Celtic comfortably beat Aberdeen 2-0 on an emotional day at Celtic Park on Saturday. Expectation was high on a day that say a rousing minute of applause prior to kick-off proving a fitting way to mark the 20th anniversary of the great man’s passing.

Celtic broke the deadlock after only 13 minutes with a goal that brought back memories of the superb football that Celtic played under Stein. A beautiful ball by Balde was expertly controlled on the chest of Hartson into Zurawski's path. Fine interplay between the forwards saw Zurawski leashing a rocket of an angled right-foot shot that fizzed into the roof of the net from a distance of around 20 yards.

The goal was the least that Celtic deserved at this stage after Hartson was within inches of getting a telling head to Thompson's trademark free-kick in the sixth minute who was returning from suspension.

The first half was comfortable for Celtic, if not spectacular and the only effort of note in the remainder of the first half came from the less than prolific Celtic captain Neil Lennon who returned from suspension and sliced high and wide after an Alan Thompson corner had been half-cleared by the Aberdeen defence.

Celtic's goalkeeper Artur Boruc was a spectator in the first half and his ever growing confidence was emphaised when he felt compelled to relieve his boredom by skinning Stevie Crawford with a perfectly-executed Cruyff turn inside his own six-yard box. Boruc had talks with Celtic this week and everyone at Celtic Park would be delighted if he penned a long term contract at the club.

The ever impressive Petrov could have doubled Celtic's lead shortly after the interval. Hartson knocked Thompson's poor cross into his path but the midfielder failed to get the power he would have hoped for and his right-foot effort was comfortably saved by Esson.

Aberdeen finally brought out a save from Artur Boruc moments later but he dived to his right to save Byrne's effort, Boruc only real involvement in their attacking third in the entire game.

The much critised Alan Thompson then missed a glorius to double Celtic's lead. A piece of individual brilliance saw Nakamura turn Aberdeen defender Byrne inside out and curled an inch-perfect cross to the unmarked Englishman who somehow headed over from seven yards with just Esson to beat.

The game was finally finished off just after the hour mark and once again there was much to admire in the tenacity and vision shown by the former Wisla Krakow striker in teeing up Petrov for the second. The Bulgarian captain shown great composure to find a gap in the Aberdeen defence before stroking the ball into the far corner of the net.

Celtic rarely threatened to add to their goal tally, though they should perhaps have been given the opportunity to do so from the penalty spot when substitute Craig Beattie seemed to be bundled to the ground by former team-mate Jamie Smith, the goalscorer who put Rangers to the sword a month previously.

Then with about 10 minutes to go the home support buoyed by news filtering through from the Falkirk Stadium, where Daniel McBreen’s late leveller has left Rangers trailing Celtic by 3 points and with an inferior goal difference. This result also leaves Rangers stranded 8 points behind the league leaders Hearts, who they face in 2 weeks.

Man Of The Match: Magic Zurawski

Celtic: (4-4-2)

Boruc
Telfer Balde McManus Camara
Nakamura(Maloney 70) Petrov Lennon Thompson(Pearson 90)
Hartson(Beattie 70) Zurawski.

Subs Not Used: Marshall, McGeady, Wallace, Virgo.

Aberdeen: (3-5-2)

Esson
................Diamond Anderson Byrne(Muirhead 65)
McNaughton(Considine 56) ...............................Smith
..........................Nicholson Severin Clark
.............................Crawford Lovell(Stewart 69)

Subs Not Used: Kelly, Winter, Dempsey, Foster.


Att: 59,607