A Celtic State of Mind’s Decade of Dominance – League Match of the Decade (Round 3)

Since 2010, Celtic have won 8 league trophies, 5 Scottish Cups and 5 League Cups in what will be referred back to in history as the ‘Decade of Dominance’. With lots of glorious memories over the last 10 years, A Celtic State of Mind have decided to pull together an awards ceremony highlighting some of the best and worst of the last 10 years of Celtic.

Over the next few weeks, we will be posting regular polls and articles looking for you to vote on your favourite goal, game, jersey, player and much more as we celebrate the Decade of Dominance. Having looked at some of the fantastic goals, we now move on to matches, and with so many games over the span of 10 years, we’ve split this category into 3 – Domestic, Cups and European.

Today we have the second semi final from the Domestic category, with some absolutely incredible games included, from title-winning encounters, amazing comebacks and demolitions of the other half of Glasgow.

Have we missed any out? Tweet us your favourite game and vote in our polls.

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SEMI FINAL # 3

Game 1

29 April 2018

Celtic 5 (Edouard x2, Forrest, Rogic, McGregor)
Rangers 0

Another Glasgow Derby and another demolition of the side emanating from Govan. Celtic went into this game knowing that three points would secure the league title for the 7th consecutive season. Rangers went into this game buoyed with the information that Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard was soon to be the next man to take over the reins, but
even he would have been gulping hard at this result.

Celtic started brightly and it took French Eddy only 14 minutes to break the deadlock. Left-back Kieran Tierney broke through the tackle of Tavernier before squaring the ball to find the big striker, who directed the ball past Alnwick into the net. The party had already started in the stands and it was easy street from then on as Celtic added another four goals before the 55th-minute mark on a day where five could have easily been 10 or more!

The day was made most famous by the introduction of PC Lustig and an image that will go down long in the folklore of this incredible side and this incredible decade.

Game 2

29 April 2017

Rangers 1 (Miller)
Celtic 5 (Sinclair, Griffiths, McGregor, Boyata, Lustig)

Once again, our matches of the decade seem to all involve pumpings of the team from the other side of the city. Interesting that, eh?

This wasn’t just any pumping, though, this was a pumping in their own back yard! The game was merely seven minutes old when Patrick Roberts was wiped out on the edge of the box by Myles Beerman, and Scott Sinclair didn’t miss the opportunity from the penalty spot.

Leigh Griffiths then had to use the corner flag to hold himself up after rocketing a shot from the edge of the area past Foderingham to make it two. Two nearly became three after what can only be described as “the greatest tackle of all time” from Jozo Simunovic on Kenny Miller, which arguably ended Miller’s career. Griffiths hit the bar from the break-out before Sinclair missed a sitter to make it three, all from the same move, whilst the 50,000 ‘bears’ screamed blue murder.

Early into the second half, Callum McGregor put the game beyond doubt, connecting with Roberts to slot past Foderingham from the edge of the area. Boyata made it four, with an unmarked header from a free-kick. Kenny Miller prodded one back for Rangers before Mikael Lustig went on a mazy run before slotting home from outside the box and into the bottom right-hand corner, completing the demolition and setting the groundwork for the 8,000 to become 800 in the seasons to come.

Game 3

7 April 2012

Kilmarnock 0
Celtic 6 (Mulgrew x2, Hooper x2, Loovens, Ledley)

Kilmarnock had made the decision to move home fans to accommodate a massive Celtic travelling support, all of whom were desperate to see Celtic secure their first league title in four years. Almost 16,000 fans packed Rugby Park for Kilmarnock’s biggest attendance of the season by almost 10,000. It was a party atmosphere in the stands and it didn’t take long for Celtic to start engraving their name on that trophy.

Charlie Mulgrew headed home from a corner after seven minutes and Glenn Loovens did the same less than 10 minutes later. A second from Mulgrew and a trademark Gary Hooper goal made it four before half-time and that massive travelling support knew the green ribbons were going on that Premier League trophy. The party continued into the second-half where a beautiful chip from Joe Ledley and a thunderous volley from Gary Hooper made it six and completed the ultimate turnaround.

It was on this ground earlier in the season, where it looked like Neil Lennon had lost his job as Celtic fell three goals behind, only to pull it back to 3-3 and really kick-start the title race, albeit 15 points behind Rangers.

Game 4

5 February 2017

St Johnstone 2 (Watson, Boyata og)
Celtic 5 (Henderson, Dembele x3, Sinclair)

League titles aren’t handed out in February, but goal of the year was certainly won during this game. Celtic entered the game charging towards their 6th league title in-a-row. Rangers, who were recently promoted to the Premiership, were in disarray with the ‘Has he? Hasn’t he?’ Mark Warburton saga.

Celtic took the lead early through Liam Henderson, yet ended up going into the half-time break 2-1 down after goals from Keith Watson and a Dedryck Boyata own goal gave the Saints the advantage. With almost an hour gone, Celtic were struggling to break down the Perth Saints and Brendan Rodgers turned to striker Moussa Dembele, returning from injury, and within 60 seconds he had the chance to bring the Celts level from the spot. Dembele duly delivered and it was game on! With 15 minutes to go, Dembele slotted home a drive from the edge of the area to put the Bhoys in front before Scott Sinclair slotted home a 4th to seal the points. There was time to put a bow on the result for the Hoops and the 5th goal will go down in Premiership history as one of the greatest ever. 25 passes, a Rabona, a back heel and every single Celtic player touching the ball… this goal was simply a piece of art, the move got better as the passages of play went on and ended with Mikael Lustig playing a number of 1-2s before putting a Rabona cross into the box, controlled by McGregor who laid a back heel into the path of Moussa Dembele who made it five by slotting into the corner.

A beautiful goal which many compared to Liam Miller’s goal versus Lyon 14 years previously. A fantastic game of football made memorable with a wonder goal.

Colin Watt

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