Samaras at the double as Celtic stay top

A goal from Scott McDonald and a Georgios Samaras double sealed a 3-0 win for Celtic over ten-man Aberdeen and kept the Glasgow giants top of the Scottish Premier League on Saturday.

Champions and rivals Rangers’ 3-1 win over Falkirk in the early kick-off heaped the pressure on the Hoops and they struggled to break the Dons down in the opening stages.

But Australian McDonald opened the scoring in the 39th minute before Samaras struck either side of Jerel Ifil’s sending off for violent conduct as the Hoops ran riot in the second half.

It was Celtic’s third win in a week at Parkhead and keeps them two points above Rangers, who suffered their only league defeat of the season so far in Aberdeen last week but who have a game in hand.

Tony Mowbray said it was a welcome three points.

“There were some good goals and some good attacking play,” the Celtic manager said.

“Aberdeen are a young athletic side with talented players and were always going to be dangerous but I think we managed to suffocate their counter-attacks.”

Celtic ‘keeper Artur Boruc returned after injury but there was only a place on the bench for club captain Stephen McManus on his return from a two-game suspension.

Mark McGhee made three changes to the side which defeated Rangers last weekend. Captain Mark Kerr was suspended and Andrew Considine and Ifil came in to bolster the Dons defence.

After a Charlie Mulgrew effort in the 14th minute which sailed past Boruc’s post Celtic Danny Fox came close to a sensational solo goal two minutes later for the hosts.

The Celtic defender intercepted a pass on the edge of his own box before going on a surging run that ended with a powerful drive which Jamie Langfield parried.

After sending one effort wide of Langfield’s post, then seeing the Dons keeper produce a fine save from a shot on the turn, McDonald saw his luck change in the 39th minute.

Marc Crosas picked out Andreas Hinkel on the right and his low ball across the box was met by McDonald who fired the ball into the net off Langfield.

Samaras doubled Celtic’s lead in the 52nd minute. McGeady cut in from the right and floated a cross to the back post where the unmarked Greek striker headed high into the net.

Aberdeen were reduced to ten-men in the 56th minute when Ifil was sent off after lashing out at Samaras with his boot after the pair had contested a high ball.

Langfield denied Samaras and McGeady in quick succession before Maurice Ross cleared Glenn Loovens’ header off the line.

Samaras made it 3-0 in the 76th minute. Crosas played a long ball over the top of the Dons defence and the Greek took two touches before prodding it past Langfield.

Landry N’Guemo then crashed a shot off the post before Samaras fired the rebound wide as he missed the chance for a hat-trick and substitute Niall McGinn saw his chipped shot cleared off the line by Ricky Foster as Aberdeen were run ragged.

Mark McGhee felt his side had been well beaten.

“We let ourselves down in the first-half with a lapse of concentration,” the Dons boss said.

“In the end I was looking at the clock and counting it down wanting the game to finish.”

Earlier in the day Kris Boyd scored his 150th goal in the SPL as Rangers won 3-1 away to Falkirk.

Boyd netted a double before Pedro Moutinho pulled one back before half-time. A second-half penalty from Kenny Miller sealed the win for Rangers.

Elsewhere Hibernian remain third with a 2-0 win over Motherwell, Dundee United defeated St Mirren 3-2 and Kilmarnock won 1-0 away to St Johnstone.