The clutch. The crunch. The moment of truth. There are plenty of terms for highly-pressurised periods in sports and in life.
Famously, former Los Angeles Lakers point guard Magic Johnson simply called it winning time. This Celtic side could very well start doing the same.
In the final 10 minutes of league matches this season, Ange Postecoglou’s men have scored 11 goals. Notably, each were in the opposition penalty area and none are what you’d term a potshot – further evidence of the manager’s philosophy consistently paying off once again.
Likewise, that mentality holds true at the other end as well. Since conceding John Souttar’s header in the 89th minute of the opening league match against Hearts, the Hoops have yet to let one in during the final 10 minutes since.
Seven of the 11 late goals Celtic have scored themselves have been what we could term ‘pile-on’ strikes which neither won the game, equalised or made much of a difference to the outcome beyond increasing the goal difference. The added gloss, in other words.
In order, these have been Anthony Ralston v Dundee, Odsonne Edouard v Dundee and David Turnbull v St Mirren in August; Albian Ajeti v Ross County in September; Liam Scales v Dundee United and Nir Bitton v St Johnstone in December; as well as Callum McGregor v St Mirren in March.
The other four were match-winners. Those winning time strikes and the circumstances surrounding them will be our focus on this occasion…
1. Jota v Aberdeen (Oct 3 2021)
The game that kick-started the current 32-match unbeaten domestic streak also ended an eight-month wait for an SPFL away win.
Kyogo Furuhashi had given Celtic the lead with a wonderful chest finish before Lewis Ferguson equalised with a header. Jota’s 83rd-minute winner came as a result of calm interplay between Tom Rogic and Adam Montgomery – the kind of composed play in pressure situations that we’ll be hearing about a lot as the list goes on.
It’s somewhat overlooked now but the sticky start to life under Postecoglou was arguably at its most mucilaginous before the Pittodrie visit. Celtic had lost five of their last eight games in all competitions and won just two.
In terms of the league table it made little difference; the Hoops stayed sixth, six points off leaders Rangers, but the magnitude of Jota’s winner is still being felt today.
2. Anthony Ralston v Ross County (Dec 15 2021)
The circumstances surrounding this one make it even more impressive – and the goal itself was plenty extraordinary in any case.
An injury crisis meant Postecoglou was forced into fielding a patchwork team featuring Scales at left-back, Juranovic at right wing and Adam Montgomery at left wing with Abada through the middle.
The Israeli put Celtic ahead before Jack Baldwin levelled matters just before the hour mark. Things were exacerbated further when Carl Starfelt was sent off after 79 minutes but Ralston’s momentous leap headed Celtic within four points of Rangers and kept their fledgling momentum going with the League Cup final looming.
Again, the composure in the build-up to the winner was key. When a corner was cleared, Juranovic’s attempt at rifling in a half-volley was blocked and the ball fell to Owen Moffat. The youngster, unlike his more experienced team-mate, opted to control it and play the simple ball to McGregor. That decision proved vital when the captain slipped Rogic through towards the byline and it was from his right-footed dink to the far post that Ralston headed home.
The goal might not have put Celtic top but it was absolutely important in the scheme of the season – and dramatic, which helps.
READ MORE: Celtic's joy of six - Tom Rogic’s spellbinding hold on Glasgow Derbies
3. Liel Abada v Dundee United (Jan 29 2022)
Another match in which the Hoops were down to 10 men – this time Nir Bitton having saw red in the 81st minute – and looked to have missed an opportunity to get within touching distance at the top following Rangers’ draw in Dingwall earlier in the afternoon.
It just seemed like one of those days. As well as the Bitton red, Benjamin Siegrist was in the form of his life and denied Celtic a breakthrough with at least four quality saves.
Then, Liel Abada happened. The 20-year-old had scored several big goals already by this point but arguably none as important as his 90th-minute conversion against the Terrors.
With time ticking away, Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers build up from the back, with the latter unleashing Juranovic down the right. The Croatian in turn played Jota in towards the right byline and the winger crossed to the back post where Abada showed remarkable poise to control it with his left instep before placing home high past Siegriest with his right.
On top of the obvious benefits of the three points, the context of Abada’s intervention would be felt further just a few days later. His goal put Celtic two points behind Rangers with the Glasgow Derby next on the agenda – a derby that would see the Israeli find the net again as victory put the Hoops top, into the position where they sit still.
4. Giorgos Giakoumakis v Dundee (Feb 20 2022)
The redemption of Giakoumakis is one of the storylines of the season – from missing a penalty against Livingston amid a slower-than-expected start to back-to-back Parkhead hat-tricks and a key role in the run-in, the Greek has already experienced both sides to life in the green and white.
This game represented the first of those two trebles, with the 27-year-old completing it in ‘perfect’ style (that is to say, left foot-right foot-header).
His confidence extended to the press conference afterwards too, with Giakoumakis famously laying his belief before the world by saying: "We showed that we are a better team, that is obvious. We showed that we work harder on the field and I hope and I think that we will win the championship. This squad is very good. I think it's the best in the league, we are better in every single part of the team."
In the context of the game, Giakoumakis’s intercession came at a time when Parkhead was getting a tad nervy and ensured the fans went home safe in the knowledge they were three points clear at the top.
Like the others in this list, the goal was as much a product of solid team fundamentals as the finish itself. On this occasion, Juranovic did well to intercept a Dundee breakaway and immediately charged back up the other end of the pitch, ultimately playing it to Abada who slipped in Ralston down the right. The Scotland international whipped an enticing ball into the front post where Giakouamkis launched himself at it head-first to cue yet another “taps aff” moment and a Celtic victory.
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