Benjamin Nygren picked up where he left off as Celtic opened their Premiership campaign with a 1-0 win, producing the decisive moment when it mattered most.
The Swede was the difference at Celtic Park, meeting a pinpoint Kieran Tierney cross early in the second half to score the only goal of the game and get Martin O’Neill’s side up and running in the league.
It capped another productive outing from Nygren, who was named Player of the Match after also leading the way for chances created and progressive passes. It was the sort of all-round display that underlined his overall influence in this Celtic side.
There was a feeling the scoreline should have been more comfortable.
Nygren, meanwhile, looked sharp despite arriving back later than most of the squad following his involvement with Sweden at the World Cup over the summer.
The midfielder also had an Achilles issue to manage after returning to Lennoxtown, making his performance and the length of his outing all the more encouraging.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Nygren was pleased to make a winning start but believes there is much more to come from both himself and the team.
“It feels great. It’s so nice to be back.
“I’m a player who wants to create chances, not only for myself, but for my strikers and wingers.
“We will get better and better.”
He also admitted his preparation for the new campaign has been far from ideal.
“It’s been the shortest pre-season in my career.”
⚽️ “I’m going to have to go to some shooting practice… I had a couple of chances”
🇸🇪 “It’s been the shortest pre-season in my career”Kasper Hogh and Player of the Match Benjamin Nygren following Celtic’s victory over Dundee ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/WbXWKT5yFf
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) August 3, 2026
Despite that, Nygren still completed 83 minutes before making way, a significant contribution given the circumstances.
The 25-year-old finished last season as Celtic’s leading scorer with 21 goals in all competitions, adding nine assists across 58 appearances. He has already made his mark again, and if this display is any indication, he has no intention of slowing down.
Nygren remains a player who divides opinion among sections of the support, but performances like this make a strong case for him. He was creative, decisive and looked capable of driving Celtic forward whenever he was on the ball.
It was only the opening league game of the season, and there is clearly room for improvement across the team, something Nygren acknowledged himself. Even so, Celtic found a way to win, and one of their most influential players was at the heart of it once again.
