Celtic 4-0 Kilmarnock: Champions open title defence with dominant victory

Celtic kicked off their Scottish Premiership title defence with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Kilmarnock on Sunday.

Reo Hatate opened the scoring after just 17 minutes, making no mistake from the edge of the area to lift the spirits of an expectant Celtic Park crowd.

Further jubilation followed as Liam Scales doubled the lead five minutes before the break, heading Matt O’Riley’s corner past the helpless Robby McCrorie, who had twice denied Nicolas Kuhn moments earlier.

Scales almost added to his own account, and extended Celtic’s lead, in the second half, only for Oliver Bainbridge to clear off the line after McCrorie was again beaten from a corner.

Yet Bainbridge was left wanting soon after as his deflection helped Kuhn find the back of the net following a weaving run inside from the touchline just before the hour.

Substitute Anthony Ralston then added a late fourth in the third minute of stoppage-time as Brendan Rodgers’ side started their search for a 13th top-flight title in 14 seasons with ease.

#CELKIL | #CelticFC pic.twitter.com/1jqPw2ii8k

— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) August 4, 2024

Data Debrief: Business as usual for Hoops

Reigning Scottish champions have now won their first match in each of the last 13 seasons, with Rangers the last such team to fail when drawing 1-1 with Hearts back in the 2011-12 campaign.

Celtic have also won their league opener in 16 of the last 17 seasons, losing the other 2-1 away to Hearts in the 2021-22 season.

This victory came as no surprise, though, as when at home for their domestic curtain-raiser, the Hoops are unbeaten in 35 such games (W31 D4) since a 4-3 defeat to Morton in 1950-51.

Sunday also continued an impressive head-to-head record, with Celtic only losing one of the 12 previous occasions that they have faced Kilmarnock on the first matchday of a league season (W9 D2).

C E L T I C #CELKIL | #CelticFC pic.twitter.com/ZSrmpFuiMu

— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) August 4, 2024