Dundee 3 – 3 Celtic

Arne Engels scored from the penalty spot in stoppage time to give Celtic a dramatic draw with six goals against Dundee.

Luke McCowan returned to Dens Park to show them what they had been missing as he put the Premier League leaders ahead early on.

Despite dominating, Dundee leveled at half-time when Oluasew Adewumi slotted home from a quick counter-attack.

It was a dramatic encounter and Heung-Joon Young put the Hoops back in front only for Cameron Carter-Vickers to turn Josh Mulligan’s low cross into his own net.

Aaron Donnelly thought his first goal for Dundee had sealed their first win against Celtic since 1988, but Mo Cilla struck and Engels made no mistake as they moved 16 points clear at the top of the table.

Dundee, unbeaten in three, are up to seventh.

Champions are late to the Dance

Celtic took the lead in the fifth minute after Greg Taylor made his 200th appearance for Celtic with a perfect pass for McCowan to head into the far corner. The midfielder’s celebrations were muted.

Dundee had a chance earlier when Donnelly’s throw-in found itself in the Celtic six-yard box, with Simon Murray’s header saved on his own line.

However, Donnelly’s subsequent long-range effort failed to clear the penalty and led to Celtic’s chance on the break, Adam Ida lacking conviction when he ran onto Kyogo Furuhashi’s tempting low pass and the ball flew out of the penalty area.

Celtic were in control and creating chances, Paulo Bernardo headed over the bar and McCown forced a diving save from Trevor Carson.

The home team broke the score quickly after a “Celtic” corner.

Murray burst forward from the edge of the box and Finlay Robertson set up Alistair Johnston to run in. The Burnley loanee curled a shot into the bottom corner as he raced into the box.

Celtic took the lead in the 53rd minute when Young scored just his second goal in 49 games for the club.

The goal came from a low pass by Furuhashi, who was again playing in position to the right wing. The ball spun out of Carson’s hands as he kept Ida from getting there, and Young showed the will to win the loose ball and head home.

Dundee equalized a minute later as Murray outpaced Auston Trusty and sent Josh Mulligan racing into the box as Carter-Vickers slid in to block the full-back’s low cross at the near post.

The hosts believed from their second equalizer and created a number of chances, with Adewumi and Robertson going close from long range and Ethan Ingram heading wide from Mulligan’s cross before Cesar Garza struck well from the half.

In a sign of the run of play, Brendan Rodgers used all five of his substitutions before Tony Docherty made his first substitution.

Docherty’s side were ahead before the change after Donnelly rose well at the back to head Robertson’s corner into the top corner.

Dundee looked to be seeing the game out until Don Robertson pointed to the spot and Engels sent Carson the wrong way three minutes into added time.

“The Limit of Heroism”

Dundee boss Tony Docherty told Sky Sports:

“I’m really disappointed because I thought we did enough to see the game through, but I have to balance that and praise the character and personality of the team.

“When Celtic bring the quality they bring and I’ve asked Lyall Cameron to come on when he’s ill and not ready to play. Then I play striker Tifon to fill the midfield role.

“I’m so proud of how much those guys give to me, give to their football club. It’s bordered on heroic and it’s a never-say-die attitude.”

“We have to be much better”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers told Sky Sports:

“We lacked aggression on the ball, in tackles and passes, it was sideways or backwards, not aggressive enough positioning.

“We fight until the end and get the point but we let the game slip away from us, which we controlled so much for 40 minutes.

“Give it to Dundee because they fought back, but when I look at us, we’ve got to be a lot better than that.”

He singled out Auston Trust for criticism for Dundee’s third game, adding: “You are a central midfielder, you have to be strong, aggressive and you have to win with headers.”

What Sky Sports experts said.

Chris Boyd:

Celtic are well ahead in the league and complacency can set in at times, but Brendan Rodgers will know that he has to take part in the next two Champions League games.

“They’re massive games for the football club, they’ve got to turn up.

“The left side of the defense is a problem for them. You look at Trusty (until Dundee’s third game) and he’s spinning. You’ve got to be on your feet.

Celtic spent a lot of money to bring in Trusty, bring Engels and Ida in. Ida again tonight, wow, I just don’t know what’s going on with her.

“I understand that when you’re a striker and you’re not scoring goals, maybe you overthink things, but he’s just not the same player that was here last season.”

James McFadden:

“Brendan Rodgers talks about being passive on the ball and not being aggressive enough, but what he’s really talking about is Simon Murray on Trusty for the second goal and Trusty on Donnelly for the third goal.

“Rogers does it to everyone, but he’s letting Trust know it’s not acceptable.”

Neil Lennon:

“It cost them goals.

“He sets really high standards that the team upholds for long, long periods of time, but when they drop the standards, they have to be told.”

What’s next for the Scottish Championship?