Benjamin Nygren nods Celtic to hard-fought opening win over Dundee

Celtic secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Dundee in their opening Scottish Premiership match, with new signing Benjamin Nygren scoring the decisive goal. The win marked the start of Celtic's defense of their title, which was celebrated by fans unfurling the championship flag before kickoff.

Despite a somewhat flat first half where Dundee posed problems, Nygren, who was last season's top scorer with 21 goals, broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute with a close-range header. This goal proved sufficient to claim the three points for the champions.

Celtic's new big-money signings, Colombian striker Camilo Duran and Danish forward Kasper Hogh, both made their debuts. Defender Alistair Johnston and midfielder Arne Engels also featured, despite attracting transfer interest. Dundee's debutant goalkeeper Owen Goodman made several saves, including a fine stop from Kieran Tierney before Nygren's goal.

While Celtic controlled much of the second half after taking the lead, they struggled to extend their advantage. Nerves resurfaced as the clock ticked down, but late saves from Goodman and Celtic's Viljami Sinisalo, along with a McGregor effort hitting the post, ensured the narrow lead held. Hogh also missed a late chance to double Celtic's lead.