Celtic delivered a devastating first-half display to demolish Ross County 5-0 at Parkhead, extending their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to five points.
Brendan Rodgers made six changes from the side that drew with Club Brugge midweek, but the champions showed no signs of disruption as they overwhelmed their opponents with ruthless efficiency.
The tone was set early when Liam Scales opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a thunderous header from Luke McCowan’s corner.
The Republic of Ireland defender then turned provider, lofting a perfectly weighted pass to McCowan, who fired in a deflected effort to double the lead.
Celtic’s dominance was relentless. Paulo Bernardo swept home from close range after Daizen Maeda’s clever cut-back, while Callum McGregor added a fourth with a stunning 20-yard strike to cap off a sensational first-half display.
Adam Idah made it five just before the break with a composed finish after excellent footwork on the edge of the box.
Second Half Cruise
While the pace slowed in the second half, Celtic continued to create chances. Idah struck the woodwork with a header, and substitute Greg Taylor clipped the post late on. The win extended Celtic’s unbeaten domestic run to 28 matches, a streak that dates back to March.
Here’s how the players rated in a dominant Parkhead performance:
Player Ratings
Kasper Schmeichel – 6/10
A spectator for most of the game. Did not face a single shot on target.
Alistair Johnston – 6/10
Supported attacks well and linked effectively with Forrest. Subbed after an hour.
Cameron Carter-Vickers – 7/10
Rebounded from his midweek own goal with a calm and composed display.
Liam Scales – 7/10
Scored the opener with a bullet header and assisted McCowan’s goal. Solid defensively.
Alex Valle – 7/10
Bright throughout and came close to scoring himself, denied only by the keeper.
Callum McGregor – 7/10
Scored a sensational long-range effort to make it 4-0. Subbed after an hour.
Luke McCowan – 9/10 (MOTM)
Has given Rodgers food for thought after a top performance and is doing everything he can to force his way into the reckoning. Provided three assists including one from a corner which Scales headed home. Got on the scoresheet with a sublime first touch and finish to make it 2-0. Brought real creativity to Celtic’s attacking play and deservedly named MOTM. Subbed.
Paulo Bernardo – 8/10
Effortlessly controlled the midfield. Scored Celtic’s third with calm precision.
James Forrest – 6/10
Combined well with Johnston and got into threatening positions, though lacked a clinical edge.
Daizen Maeda – 6/10
Assisted Bernardo’s goal with a clever pass but was otherwise quiet. Subbed at half-time.
Adam Idah – 8/10
Scored a sublime goal to make it 5-0 and was unlucky not to add more.
Substitutes
Yang Hyun-jun – 4/10
Replaced Maeda at the break. Created a late chance for Taylor but had a quiet game.
Anthony Ralston – 3/10
Came on for Johnston. Tried his luck from distance but had minimal impact.
Arne Engels – 4/10
Delivered an excellent corner for Idah’s missed header but otherwise struggled for rhythm.
Reo Hatate – 3/10
Brought energy in the final 20 minutes but was largely uninvolved.
Greg Taylor – 5/10
Hit the post late on and provided a superb pass for Idah’s near-miss.
Rodgers’ Verdict
Rodgers will be delighted with his side’s ruthlessness in the first half, as well as the contributions from squad players like McCowan and Scales. The performance underlined Celtic’s depth as they remain firmly in control at the summit of the Premiership.
Ross County, by contrast, were second best in every department and will need a major response in their next outing to recover from this heavy defeat.
