Aberdeen 0-1 Celtic: Late Hatate strike send visitors seven points clear at the top

Reo Hatate's exceptional goal propelled Celtic, the leaders of the Scottish Premiership, to a 1-0 victory over their title contenders, Aberdeen, while Rangers achieved a commanding 6-0 victory against Kilmarnock on Wednesday.

The Japanese midfielder Hatate broke through Aberdeen's resilient defense by skillfully avoiding the offside trap to connect with Greg Taylor's pass, delivering a powerful half-volley in the 78th minute at Pittodrie.

Brendan Rodgers' team now holds a seven-point lead over second-placed Aberdeen and possesses a game in hand over their closest rivals.

Despite the challenging conditions of heavy rain and wind gusts nearing 50 miles per hour, Celtic's pursuit of the title remained unaffected.

This victory marked Celtic's 13th win in 14 league matches this season, highlighting the significant disparity in quality between the Parkhead club and the rest of the Premiership.

Aberdeen had initially kept pace with Celtic during the first 11 matches of the league season, with both teams' only dropped points occurring in their 2-2 draw at Parkhead.

However, Jimmy Thelin's struggling side had managed to secure only two points from their last three away fixtures before Celtic ended their 14-match winning streak at Pittodrie.

Meanwhile, Rangers, despite their impressive 6-0 triumph over Kilmarnock, remain 11 points behind the leaders.

Rangers' captain James Tavernier scored from close range in the 37th minute at Ibrox.

In the second half, Brazilian striker Danilo, Moroccan striker Hamza Igamane, and Czech winger Vaclav Cerny each netted a goal within an eight-minute span, solidifying the victory.

Substitute Cyriel Dessers contributed two additional goals, as third-placed Rangers finally provided the entertainment that had been missing, much to the relief of their frustrated supporters.

Lyall Cameron scored twice in the second half, leading Dundee to a 4-1 victory over Motherwell at Dens Park, allowing them to leapfrog the struggling side into fifth place.