Kelechi Iheanacho struck in the 82nd minute to secure a 2-1 win for Celtic against 10-man Dundee, keeping the Scottish Premiership title race finely balanced. The result trimmed Hearts’ lead at the top to a single point, after Hearts drew 2-2 at Livingston a day after being briefly overtaken by Rangers.

The late goal arrived after a tense second half at Dens Park, where Yang Hyun-Jun’s early strike had been cancelled out by a Simon Murray penalty. Dundee finished with 10 players after Ryan Astley’s dismissal, and Martin O’Neill’s side held firm to protect a vital victory in the closing stages.

The timing of the match added extra pressure for Celtic, who kicked off knowing Hearts had already dropped points. Dundee were also chasing history, aiming for a first home league double over Celtic since March 1958. That ambition was briefly alive, but Celtic’s attacking numbers and late composure eventually told.

Celtic made a fast start and went ahead inside eight minutes. Tomas Cvancara’s effort was spilled by goalkeeper Jon McCracken, and Yang reacted quickest to convert from close range. Daizen Maeda soon forced McCracken into another save with his feet, while Cvancara’s deft chip in the 31st minute beat the goalkeeper but clipped the left post.

Dundee’s route back into the contest came on 57 minutes, after a lengthy VAR check. Colby Donovan was judged to have handled Ryan Astley’s shot inside the area, and referee Steven McLean awarded a penalty. Captain Simon Murray stepped up and sent Viljami Sinisalo the wrong way to bring the hosts level.

Yang almost responded at once, meeting a cross with a firm header that McCracken tipped over. Celtic continued to press, and the decisive moment arrived in the final 10 minutes. Marcelo Saracchi delivered a cross from the left, Astley failed to clear, and the loose ball dropped for Iheanacho to swivel and smash in his third league goal of the season.

Astley’s afternoon worsened shortly afterwards. In the 84th minute, Astley received a straight red card for a last-player challenge on Yang, leaving Dundee a player short for the closing period. Celtic then focused on game management, seeing out the remaining minutes to secure three important points in the title chase.

Celtic vs Dundee: attack shines, defence still under scrutiny

The result continued a dominant run for Celtic against Dundee in all competitions. Celtic have now lost only one of their last 50 meetings, with a record of 42 wins and seven draws. However, O’Neill is likely to remain concerned about defensive form during the title run-in.

Another goal conceded means Celtic have now gone eight league matches without a clean sheet. The club last recorded a longer streak without shutting out opponents in February 2006 under Gordon Strachan, when they went 10 games without preventing the opposition from scoring.

Underlying numbers backed up Celtic’s narrow win, despite some nervous moments. Celtic produced 17 shots, eight on target, for an expected goals figure of 3.77, while Dundee managed eight attempts for 1.42 xG. Those figures underlined Celtic’s attacking threat, even as defensive issues continue to provide a concern during a tight title race.