dunfermline. Johnston and Forrest put the nails in Dunfermline’s coffin.

ET 30′: YELLOW CARD. The scrapiness continues as Dunfermline’s Ryan is booked.

ET 29‘: Dunfermline take a free kick from 30-yards out. Last ditch effort to tie it up. A scuffle is breaking out here in Paradise.

ET 28′: Celtic is trying to slow the pace of the game down in order to run out extra time.

ET 25′: SUBSTITUTION. Lewis Morgan comes on for Mikey Johnston.

ET 24′: GOAL!!!!!! Celtic 2-1 Dunfermline. James Forrest with the score! Huge break for The Bhoys!

ET 23′: Corner kick. Believe its at 23 now. Christie takes it and comes up empty. So that is now 0/23.

ET 20‘: We are 10-minutes away from an apparent penalty shootout with Championship side Dunfermline…

ET 19′: Christie takes a great shot, but fires right into the side of the net.

ET 16′: Corner kick. 22 on the day. Christie takes it again. Overshoots the entire squad. Elhamed saves the goal kick.

HT of Extra Time: Celtic 1-1 Dunfermline.

Thoughts: The first half of extra time has been more of the same. Complete control of possession by Celtic, and fantastic defence by Dunfermline (aside from the no-call on the handball). After 21 corners Celtic has seen no results. Perhaps switching Christie out with another player for the kicks could yield different results, it certainly couldn’t hurt to try…

ET 14′: Corner kick. 21. Christie takes it. 0/21 on the afternoon.

ET 12′: Corner Kick. 20 on the day. Collision between Dunfermline and Jullien. Clear handball on Dunfermline, but no-call on penalty.

ET 11′: Ntcham tries to right foot it from 40-yards out. Great shot.

ET 8′: Corner kick. 19 on afternoon. 0/19.

ET 7′: Surprise! Corner kick. Eighteen in the day. Christie again. For the eighteenth time, Celtic comes up short.

ET 6′: Corner Kick for Celtic. Seventeenth corner of the match. Christie delivers again. Dunfermline’s goalkeeper makes a great save.

2′ of ET: YELLOW CARD. Dunfermline’s McGill is booked for the contact with Gordon.

Beginning of Extra Time: SUBSTITUTION. Hayes comes in for Bolingoli.

We are headed to extra time. Dunfermline has done an excellent job at stopping Celtic advances this afternoon. In a match what many thought was going to be a walk in the park, Dunfermline has forced extra time. The Bhoys have come up incredibly unlucky on a multitude of opportunities, but the effort from the opposition cannot be discounted.

90+4′: Mikey Johnston takes the free-kick. SO CLOSE. Jullien JUST misses the header.

90+2′: Christie takes a shot on goal. Just slightly over the top of the bar.

90+1′: Corner kick. Sixteenth corner of the match. Christie takes it. Again, no where close to being playable.

90′: Four-minutes of added time.

89′: Free-kick headed clear. Christie takes fifteenth corner of the match. Headed right into the bottom of the crossbar. What a chance!

88′: Celtic are trying to make an aggressive late push here. Christie is fouled. Free-kick coming from Christie.

84′: SUBSTITUTION. Dunfermline’s McGill comes on for Nisbet.

83′: Mikey Johnston had a great opportunity, but could not find the back post for the lead. Just wide right of goal.

79′: Another corner. Fourteen on the day. Christie to take it again. Once again is off the mark. Perhaps someone else should take one of them. There has been no shortage of corner kicks.

77′: GOAL. Celtic 1-1 Dunfermline. Beadling sneaks it past the defence. All is equal in Paradise.

76′: SUBSTITUTION. Ntcham comes on for Ajer after injury.

74′: Ajer was thrown down violently by the neck/shoulder area by Coley of Dunfermline. Quite a rough play. The referees have let both sides “play it out” this afternoon, but this was unacceptable.

71‘: Corner kick. Make that thirteen on the afternoon. Christie takes it again, but Dunfermline ensures nothing comes of it.

70′: Christie had a great opportunity to add to the lead. Shot was just wide right of goal.

69′: Christie takes the twelfth corner of the match. Dunfermline goalkeeper punches it clear.

