Aberdeen 2-3 Celtic: Postecoglou praises side's 'great character' in five-goal thriller

Celtic showed «great character» to survive a spirited Aberdeen fightback in a five-goal Scottish Premiership thriller, says Ange Postecoglou.

Jota knocked in at the back post after poor home defending before Matt O'Riley's deflected quickfire second put the away side firmly in command.

However, two goals in five second-half minutes from Christian Ramirez and Lewis Ferguson drew the hosts level.

But the visitors responded instantly as Jota drilled in a controversial winner.

«First half, we were really good, we controlled the game,» said the Celtic manager, whose side are now 20 league games unbeaten. «Second half, we were okay, but set-pieces cost us and then the crowd gets involved which gives them confidence.

»We could have maintained our composure better. I thought we were rushing, But this is not an easy place to come and win."

Stephen Glass' Aberdeen, whose last Premiership victory came on Boxing Day, drop two places to ninth.

Celtic's late victory at Pittodrie in October — a first away league win of the season after nearly eight months without one — was a colossal turning point in their campaign.

Four months on, Postecoglou — whose side have since dropped just four points from a possible 57 — will view this result in the same vein.

Aberdeen would have felt they managed the opening exchanges well, but within a blink of an eye they were two down.

O'Riley skipped past David Bates all too easily to bend a ball from the right to the back post. Home keeper Gary Woods and defender Calvin Ramsay looked placed to deal with it, but neither made contact with the ball, allowing Jota to knock in to an empty net.

Just three minutes later, Callum McGregor's clipped pass was knocked down by Daizen Maeda to O'Riley, who drilled in his first