Celtic hit five to maintain perfect start

GLASGOW, Scotland (AFP) ― Celtic remain two points ahead of rivals Rangers as they continued their winning start to the Scottish Premier League season with a comprehensive 5-1 victory over Dundee United.

Anthony Stokes gave the Hoops the lead in the fourth minute as he scored for the third successive match before Johnny Russell equalized on the half-hour mark.

However, Gary Hooper restored Celtic’s lead minutes later before second-half goals from South Korean international Ki Sung-yueng, Joe Ledley and substitute James Forrest sealed the victory.

The win puts Celtic on maximum points after three matches but the victory was marred by an injury to striker Hooper, who was stretchered off in the second half.

Old Firm rivals Rangers remain two points behind after second-half goals from Nikica Jelavic and Maurice Edu helped them to a 2-0 win away to Inverness Caledonian Thistle in a game which saw both sides end with ten men.

It is Motherwell who top the table, after Tom Hateley scored in stoppage time to give them a 1-0 win over St Mirren, but they have played a game more than the Glasgow giants, and Celtic manager Neil Lennon was a happy man afterwards.

“It was a fantastic result and overall a very pleasing performance,” he said.

“To beat Dundee United 5-1 after the week we’ve had I couldn’t ask any more of the players really.”

In contrast, his opposite number Peter Houston said the result was hard to take.

“The goals we lost were extremely disappointing,” admitted the Dundee United manager.”

“I felt that Celtic got four of their goals quite cheaply. It is disappointing that there is a 5-1 scoreline when I felt at one stage it was maybe going to go 2-2.”

The home side needed just over three minutes to get their noses in front at Celtic Park.

Dusan Pernis had already spilled Kris Commons’ fierce strike from 25 yards before recovering well to block the follow-up shot from Stokes.

However, from the resultant corner, Stokes poked the ball past Pernis after latching on to Daniel Majstorovic’s headed knock down.

United’s Slovakian keeper was then forced to punch away a 20-yard rocket shot from the striker as Celtic looked to increase their advantage.

United equalized on the half-hour mark as Garry Kenneth’s miscued shot rolled across the box for the unmarked Russell to side-foot home from close range.

However, they were only on level terms for three minutes before Hooper headed the Hoops into the lead again when he reacted quickest to nod past Pernis after Majstorovic’s deflected header bounced off the bar.

United were then denied a penalty in the 59th minute when Kelvin Wilson appeared to bundle over Scott Robertson in the box, and Celtic raced up the park to extend their lead at the other end.

Hooper cleverly stepped over Commons’ pass to allow South Korean Ki to blast a shot high past Pernis into the top corner to make it 3-1.

Hooper’s shot went agonizingly wide after a good run but the striker injured himself in the process and had to be stretchered off to be replaced by Shaun Maloney.

The substitute made an instant impact as he raced to the by-line and sent the ball across goal for Ledley to tap in from four yards to extend Celtic’s advantage.

Substitute Forrest then netted the fifth in stoppage time as he raced into the box to fire low past Pernis.

In Inverness, Rangers’ Jelavic had a first-half strike ruled out for offside before he tucked away a 60th minute penalty after Tokely was sent off for sliding into Steven Naismith.

Ryan Esson saved Jelavic’s second penalty eight minutes later after Dorin Goian took a tumble following a challenge from Tom Aldred, but Edu tapped in the follow-up.

The American midfielder was then sent off late on for a second bookable offence as both sides ended with ten men.

Elsewhere, Hearts thrashed Aberdeen 3-0 and ten-man Dunfermline won 1-0 away to St Johnstone.