1 – Celtic 2-0 Aberdeen (31 July 2022)
Winning a championship is hard, retaining one is even more difficult.
The cinch Premiership holders hosted Jim Goodwin’s Aberdeen as they unfurled the league flag and they wasted little time in getting their title defence off to the best possible start.
Stephen Welsh headed in Matt O’Riley’s corner after three minutes but this match will be remembered for a piece of magic from Jota.
The Portuguese maestro collected the ball from David Turnbull before brushing off the attention of Dante Polvara and unleashing a fierce 25-yard strike into the top corner of the net, leaving Kelle Roos helpless.
It would be the first step towards the emphatic retention of their crown.
2 – Ross County 1-3 Celtic (6 August 2022)
With a virtually flawless cinch Premiership record at Celtic Park, the sternest tests for Ange Postecoglou’s side were likely to come away from home.
Their first domestic assignment of the season saw them travel up the A9 to face a Ross County team who had performed so well in Malky Mackay’s first campaign as boss.
A narrow opening day defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle was no disgrace and the Staggies returned home to give Celtic a difficult afternoon in Dingwall. All seemed to be going to script when Kyogo Furuhashi opened his league account for the season after fast feet from Jota. But Alex Iacovitti’s 58th-minute equaliser looked set to ensure a share of the spoils.
That was until six minutes from time when Jota turned provider again, allowing on-loan Lorient defender Mortiz Jenz to head in on his league debut for the Hoops. A wonderful turn and finish from Liel Abada in the 90th minute completed matters but the champions knew they had been in a contest.
3 – Dundee United 0-9 Celtic (28 August 2022)
A truly unbelievable scoreline, which made headlines beyond the Scottish shores.
Kyogo and Liel Abada shared the match ball after hitting hat-tricks with further goals coming from Jota, Carl Starfelt and Josip Juranovic.
A signal win of this magnitude sent a message to the rest of the league over the hunger and ruthlessness of this Celtic team. There would be more handsome scorelines to follow.
4 – Celtic 4-0 Rangers (3 September 2022)
The season’s first derby between these two rivals is always eagerly anticipated and both sides were looking for a little extra confidence before they kicked off their respective Champions League group campaigns.
While Celtic remained unbeaten, Rangers had blinked first domestically with Josh Campbell’s equaliser at Easter Road meaning Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men had to settle for a point in the capital.
Quick thinking and reactions saw Liel Abada net the opener after eight minutes before another quick restart saw Jota dink in a delightful second. Abada added his second of the game before the interval and Celtic’s day was complete when David Turnbull capitalised on an error from ‘Gers goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin to score the fourth.
A five-point lead in early September would prove to be a signpost for how the season would develop for both sides.
5 – St. Johnstone 1-2 Celtic (8 October 2022)
Adapting to the fine margins which make the difference at Europe’s top table, Celtic arrived in Perth on a run of one win in five matches.
Defeats to Real Madrid and RB Leipzig and a draw with Shakhtar Donetsk were accompanied by a home win over Motherwell and a 2-0 loss to St. Mirren in Paisley.
Andrew Considine’s own goal separated the sides at McDiarmid Park heading into the final minute. That was until Ali Crawford’s free-kick found Alex Mitchell and he controlled the ball before slotting it past Joe Hart.
Rather than lick their wounds, Celtic regrouped and found time to find a winner. With Drey Wright hobbling in pain after an attempted clearance, Alexandro Bernabei latched onto the loose ball before sending over an inviting cross for substitute Giorgos Giakoumakis to tap in to spark scenes of celebration in the away end.
6 – Heart of Midlothian 3-4 Celtic (22 October 2022)
One of the games of the 2022/23 cinch Premiership season played out in Gorgie as the champions edged out their opponents in a seven-goal Tynecastle thriller.
Lawrence Shankland hit a hat-trick for the hosts but ended up on the losing side in an encounter where the momentum constantly shifted.
Hearts’ number nine scored twice to cancel out James Forrest’s 14th minute goal before Giakoumakis and Daizen Maeda turned the game back in Celtic’s favour around the hour mark.
Greg Taylor’s growing importance in the Hoops came to the fore as he slid in the decisive goal to the delight of his team mates and manager.
7 – Celtic 4-2 Dundee United (5 November 2022)
After their last encounter, few expected much in the way of drama as the struggling Tangerines arrived in Glasgow under the guidance of Liam Fox.
Sead Haksabanovic’s double in between a Steven Fletcher penalty saw the match play out as many expected with the hosts spurning opportunities to add to their lead. Then United had opportunities of their own with Greg Taylor clearing off the line while Ryan Edwards struck the post.
Dylan Levitt’s 87th-minute equaliser stunned the home crowd but only served to spark the Hoops into action.
Exemplifying their manager’s ‘we never stop’ mantra, Celtic scored twice in injury time to turn the match on its head on a big weekend in the title race. Kyogo headed home O’Riley’s corner before Liel Abada executed a brilliant lob as the crowd went wild.
Rangers’ defeat at McDiarmid Park the following day ensured Celtic held a seven-point lead.
8 – Rangers 2-2 Celtic (2 January 2023)
Both sides returned from the World Cup break refreshed and ready to go for the second half of the campaign.
Late goals were the hallmark to the opening four matches of Michael Beale’s tenure but this first match of the New Year would be his biggest test yet.
Another comeback would be required as Dazien Maeda slotted home after just five minutes at Ibrox. And the Rangers fans got the response they were looking for as Ryan Kent curled in a fine strike before a James Tavernier penalty put the Light Blues ahead as the game entered the final minutes.
Celtic found the answer once more. Jota and Aaron Mooy combined to work the ball into the Rangers box and when Giakoumakis’ shot was blocked, Kyogo reacted first to direct the ball high into the net to maintain the nine-point gap at the top.
9 – St. Mirren 1-5 Celtic (5 March 2023)
Celtic followed their draw at Ibrox with a run of seven straight wins in all competitions, including a Viaplay Cup triumph, before returning to the scene of their only domestic defeat.
Stephen Robinson’s top-six chasing Saints took an early lead through a Mark O’Hara penalty and looked capable of causing another upset before Charles Dunne’s red card for pulling back Kyogo on 38 minutes.
The introduction of substitutes Abada, O’Riley and South Korean forward Oh Hyeon-Gyu proved to be critical in opening up the spaces for Celtic to exploit against ten men.
Jota squeezed home an equaliser before January arrival Alistair Johnston scored his first Celtic goal. Abada and O’Riley found the net within two minutes of each other before Oh converted from the penalty spot to turn what appeared to be a potential banana skin into a comprehensive victory.
10 – Heart of Midlothian 0-2 Celtic (7 May 2023)
The game which confirmed the retention of the title.
Rangers’ 2-0 loss against Aberdeen at Pittodrie in GW33 meant that Celtic knew that victory at Tynecastle would be enough in their first post-split match.
In a tight contest, home defender Alex Cochrane was sent off in the final moments of the first half after a VAR decision.
As he so often has across the campaign, Premiership top scorer Kyogo was on hand to turn the ball into the net to put Celtic in control before a smart finish from Oh Hyeon-Gyu put the result beyond doubt.
As the squad celebrated on the pitch and in the dressing room, thoughts were already turning to the chance to complete a domestic treble as well as how the team will be shaped to try and make it three-in-a-row in season 2023/24.
Congratulations Celtic, cinch Premiership winners 2022/23!
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