Liam Scales header salvages Celtic 2-2 draw with Dundee United in Scottish Premiership

Duran opens the scoring

Camilo Duran gave Celtic the lead in the 18th minute, finishing from seven yards after Kasper Hogh set him up from a Benjamin Nygren header across goal. Sam Johnstone then made a fine save from Jesse Randall's drive, and Nygren came close from the edge of the box in a quick Celtic counter. Hogh and Callum Osmand had combined with Duran in the build-up, and the home side appeared on course for a routine win.

Two goals in four minutes

The visitors struck back before the interval. Zac Sapsford glanced a header in the 28th minute from a Lyall Cameron cross, and the ball flew past Johnstone into the far corner. Three minutes later Neil Farrugia knocked the ball in off Liam Scales, after fellow defender Bert Esselink had got his head to a Cameron free-kick. It was Farrugia's first goal for United, a club he joined from Barnsley and has played for since January.

Second-half pressure

Martin O'Neill made two half-time changes, bringing on Haissem Hassan and Jota for Hogh and Osmand. Walton made saves from Nygren and Jota as Celtic pushed forward, and on the hour he tipped a powerful Hassan drive over the crossbar. Jota then curled a right-footed cross in from the left, and Scales leapt highest to head past Walton from eight yards in the 64th minute. Walton also made a brilliant save with his legs from Mika Baur, and in the 81st minute Johnstone beat away a strike from substitute Abdoulaye Yoro during a rare United attack.

Pressure on both managers

Celtic had lost three Europa League matches out of three this season, but domestically they had won nine of their first 10 league fixtures with one defeat. Their most recent league setback was a 1-0 home defeat to Rangers on 20 September, and questions over O'Neill's position followed. O'Neill later said he was ready to address the team's slide.

“We have to try and win football matches. This is what the club is based on.”

Dundee United arrived unbeaten in five games, and head coach Jim Goodwin was confident of ending a long winless run at Celtic Park. The club has not won there since Boxing Day 1992, a wait that BBC put at 34 years and 51 games. United had lost 4-0 to Celtic in the early weeks of the season in the Premier Sports Cup, but they had since improved, winning three of their previous four outings.

What the draw means

The result leaves Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership, while United extended their unbeaten run to six games. Celtic had been expected to win comfortably after Duran's opener, and the late equaliser kept the home side's league form intact. Johnstone and Walton both made key saves in the second half, and the match ended with the points shared.