Martin O’Neill ended his interim spell at Celtic with a 1-0 win over Dundee at Celtic Park, Daizen Maeda’s 11th-minute header proving decisive. The result came after Wilfried Nancy’s appointment as Celtic manager was confirmed less than an hour before kick-off, making this O’Neill’s farewell match before the new boss takes charge.
Maeda’s goal arrived early when Reo Hatate’s lofted pass found Hyun-jun Yang, whose effort led to a rebound that Maeda nodded home in the 11th minute. He then clashed heavily with Luke Graham, leaving the pitch briefly; Maeda returned from the tunnel wearing a bandage and sporting a black eye, allowing Celtic to continue with their shape.
Celtic started the match on the front foot, with long-range efforts from Maeda and Hatate and several openings created by Arne Engels and Yang. Marcelo Saracchi forced a sharp save before being withdrawn with what looked like a recurrence of a hamstring problem, Kieran Tierney coming on as his replacement. Dundee had a scare when Simon Murray struck the bar from close range after Liam Scales’ headed back-pass; Cameron Congreve’s follow-up was saved by Kasper Schmeichel and then ruled offside.
The second half saw Celtic carve out more chances — Maeda missed a rebound and Hatate had an effort saved — but Dundee grew into the game. Substitute Ashley May (reported as Ashley Hay in some coverage) burst through midway through the period, shrugged off Scales and had an angled attempt blocked by Schmeichel. Later, Finlay Robertson tried an audacious effort from around 50 yards when Schmeichel was outside his box; the goalkeeper recovered to palm the ball away.
Dundee pushed late and Celtic had to withstand nervy moments, with Maeda heading against the post on a stoppage-time breakaway. When the final whistle sounded, the ground rang to chants of “Martin O’Neill,” celebrating the manager who has won seven of his eight matches since returning to Parkhead two decades after his first spell in charge.
Off the pitch, the occasion was tense. Anti-board chants and tributes to O’Neill highlighted divisions within the club ahead of Nancy’s arrival, and an extended, indefinite ban on the Green Brigade left the bottom six rows of the standing section closed. The win leaves Celtic level on points with Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts but behind on goal difference, with a game in hand. Nancy now inherits a squad with momentum on the field but clear questions to address off it, ahead of fixtures including matches against Hearts and Roma.