Celtic strike late to break Dundee United hearts

Celtic substitutes Kyogo Furuhashi and Liel Abada scored in a dramatic finale to earn the cinch Premiership champions a 4-2 victory over Dundee United.

United looked like they might earn themselves a point when they equalised with three minutes left as Dylan Levitt's cross ended up in the net. Tony Watt possibly got a slight touch after attempting to glance a header.

However, Furuhashi headed home from a last-minute corner before Abada made sure Celtic went seven points clear before Rangers visit St Johnstone on Sunday.

Sead Haksabanovic had scored his first two goals for Celtic in the first half either side of a VAR-assisted Steven Fletcher penalty and the hosts were almost made to pay for failing to make early second-half pressure count when United improved in the final 20 minutes.

Ange Postecoglou’s side again found a way to dig out three points though to leave United suffering a very different but similarly painful defeat against a side which beat them 9-0 in August.

Another thrashing looked like it might be on the cards when Haksabanovic netted a sixth-minute opener. Jota had already missed two half chances before setting the Montenegro international up for a tap-in after the Portuguese winger had been played in by Reo Hatate.

Far from opening the floodgates, the tide turned the other way following a United corner.

Alexandro Bernabei rose to head clear but a visiting player got a flick-on and Fletcher’s header hit off the Celtic left-back’s arm behind his body while he was still in the air.

The Argentinian knew nothing about it but, after initially playing on, referee David Dickinson pointed to the spot and flashed a yellow card after going to his monitor. Fletcher converted.

Celtic took time to get back in their stride,