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2019 Goldson Scores Christie Hat Trick Helps Celtic To
7-0 Victory Over St Johnstone
7th, Ryan Christie struck a
August Stoppage-Time Winner long-range hat-trick as

Celtic began their latest
| To Give Rangers Ladbrokes Premiership title
defense with a 7-0 demoli-
EXAMINER Opening Day Win tion of St Johnstone.

The Scotland interna-
tional took his tally for the season to six goals in five

IRISH matches with a brilliant performance as the champions
ensured they topped the table on the opening day.
Christie also set up ninth-minute opener for Mikey
Johnston and goals from Odsonne Edouard and substi-
tutes Olivier Ntcham and Leigh Griffiths completed the
rout.
The only down side to Celtic’s day was a thigh injury
for Hatem Abd Elhamed, whose debut lasted 50 minutes
before he limped off for Anthony Ralston. The right-
back will now be a major doubt for the first leg of Celtic’s
third Champions League qualifier against Cluj on
Wednesday.
The widows of Billy McNeill and Stevie Chalmers
unfurled the Premiership flag before kick-off and Celtic
started their quest for a ninth consecutive title in deter-
mined fashion.
Elhamed started in a back four that was missing sus-
pended centre-backs Jozo Simunovic and Christopher
Jullien and the Israel international twice got forward to
onnor Goldson’s last-gasp win- and Greg Stewart started on the Burke slid a perfect ball into the good effect in the opening stages. His low crosses provid-
nerensuredRangerssufferedno bench on their return to Ayrshire. six-yard box for Brophy but the ed chances for Edouard and Christie, the Frenchman
Crepeat of last season’s Rugby The hosts had new goalkeeper striker – who has not scored from well blocked by Wallace Duffy and the latter firing over.
Park woes as they kicked off the new Laurentiu Branescu and midfielder open play since January’s win over The breakthrough came when Christie sent Johnston
campaignwithadramatic2-1win. Mohamed El Makrini on display Gerrard’s team – somehow failed away with a brilliant first-time ball over the top. The
Steven Gerrard’s team lost on but they quickly adopted a similar to find the target with a terrible winger turned Duffy one way and the other before find-
both of their league visits to look to last season’s Clarke outfit, miscue. ing the bottom corner.
Ayrshire last term and looked set putting 10 men behind the ball Joe Aribo had been finding it James Forrest and Edouard threatened before Christie
for more frustration as Stephen while daring Gers to break them hard to creep into the spaces doubled the lead in the 26th minute. Saints had 10 men
O’Donnell cancelled out Scott down. where he is most effective but behind the ball but Forrest’s inside pass found Christie in
Arfield’s early opener with just Goldson’s ball over the top Gers’ midfield signing from space 22 yards out and he stroked the ball into the top
seven minutes left. eight minutes in almost did just Charlton came close to adding his corner of the net.
But Goldson crashed home a that. Stuart Findlay lost the flight side’s second as he wriggled past a Zander Clark saved from Edouard before he was
90th-minute header to inflict more in the sun, allowing Morelos in couple of challenges before seeing fooled by the swerve on Christie’s first-time strike from
agony on new Killie boss Angelo behind but the Colombian’s Branescu tip his strike away. 25 yards on the half-hour mark after Forrest had again
Alessio. attempted lob was palmed behind Jones’ introduction with a quar- teed up the former Inverness man. The goalkeeper
Just 77 days had passed since by on-loan Juventus stopper ter of an hour left was greeted with appeared to take his eye off the ball and it slipped away
Kilmarnock sealed their best Branescu. howls from the home supporters. from his grasp.
league finish since 1966 with victo- Alessio would have been But the Killie faithful were out of The performance was giving the home fans the confi-
ry over the Light Blues in Steve pleased enough as his side stood their seats cheering on 83 minutes dence to embark on an extended rendition of their ‘here
Clarke’s last game in charge. firm as Rangers held on to the ball as O’Donnell grabbed his side an we go, 10 in a row’ chant and Celtic continued to create
But their Europa League disas- while doing little with it. But he equalizer. chances before the break. Forrest shot wide after
ter against Connah’s Quay could afford no switch-offs and Burke’s free-kick was allowed Elhamed’s cutback before forcing a good stop from
Nomads had deflated much of the paid a hefty price after 16 minutes to drift all the way to the back post Clark, and Edouard shot into the side net after some
optimism that was swirling round as Findlay again went to sleep. where the Scotland right-back good footwork.
the club back then and Alessio The center-back allowed stood unmarked before smashing The tempo dropped after half-time but Christie again
admits he is already feeling the Nikola Katic to wander free and the ball past Foderingham for the lit the game up in the 67th minute. There appeared to be
pressure. plant a firm header on James equalizer. little danger as he exchanged passes with Johnston on the
But Gerrard will hope the victo- Tavernier’s corner. Branescu’s Rangers desperately poured edge of the D but he fired a powerful strike in off the
ry is a sign his team have come up parry did not clear the danger and forward hoping to retrieve the crossbar.
with a way to win the scrappy Arfield rammed home from close win. Branescu pulled off a crucial The playmaker soon went off for Ntcham but there
points they missed out on last sea- range. stop to deny Aribo’s swirling effort was no respite for the visitors as the Frenchman struck in
son as Celtic were again allowed to Wes Foderingham had to be but there was no stopping the 72nd minute. Saints defender Madis Vihmann mis-
claim the Ladbrokes Premiership alert at the other end to keep out Goldson as the defender ham- judged the bounce of the ball and Edouard released
title. an Eamonn Brophy attempt but mered home from another Ntcham to fire high into the net.
Alfredo Morelos – again urged Killie’s stuffy tactics made it diffi- Tavernier corner, leaving the Griffiths then set up Edouard to round a hesitant
by his boss to clarify his plans for cult for both sides to conjure clear delirious travelling support unable Clark and slot the sixth in the 80th minute and the
the future this week – returned to openings. to contain their joy as a number Scotland striker drilled a 20-yard effort into the bottom
spearhead the visitors’ attack while Kilmarnock should have lev- spilled onto the pitch in celebra- corner six minutes later. C
former Killie boys Jordan Jones eled after 56 minutes as Chris tion. C