Celtic 1-0 Dundee: Hoops up and running thanks to Nygren winner | OneFootball

James McClair

Defending champions Celtic gained early ground in the Scottish Premiership title race, as talisman Benjamin Nygren handed them a 1-0 win over Dundee.

Nygren headed the Hoops ahead early in the second-half after a wasteful first period at Celtic Park, which saw Celtic’s £11m man Kasper Høgh squander a host of chances.

More profligacy meant the Swede’s goal proved the winner in Glasgow, extending Celtic’s extraordinary home opening day record to 76 years without defeat and allowing them to leapfrog both Hearts and Rangers.

As it happened

In the build-up to the match, the hosts continued last season’s celebrations by raising the Title Flag for the 14th time in 15 years, and it didn’t take long for them to carve out an opening at Parkhead.

Høgh was presented with a golden chance to grab a first goal in green and white, but the club’s record signing scuffed his finish wide from Nygren’s pass.

It was proving a rocky start for the Dane as he steered another guilt-edged opportunity off target moments later, before Dundee reminded the champions of the threats at their disposal when Charlie Reilly fired into the side netting.

More openings came and went for Celtic as the half progressed, with Høgh’s third attempt deflected behind before Yang Hyun-Jun couldn’t get his shot away after jinking past a couple of dark blue shirts.

Dundee goalkeeper Owen Goodman was called into action for the first time four minutes before the interval, with the Crystal Palace loanee springing to his right to thwart Kieran Tierney’s effort.

Martin O’Neill’s side emerged with more impetus after the break and broke the deadlock six minutes later as Nygren, Celtic’s top scorer last season, headed Tierney’s delivery home.

The hosts pressed forward in search of a second at Paradise but lacked the cutting edge to extend their lead, seeing a string of moves fall apart before Tierney drew a routine stop out of Goodman.

O’Neill’s men asserted their control on the contest as it wore on, as Steven Pressley’s side’s energy sapped under the strain of their off-the-ball workload.

Yet with Celtic only one goal to the good, the visitors were always a moment away from levelling and came close to doing so when substitute Ashley Hay’s header was pushed away by Viljami Sinisalo.

Høgh missed his fourth, and arguably best, chance to open his account in the final 10 minutes. The 25-year-old’s poked finish strayed inches wide of the near post, rounding off a disappointing debut in Celtic colours.

Captain Callum McGregor looked certain to double the advantage as he wrapped a shot goalwards, only to see his effort crash back off the woodwork.

Despite their wasteful finishing, the home side held on for the victory at Paradise to ensure a winning start to their 2026/27 campaign. Celtic travel to Kilmarnock next weekend whilst Dundee welcome Aberdeen to Dens Park on Saturday.