68′: The Bhoys had two close attempts at goal. Christie should have found the back of the net, unlucky. Dunfermline back line holds again.

66′: SUBSTITUTION. Coley comes on for Turner for the Dunfermline side.

63′: Celtic takes their ELEVENTH corner of the match. Christie has taken all of them.

61′: Despite the longshot allowed by Dunfermline in the 55′, their defence has continued to baffle the Hoops in the second half.

57‘: The Bhoys earn their tenth corner of the match. Dunfermline’s backline makes quick work of the threat.

56′: Substitution. James Forrest replaces Leigh Griffiths.

55′: GOAL!!!!! Celtic 1-0 Dunfermline. Mikey Johnston makes a phenomenal curling shot with his right foot from 25-yards out! Absolutely BEAUTIFUL!

50′: James Forrest looks to be getting ready.

46′: Yellow Card. Paton of Dunfermline booked. Leigh Griffiths took the free-kick, came up empty.

46′: We are back! Dunfermline gets the second half started for us.

HT: Celtic 0-0 Dunfermline.

Initial Thoughts: The Bhoys has been relentless on attacking pressure. However, Dunfermline has been excellent on defence. The few opportunities Dunfermline have had on the offensive side of the pitch have been easily foiled by the Celtic defence. If the second half continues in the same fashion, Celtic should get lucky with a couple of shots.

45′: Celtic get their ninth corner of the match. Comes up empty.

42‘: Corner comes up short, but Bitton is almost able to create an opportunity, Jullien header just high.

41′: Celtic get another corner. The ball is cleared and Celtic get another.

38′: Despite the relentless pressure by Celtic on the offensive side of the pitch, the attacks have come up empty. Dunfermline looks good back on the ball.

34′: Fantastic strike by Bitton, but Dunfermline goalkeeper makes another fantastic play to save the goal.

31′: McGregor now attempts a shot from 40-yards out. Good shot, but Dunfermline goalkeeper makes quick work of the shot.

29′: Mikey Johnston tried to do it on his own. Great shot on goal, and Dunfermline goalkeeper makes a great play on the ball.

27′: Celtic has been relentless on pressure. Dunfermline defence continues to do a superb job at holding up.

25‘: Hoops to take their fifth corner of the match. And once again, Dunfermline heads it clear.

22‘: Boli tries to cross the ball across the box to the back post. Cleared by Dunfermline goalkeeper. Another good attack foiled.

20‘: Corner kick by Christie, headed clear by Dunfermline.

19′: Mikey Johnston threatened but once again Dunfermline cleared the ball from the box. Corner kick.

17′: Celtic continues to create attacks. Despite the one threat from Dunfermline in the 10′ this match has been all Hoops. Credit has to be given to Dunfermline defence for stopping every advance thus far.

15′: Bitton attempts a shot from about 30-yards from goal. Beautiful shot, but Dunfermline goalkeeper handles the shot easily.

10‘: Dunfermline just missed out on an opportunity thanks to a solid play by Gordon. Best opportunity for either side today.

7′: Elhamed makes a fantastic defensive play and reastarts the attack.

4′: First corner of the match for the Hoops delivered by Christie. Headed out.

3′: Celtic is trying to set the tone early in this match. They have dominated possession.

15:00pm BST: Kick-off! Lets go Bhoys!!

Dunfermline Starting XI: Ryan Scully, Aaron Comrie, Lee Ashcroft, Stuart Morrison, Lewis Martin, Paul Paton (c), Ryan Dow, Tom Beadling, Josh Edwards, Kyle Turner, Kevin Nisbet

Substitutes: Gabby McGill, Andy Ryan, Danny Devine, Josh Coley, Matthew Todd, Lewis McCann, Cammy Gill

Celtic Starting XI: Craig Gordon, Hatem Abd Elhamed, Christopher Jullien, Kristoffer Ajer, Nir Bitton, Mikey Johnston, Callum McGregor (c), Ryan Christie, Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo, Leigh Griffiths, Odsonne Edouard

Substitutes: Hazard, Hayes, Ntcham, Morgan, Shved, Forrest, Bayo

Date/Time: Saturday, August 17th, 2019 at 15:00 BST; 10:00am EST; 19:30 IST

Venue: Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland

Forecast: Light rain showers, 17C/62F