Jota’s late winner earned Celtic a first away Scottish Premiership victory since February as Aberdeen’s winless run extended to nine games.
Kyogo Furuhashi chested in a deserved early opener but the hosts improved after the break and equalised when Lewis Ferguson diverted a corner in.
However, the visitors responded late at Pittodrie as Jota’s close-range finish earned a long-awaited away win.
The result means Celtic remain sixth and Aberdeen stay ninth.
But Ange Postecoglou’s side have closed the gap on league leaders Hearts to five points with a much-needed three points, with high-flying Hibernian and Rangers still to play on Sunday.
Aberdeen are without a win in all competitions in nine games, which includes a four-game losing streak in the Premiership – their worst run in the top-flight since April 2011.
All the pre-match talk about a Scott Brown reunion clouded the fact both sides were in need of a morale-boosting win, and for the majority of the first period, it looked like the visitors were only team looking to achieve it as Aberdeen struggled to deal with Celtic’s tempo and approach play.
David Turnbull curled in a corner to Nir Bitton who squandered a golden close-range header, but Kyogo made up for the Israeli man’s miss when Turnbull bent in another stunning cross to find the Japanese forward, who casually chested the ball into the Aberdeen net.
Celtic were clicking, more so down the right as young Aberdeen full-back Jack MacKenzie struggled to deal with Turnbull and Liel Abada doubling up on his side.
But it was the opposite flank that almost brought a second goal, Jota chopping inside and unleashing a dipping shot that bounced off Gary Woods’ bar.
The home side took a while to get going, but came to life as the first half came to a close.
Celtic’s defence showed signs of creaking as Christian Ramirez found himself with acres of space at a corner and hit a volley into the ground, which Joe Hart flapped at before seeing the ball clip the bar.
Aberdeen continued that improvement into the second half with more direct play as Austin Samuels flashed over.
And the hosts would get the equaliser their second-half showing merited when Calvin Ramsay’s corner found Ferguson who rose highest and ended up diverting the ball in with his shoulder with the Celtic defence far from convincing.
The hosts might have won it, with Hart parrying away a close-range header from Brown and a strike from Jonny Hayes.
But Celtic composed in the latter stages and notched a vital winner as neat build-up on the edge of the area resulted in Adam Montgomery sliding the ball across for Jota to slide in.
Man of the match – David Turnbull
What did we learn?
Questions have rightly been asked about Celtic’s mentality when the chips are down, and when Aberdeen equalised Postecoglou would have been fearing he was going to have to provide more answers.
But his side showed a mental toughness that has until now been distant. The Australian will demand this has to be a turning point his side’s campaign.
For long periods of the first half it looked like Aberdeen would fail to capitalise on Celtic’s vulnerable backline, but Glass’ men rallied in a much-improved second half.
In isolation a home defeat to Celtic is not catastrophic, but with the run the Dons are currently enduring and the mindset Glass’ players could currently be in, this feels like a sink-or-swim moment in the Pittodrie side’s campaign, even at this early stage.
What’s next?
Celtic go to Motherwell on 16 October (15:00 BST) after the international break, as Aberdeen travel to Dundee (18:00) on the same day.
More to follow.
Player of the match
FuruhashiKyogo Furuhashi
Aberdeen
-
Squad number22Player nameRamsay
-
Squad number17Player nameHayes
-
Squad number8Player nameBrown
-
Squad number19Player nameFerguson
-
Squad number2Player nameMcCrorie
-
Squad number23Player nameSamuels
-
Squad number25Player nameWoods
-
Squad number3Player nameMacKenzie
-
Squad number44Player nameM Longstaff
-
Squad number9Player nameRamírez
-
Squad number15Player nameMcGeouch
-
Squad number27Player nameBates
-
Squad number24Player nameCampbell
-
Squad number18Player nameMcLennan
Celtic
-
Squad number8Player nameFuruhashi
-
Squad number17Player nameJota
-
Squad number42Player nameMcGregor
-
Squad number11Player nameAbada
-
Squad number20Player nameCarter-Vickers
-
Squad number18Player nameRogic
-
Squad number54Player nameMontgomery
-
Squad number14Player nameTurnbull
-
Squad number4Player nameStarfelt
-
Squad number6Player nameBitton
-
Squad number15Player nameHart
-
Squad number56Player nameRalston
-
Squad number10Player nameAjeti
Line-ups
Aberdeen
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 25Woods
- 22Ramsay
- 27Bates
- 2McCrorie
- 3MacKenzie
- 17Hayes
- 44M LongstaffSubstituted forCampbellat 88′minutes
- 8BrownSubstituted forMcGeouchat 72′minutes
- 23SamuelsSubstituted forMcLennanat 78′minutes
- 19Ferguson
- 9Ramírez
Substitutes
- 1Lewis
- 5Gallagher
- 14Emmanuel-Thomas
- 15McGeouch
- 18McLennan
- 21Gurr
- 24Campbell
Celtic
Formation 4-3-3
- 15Hart
- 56Ralston
- 20Carter-Vickers
- 4Starfelt
- 54Montgomery
- 14TurnbullBooked at 35mins
- 6BittonBooked at 63minsSubstituted forRogicat 72′minutes
- 42McGregor
- 11AbadaSubstituted forAjetiat 72′minutes
- 8Furuhashi
- 17Neves FilipeBooked at 66mins
Substitutes
- 5Scales
- 7Giakoumakis
- 10Ajeti
- 16McCarthy
- 18Rogic
- 29Bain
- 57Welsh
- Referee:
- Bobby Madden
- Attendance:
- 14,522
Live Text
-
Match ends, Aberdeen 1, Celtic 2.
-
Second Half ends, Aberdeen 1, Celtic 2.
-
Kyogo Furuhashi (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Foul by Calvin Ramsay (Aberdeen).
-
Substitution, Aberdeen. Dean Campbell replaces Matthew Longstaff.
-
Goal! Aberdeen 1, Celtic 2. Jota (Celtic) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Adam Montgomery.
-
Kyogo Furuhashi (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Foul by Calvin Ramsay (Aberdeen).
-
Attempt saved. Jonny Hayes (Aberdeen) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ross McCrorie.
-
Foul by Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic).
-
Christian Ramírez (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Substitution, Aberdeen. Connor McLennan replaces Austin Samuels.
-
Jack MacKenzie (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Foul by Callum McGregor (Celtic).
-
Jonny Hayes (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
-
Attempt blocked. Austin Samuels (Aberdeen) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Matthew Longstaff.
-
Substitution, Aberdeen. Dylan McGeouch replaces Scott Brown.
-
Substitution, Celtic. Tomas Rogic replaces Nir Bitton.
-
Substitution, Celtic. Albian Ajeti replaces Liel Abada.