Leaders Celtic ease to victory over stubborn Dundee

Celtic moved two points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership after eventually overwhelming stubborn visitors Dundee.

David Turnbull made the vital breakthrough from the penalty spot after the Scotland midfielder went down on the edge of the penalty box.

Kyogo Furuhashi headed the second and set up Matt O’Riley for a neat finish as the visitors were left to rue a golden opportunity to open the scoring during a goalless first half.

Celtic had goalkeeper Joe Hart to thank for a point-blank save that denied Luke McCowan during 45 minutes Brendan Rodgers’ side otherwise dominated.

Celtic, though, could have been ahead by that time.

Trevor Carson did not know much about it as the goalkeeper beat away Daizen Maeda’s prodded volley with his chest, O’Riley fired off the face of a post and Maeda was thwarted by an offside flag after finding the far corner.

Then came Dundee’s big moment when Owen Beck cut the ball to unmarked midfielder McCowan and striker Luke Robinson made a mess of his chance on the rebound off Hart.

The visitors’ resistance was finally broken when Ryan Howley, in the 19-year-old midfielder’s first start on loan from Coventry City, challenged Turnbull on the edge of the penalty box and a VAR check ruled it had been inside.

With the shackles off, Celtic suddenly found the fluency that had been lacking as clinical finishes from Kyogo and O’Riley secured the three points.

Dundee will, though, wonder how they failed to secure a consolation goal as on-loan Forest Green Rovers striker Amadou Bakayoko skied McCowan’s cut-back over the crossbar from eight yards.