Brendan Rodgers' side six points adrift of leaders Hearts
Sunday 23 September 2018 20:32, UK
Celtic slumped to their worst start to a Scottish Premiership season in 20 years as Kilmarnock came from behind to claim a dramatic 2-1 win at Rugby Park.
Leigh Griffiths gave Brendan Rodgers' side the lead when he pounced on a mistake by Greg Taylor after 34 minutes.
But Chris Burke's 25-yard strike midway through the second period brought Kilmarnock level and Stuart Findlay rose to meet Burke's 93rd-minute corner and stun the champions.
The result leaves Celtic in fifth position, six points adrift of leaders Hearts, while Steve Clarke's men move above them into fourth place after their shock victory.
It is the first time in 81 domestic matches that Celtic have lost after scoring first, since losing to St Johnstone back in May 2016.
Rodgers' men went on a 69-game unbeaten run after that setback, and he will hope for a similar response after this latest stuttering display.
It was Kilmarnock who had the game's opening chance, as Craig Gordon kept out Greg Stewart's header from Aaron Tshibola's corner, before Dedryck Boyata somehow hooked over from under the bar from Griffiths' set piece.
The last time Kilmarnock went four games unbeaten against Celtic was in 1963, but they fell behind in calamitous circumstances as Kirk Broadfoot failed to clear Kieran Tierney's cross before Taylor miscued an attempted clearance against his own post.
Griffiths was on hand and made no mistake from close range, ending his wait for a first league goal of the season by notching his 150th league strike in Scottish football.
But Celtic lacked a cutting edge in the second period, handed to Kilmarnock after a skirmish involving their former player Youssouf Mulumbu and Tshibola.
Both players were booked, but the tussle lifted the crowd, and Burke latched onto Alan Power's pass to fire the hosts level after 64 minutes.
Rodgers looked to freshen things up with the introduction of Lewis Morgan, and he came close to restoring Celtic's lead when he cut inside and shot, but Jamie MacDonald produced a fine save low to his right.
Just when it appeared Celtic would have to settle for a point, Kilmarnock snatched all three at the death as Findlay headed past Gordon to leave Rodgers' side with just 10 points from their opening six matches.
Burke inspired Killie's comeback, lashing the equaliser and then providing that dramatic late assist. He worked tirelessly, too.
Kilmarnock host Motherwell at Rugby Park next Saturday in the Scottish Premiership.
Celtic travel to face St Johnstone in the Scottish League Cup on Wednesday before hosting Aberdeen back in the Scottish Premiership next Saturday.
