Hamilton Academical 1-2 Celtic

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Leigh Griffiths and Emilio IzaguirreImage source, SNS
Image caption,

Leigh Griffiths and Emilio Izaguirre celebrate the former's superb headed goal

Celtic inflicted a first home defeat of the season on Hamilton to reduce Aberdeen's lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to one point.

Gramoz Kurtaj's drive put Accies in front after four minutes at New Douglas Park before Celtic fought back.

Leigh Griffiths's free-kick from the right was prodded over the line by centre-half Dedryck Boyata.

Griffiths sent a looping header past Michael McGovern, although Ali Crawford went close for Accies.

Hamilton remain fourth in the table, eight points behind Aberdeen.

Celtic boss Ronnie Deila brought in Tyler Blackett in place of suspended defender Efe Ambrose, but Belgium international Boyata was at fault for Accies' opener.

He allowed Kurtaj to get goal-side of him 22 yards from goal on the artificial surface and the German's low angled finish gave Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon no chance.

Image source, SNS
Image caption,

Dedryck Boyata is alert to the free-kick from Leigh Griffiths as he knocks in Celtic's first goal

But Celtic, who drew 2-2 with Turkish side Fenerbahce in the Europa League on Thursday - refused to panic and, as skipper Scott Brown and Accies' Darian MacKinnon battled in midfield, the visitors imposed themselves.

Boyata scored his first Celtic goal in domestic competition when he beat past the flat-footed Lucas Tagliapietra to poke Griffiths' free-kick past Michael McGovern.

Five minutes later Griffiths out-jumped Ziggy Gordon and headed Saidy Janko's deflected free-kick home, his 12th goal of the season.

Gordon was fortunate to see a curling Dougie Imrie free-kick go wide after he missed an attempted fisted clearance.

In the second half, Tom Rogic stung the palms of McGovern and Kris Commons was horribly wayward with a shot after being set up by his Australian team-mate.

Accies went close to an equaliser when Crawford's curling shot was clawed away by Gordon and Carlton Morris knocked the rebound wide.

Celtic substitute Gary Mackay-Steven lashed a left-foot shot a fraction wide in the dying moments as the visitors finished the stronger.

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