Celtic beat Kilmarnock 4-0 to set up a tense finish to the Scottish Premier League
Brace from Kris Commons helps Celtic thrash Kilmarnock 4-0 in a Scottish Premier League encounter at the Rugby Park (Kilmarnock) on Wednesday, April 20, 2011. Celts now drift league leaders, the http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Rangers-c40314 by four points with a game in hand.
Kilmarnock's manager, Kenny Shiels made wholesale changes to his team from the last league game. William Gross partnered David Silva upfront in a 4-4-2 formation.
On the other hand, Celtic made two changes to their team from the 4-0 win over Aberdeen recently. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Thomas-Rogne-c34989 and Joe Ledley respectively.
The game got off to a perfect start for the Bhoys, as they opened the scoring in the fifth minute of the game. Gary Hooper fed Commons on the edge of Kilmarnock's penalty area and the mid-fielder slided in a cool finish to make it 1-0.
The hosts had a wonderful opportunity to equalise in the 17th minute. Silva surged from the left flank and curled the ball to the far post, but Fraser Forster made a nice save to deny him. The visitors dominated the possession and looked better
of the two sides in the early minutes of the game.
Celtic doubled their advantage on the 34th minute mark. Hooper found himself clear on goal, but he unselfishly laid that ball for Commons, who tucked the ball into the net to make it 2-0 for the visitors.
The Celts added their third goal of the evening seven minutes later. Commons played a lovely ball to Hooper on the edge of the box and the striker gathered it beautifully before firing a low shot past http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Anssi-Jaakkola-c6181 to make it 3-0.
The visitors were all over Kilmarnock and the game looked dead and buried at the half-time whistle.
The second half started at the same pace as the first half ended. Commons had a fantastic chance to complete his hat-trick two minutes after the interval, but his powerful shot rattled against the cross bar and deflected out for a goal kick.
The visitors did manage to score their fourth goal of the evening just before the hour mark. Hooper jinked down the left flank before laying it for http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Anthony-Stokes-c6239, who finished clinically past the goalkeeper to make it 4-0.
The Celtic were oozing with confidence, as Kilmarnock feared an embarrassing score-line with half hour’s game left to play. The hosts could not threaten the Celtic goal-keeper a single time in the second half. Neil Lennon’s men were cruising, as they created
several opportunities to score but Kilmarnock managed to control the damage but slumped to their 11th defeat of the campaign.
Kilmarnock finish fifth in the season with a defeat in their last game of the campaign. However, Celtic still have a game left to play against Inverness Caledonian Thistle on May 4, 2011.
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